Candidate for Baltimore City Council 8th District

What’s the job: Representing residents on the 15-member City Council, including introducing and voting on legislation, approving city spending and providing oversight of city operations. Council members are elected to four-year terms by district. The 8th District includes West Baltimore neighborhoods such as Forest Park, Franklintown, Edmondson Village, Uplands and Irvington.

Look up your City Council district here.

Democrats

Name: Paris Gray

Age: 37

Personal: Married

Education: Graduate of McDonogh School; attended, but did not graduate from Indiana University

Experience: Four years as community outreach coordinator in the 8th District of Baltimore. Established the District 8 Job and Resource Fairs and Edmondson Ave. Task Force.

Endorsements: Metro Baltimore AFL-CIO, Sierra Club, AFSCME Maryland, outgoing City Councilman Kristerfer Burnett, CASA

Notable donors: Liam Davis, Councilman Ryan Dorsey, school board Commissioner Ashley Esposito, Councilwoman Phylicia Porter, Councilman Zeke Cohen, Councilwoman Odette Ramos.

Questionnaire

Q: What would be the first piece of legislation you would introduce? Why that bill?

Q: Do you support the proposed ballot measure that would reduce the size of the council from 14 districts to eight? Why or why not?

Q: Name a city service (not including the police department) that could be improved. How would you accomplish that?

Q: What ideas would you support to reduce homicides and gun violence?

Q: Should the city reduce its property tax rate? How?

Q: What should the city do to address the rate of opioid overdoses?

Q: How would you ensure the city has enough affordable housing?

Q: What should Baltimore do to reduce the number of vacant properties?

Q: Do you support the Harborplace plans as proposed? Please explain your answer.

Q: In addition to your role as a City Council member, do you plan to work full time? Please list other sources of income.

Q: What is one new thing the Council could do to support young people?

Q: Why should voters elect you?

Primary questionnaire

Read the candidate’s previous replies to the Baltimore Banner’s voter guide questionnaire.

Q: Do you support the proposed ballot measure that would reduce the size of the council from 14 districts to eight? Why or why not.

Q: How would you ensure the city has enough affordable housing?

Q: What should Baltimore do to reduce the number of vacant properties?

Q: Do you support the Harborplace plans as proposed? Please explain your answer.

Q: What’s one bill you would introduce during your first year of the next term? Why that bill?

Q: Do you support Renew Baltimore’s effort to cut property tax rates? Please explain your answer.

Q: In addition to your role as a City Council member, do you plan to work full time? Please list other sources of income.

Q: What is one new thing the council could do to support young people?

Q: Why should voters elect you?