Below, you’ll find information about issues facing our city. Our campaign is excited about these policy initiatives to improve Baltimore City for everyone.
Keep an eye out for updates, and share your feedback with us. We belong in a city that is receptive to new ideas!
We belong in a city that knows that water is a human right: Baltimoreans need predictable, affordable water bills.
Baltimore City residents who make less than or equal to 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) should not pay a water bill, nor should our senior citizens, many of whom are on a fixed income; residents who earn between 150-200% of the FPL should have their water bills deeply discounted.
We belong in a city that is committed to our future. Dave wants Baltimore to at least double our commitment to education spending. In 2018, Dave fought alongside education organizers to lead Baltimore City‘s effort on the Education Lockbox Amendment (Question 1) and is currently working alongside education organizers to ensure the Kirwan recommendations are implemented!
We belong in a city that provides opportunities for people who want to work. Baltimore has a chance to lead on green initiatives and to be a national example for creating sustainable, good-paying jobs with a focus on lowering our dependence on fossil fuels. With lower youth employment rates in Baltimore City than surrounding counties, our city must especially focus on green jobs for young people who wish to work.
If we’re serious about fixing crime in our city, we need leaders who will find innovative ways to create new opportunities that don’t rely on giving tax breaks to huge corporations.
We belong in a city that doesn’t fall back into our historic pattern of racist housing segregation and inequality. Baltimore needs to protect renters from slumlords and protect our neighborhoods from predatory, out-of-town speculators.
We need to use the housing inventory and relationships we have to put an end to chronic homelessness, and to provide real, affordable housing to people who need it.
We belong in a city with sensible, prompt, and predictable transit, but Baltimore’s mobility options must be improved. A city with better walkability, bikability, and transit options is a more livable city.
We need to put people before cars and commit to making the Baltimore residents and our environment a priority.
We belong in a city that takes a public health approach to treating violent crime. We know that public health solutions work, and we need to allocate resources to community services, workforce development, addiction treatment, employment opportunities for young people and returned citizens, before we spend more money on police overtime.
We belong in a city that doesn’t put up unnecessary barriers to starting and maintaining a small business. In predominantly Black neighborhoods throughout Baltimore, we see incredible potential in our residents, but very little opportunity.
We can do more to make owning and operating a business in Baltimore intuitive. Small businesses account for more than 60% of new jobs since the Great Recession; it’s time for our city to make it easier to work for ourselves and each other by incentivizing new small businesses.
We belong in a city where far fewer people live in food deserts. In 2018, 23.5% of all Baltimoreans lived in “Healthy Food Priority Areas.” This includes disproportional representation for Black people (31%), Children (28%) and Seniors (~25%).
Just one supermarket can create far reaching options for healthy foods when it is located in a priority area. While we advocate for healthy, affordable supermarkets, we need to do more to educate people on demanding economical, healthy choices at small food retail stores (and we must do more to support those stores in their efforts!).
We belong in a city that knows that internet access is a necessity for students, job-seekers, and families. More than 60% of Baltimoreans lack home access to broadband internet service, yet Baltimore recently renewed a contract that could prevent high-speed internet access competition.
We need to look at options for municipal internet access, to provide competitive and affordable options in Baltimore and end Comcast’s virtual monopoly on TV and broadband. We need to support the libraries and librarians that are the exclusive source of internet access for so many Baltimoreans.