Thread by @CouncilPresBMS

Baltimore is the only place I have ever called home. All of us know that while we are one city, there are really two Baltimores. #BaltimoreCanBmore

There is the Baltimore that everyone knows and loves which includes the Harbor and Harbor East and Mt. Washington. And there is the forgotten Baltimore where citizens struggle to even have their existence recognized. I come from the forgotten Baltimore.

There is no doubt about it, Baltimore has been in a rough spot but if anybody knows anything about Baltimore they know we don’t quit. Even in the face of the slimmest odds, we find a way to push through to the other side.

All of us are going to have to do something that Baltimore has refused to do for generations.

We must take an honest look at everything we do and assess what must change. As Council President, I accept that responsibility and will lead our government in doing so.

Our job is simple. Listen to the needs of our neighbors and work hard to fulfill them no matter the personal consequences. Baltimore now more than ever needs elected leaders who are unafraid to be unelected because they did the right thing instead of the popular one.

Two years ago, as the Public Safety Committee Chair, I abruptly ended a committee hearing because no plan had been produced to reduce crime in Baltimore. Today, I am grateful that a plan has been presented and as a Council, we will hold the agencies accountable.

For my entire life, leaders have put off the long term approach in search of short term fixes that were never to be found. There are no quick fixes to crime. There is only the hard work and investments necessary to remedy the inequities that allow crime and violence to persist.

As such, I am asking the administration to strengthen cross-agency responses to violence, with a particular focus on having a more robust mental health response for our youth, families, and communities. We must address the trauma our communities face daily.

Nothing is more important than reducing violence in Baltimore but have you ever heard of a dysfunctional government reducing crime? Government must function efficiently and effectively to achieve measurable and sustained results.

Through these proposals I seek to lay the foundation by restructuring Baltimore’s government, increasing its effectiveness and bolstering transparency and accountability to its residents.

First, we must address our outdated City Charter and ensure that we have a process for periodic review. I will introduce legislation requiring this to happen every ten years.

Baltimore’s government is a $3 billion business and it's time that we start running it like one. Earlier this year, I introduced a charter amendment for Baltimore to join cities across the country to require that we have a Chief Administrative Officer.

Baltimore’s spending has been the topic of controversy and discussion for more than a decade. It is time to change the structure of the Board of Estimates to increase accountability. I will seek to pass legislation that reduces the BOE membership to that of the 3 elected members.

I will get out of City Hall and get in front of the people to hear what their needs and concerns are. Starting next week, I will host 9 town halls across the city to solicit feedback from our neighbors allowing them to directly hold me accountable.

Baltimore is a city full of untapped resources and treasures. Our youth are the greatest example of this and their success is how we will measure the success of our city’s turn around. Every dollar invested in our young people is money well spent.

As Council President, I will work with the City Council and the Mayor's Office of Employment Development to increase oversight and planning of the YouthWorks Program to ensure every young person in our city who wants a summer job gets one.

This summer, my colleagues and I secured $3.4 million to open our recreation centers on Saturdays for the first time since the 70s. But that is not enough. We can do more. We must do more. As Council President, I will fight to have our recreation centers open seven days a week.

Baltimore’s youth are crying out for caring adults to surround them with love and resources. Every minute invested with them is time well spent. Our government must lead here by providing incentives for our employees to get active with youth in a positive way.

The policies to do this are already in place, we just have to encourage it. I am asking my staff to take time out of the office to engage in mentoring services, activities, and programs.

The future of Baltimore’s public schools is at stake in the next legislative session. The Kirwan Commission will regulate how resources are allocated for our children.

At our next Council meeting, I will introduce a resolution asking the Department of Finance to present to the City Council a proactive plan for increasing local funding for our public schools.

Young people need the opportunity to provide meaningful input. We must lift their voices in the decision-making process. As Council President, I will introduce legislation to lower the voting age in Baltimore City municipal elections to 16 years old.

Baltimore has a rich and storied history. We are celebrated for our civil rights leadership and for our hard hitting linebackers and safeties.

Another deep and storied Baltimore tradition is that of institutional and systemic racial discrimination.

To repair this history, we must embed a framework of equity into how we do business. This means requiring ordinances to have a fiscal and equity impact analysis. This means investigating the racially disparate impact of fines and fees on City residents.

This means funding the Equity Fund and holding the administration accountable for implementing the Equity Assessment Program that this council passed last year.

I cannot do any of this work alone. We can not tackle the problems we face without working together as a unified force. I need the entire City Council to work together to improve the condition of our great city.

You can view the Legislative and Policy Proposal and dates for town halls here: bit.ly/councilpolicy

#BaltimoreCanBmore