Baltimore County Council District 7

A: Public Education – Good schools are an economic driver, and right now our public schools are not supporting our students, families, staff, or taxpayers. All of our residents deserve access to a solid public education system. While we’re seeing the budget grow, we’re also seeing class sizes get larger. Finding the balance between funding BCPS and keeping taxes low isn’t easy, but it starts with transparency, accountability, and oversight – none of which currently exist in our local government. This issue feeds directly into many of the other policy questions, as I believe that when schools support communities, and vice versa, they create a tangible positive difference in the lives off all residents.

A: This is not a single policy issue but is starts with acknowledging that we are not growing in population. We have rising ‘fixed costs’ of infrastructure and government, but a stagnant population that has to shoulder more of the financial burden. We need councilmanic representatives who will not only acknowledge that we have a housing and affordability crisis but are willing to support the responsible development and redevelopment outlined in the 2030 Master Plan that will directly impact affordability.

I view strong public schools as an economic engine for communities. Demanding oversight and accountability of BCPS, elevating our school system, will support current residents while making Baltimore County a more desirable place to raise your family. When we expand training and career centered programs that already exist within the County, we make sure that all residents have access to stable and meaningful employment. When we grow as a County, our workforce will grow along with it, creating more career opportunities.

A: The first step is acknowledging that District 7 has three very distinct populations – Rural, Suburban, and Urban. We are in a cycle of excessive down-zoning, which takes away housing opportunities for our residents. I will work with communities to build and redevelop functioning neighborhoods, not just housing, that are supported by our current infrastructure and are in line with the 2030 Master Plan developed by the Department of Planning. We also need to amend the legislation to implement common-sense impact fees that both homeowners and construction teams can predict.

A: This is something that I think about every day. I have been listening to every work and legislative session I can get my hands on and what I know is that we won’t move beyond this with career politicians and the same playbook we’ve been using for the last 16 years. I’ve talked a little about ethics already, but it does really all come back to that. We need council members who are willing to reject retail politics, targeted legislation, and councilmanic courtesy. Trust is not built overnight, but if there’s only one promise that I make, it’s that I will always give you an honest answer.

A: Ask questions. This was something that I learned to value while working at a preschool. Kids ask a lot of questions, and they almost always lead to both deeper conversations and deeper understanding. I view this as an opportunity to learn and grow, not as a roadblock or something to fear. Working with people who hold different perspectives is not a new experience for me. I have been fortunate enough to lead and serve in incredibly diverse schools and environments where we had to work together for a common goal, and I am ready to take that to the County level.

A: My top priority is to preserve Baltimore County’s green space and ensure our neighborhoods grow responsibly and thoughtfully. I’ve voted to preserve more than 14,000 acres of land as open space; in fact, Baltimore County is very close to its goal of protecting 80,000 acres from development. We’ve advanced a dozen new parks, and we’ve taken strong measures to eliminate school overcrowding. Thanks to legislation we passed in 2024, developers will no longer be able to take advantage of loopholes to build in overcrowded school districts.

We will continue that aggressive, proactive approach after the election. I proudly sponsored Question A, the proposed charter change that will make it tougher to build beyond Baltimore County’s urban boundary. We assembled a bipartisan coalition to pass this change through the Baltimore County Council, and it will be decided by voters this November. This charter amendment will help protect our farms and reservoirs, and it will force Baltimore County to pay attention to existing infrastructure and neighborhoods. I supported another charter change, strongly supported by farmers, that will create a Department of Agriculture. After the election, I will work with that new agency on strategies to better market Baltimore County’s 780 farms.

A: Baltimore County must do everything in its power to make everyday life more affordable for its residents. Too many Baltimore Countians live from paycheck to paycheck, and every time government tries to add a new tax or raise a fee, those expenses hurt people struggling to make ends meet. I’ve consistently opposed tax rate hikes, and I’ve looked for ways to cut the costs associated with doing business with Baltimore County. For example, I sponsored legislation that will reduce housing costs for thousands of Baltimore Countians by capping development impact fees until the Department of Planning completes a comprehensive study. I championed legislation that allows homeowners to opt-out of expensive sewer connections.

Baltimore County’s permitting process is notoriously inefficient—not only for businesses, but also for families who simply want to make improvements to their homes. The county should move toward a concurrent permitting system in which multiple agencies work together to identify potential issues. There should also be a presumption that permits will be approved unless they conflict with county regulations.I’ve voted to cut more waste from the budget than any other Councilmember in Baltimore County history. I strongly support property tax relief, particularly for senior citizens on fixed income.

A: I support thoughtful land use policies that prioritize development in our older areas. We should support strategies in the Master Plan and community plans that allow for clustering development where it makes sense, and we should expand transportation access so housing is linked to jobs. For more than a decade, I championed the idea of a circulator in Towson, a concept that can be replicated elsewhere. I support modifying Baltimore County’s parking regulations to reduce unnecessary impervious surface and stimulate development, a concept supported by many environmentalists and developers.

I have opposed weakening the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance to allow development in overcrowded school districts. I will not support breaking the Urban-Rural Demarcation Line or sacrificing our green space to build more affordable housing, as some have suggested.

A: I will continue to be an active, visible County Councilmember who regularly meets with constituents and provides honest input on the challenges facing Baltimore County.

I was among the first in county government to support creating an office of Inspector General, and I have consistently supported strengthening the power of that position to investigate fraud, waste, and abuse. In 2025, I sponsored a resolution that asked the Maryland General Assembly to allow the Inspector General to investigate Baltimore County Public Schools. Unfortunately, despite bipartisan support from my colleagues on the County Council, Democratic State Senators killed this very reasonable proposal during the last legislative session. I’ll work to resurrect this idea once the next state legislature is inaugurated. Baltimore County Public Schools spends more than $2.5 billion every year. Giving the Inspector General investigatory power will save taxpayer money that can be better spent in the classroom.There are other ways to increase transparency and reform government. Right now, the Council can only cut spending; the Council should have the ability to shift money within the County Executive’s budget proposal, or to set conditions to demand better results for taxpayers. This would require a charter change approved by the voters.

A: I’m a bipartisan problem-solver who works across party lines to get things done. Working with my colleagues from both parties, we’ve preserved thousands of acres from development, built three new schools in northeastern Baltimore County, and improved neighborhoods from Carney to Kingsville. I joined with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to pass legislation that has reduced pollution in our waterways, strengthened the office of the Inspector General, and reformed the way Baltimore County reviews development proposals in school districts. We’ve accomplished this work by finding common ground and drawing strength from community leaders and advocates.

I’ve been endorsed in previous elections by organizations as diverse as the AFL-CIO, the Sierra Club, the Teachers Association of Baltimore County, and the Fraternal Order of Police. While these organizations may not agree with me on everything, they know that I am approachable and will do my best to consider all viewpoints.I supported the expansion of the County Council, which was another bipartisan measure. I was extremely disappointed by the partisanship of those who wanted a gerrymandered redistricting map. Baltimore County benefits from thoughtful Councilmembers of both parties who aim for results; it would be poorly served by one-party government.