MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION. THIS IS A COMMITMENT 2024 SPECIAL BALTIMORE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT DEBATE ON STAGE AT THE MURPHY FINE ARTS CENTER AT MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. HERE’S YOUR MODERATOR, JASON NEWTON. HI, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT. THE TOP DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT OF BALTIMORE CITY COUNCIL, JOINING US FOR A SPIRITED DEBATE HERE ON THE CAMPUS OF MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY IN THE MURPHY FINE ARTS CENTER. NOW, THIS DEBATE IS PUT ON BY WBAL-TV, WBAL NEWS RADIO AND MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION. I’LL BE YOUR MODERATOR TONIGHT. BUT ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS WILL BE FACES AND VOICES THAT ARE QUITE FAMILIAR TO YOU. FIRST, WBAL-TV NEWS ANCHOR DEBORAH WEINER ALSO. SO WBAL NEWS RADIO HOST CLARENCE MITCHELL, THE FOURTH C4 AND FROM MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION WILL BE JEFF SALKIN. EACH OF THE CANDIDATES WILL BE GIVING US THEIR OPENING STATEMENT. THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY WILL GO WAS SELECTED RANDOMLY. THAT ORDER IS SHANNON SNEE. NICK MOSBY. AND ZEKE COHEN. WITH THAT SAID, WE’LL GET RIGHT TO THOSE OPENING STATEMENTS. MISS SNEAD, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. I AM SHANNON SNEAD, A CANDIDATE, A CITY, A CANDIDATE FOR CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF BY SAYING I AM HOME. I’M A GRADUATE OF MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, GO BEARS. I ALSO WENT TO UNDERGRAD AT UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, EASTERN SHORE. BUT I HAVE TO START OFF BY SAYING AND THANKING MY MOTHER BECAUSE THAT’S THE REASON WHY I’M HERE TODAY. MY MOTHER HAD THREE DAUGHTERS. SHE WAS A SINGLE PARENT. MY FATHER DIED IN A CAR CRASH, AND MY MOTHER HAD TWO DAUGHTERS TO CARE FOR. MY SISTER HAD A HOLE IN HER HEART. SHE DIED WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG AND MY MOTHER STILL DID NOT GIVE UP WITH ALL THE GRIEF THAT SHE WAS GOING THROUGH, SHE NEVER MISSED A DAY OF WORK. WE NEVER MISSED A DAY OF SCHOOL, AND THAT’S IMPORTANT WHEN YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND LEADING A HOUSEHOLD. AFTER MY MOM WENT THROUGH HER GRIEF, I SAW FIRSTHAND WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AS A YOUNG WOMAN, I MADE SURE THAT I WENT TO SCHOOL LOOKING AT MY SISTER, WHO ALSO WAS A GRADUATE OF MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, A CHEMISTRY MAJOR RIGHT HERE, AND SO LOOKING AT HER MADE ME WANT TO DO MY ABSOLUTE BEST. WHEN I GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, EASTERN SHORE, MY FIRST JOB OUT OF COLLEGE WAS AT FOX 45. MY GOAL WAS NEVER TO BE A POLITICIAN, BUT WHAT MY GOAL WAS TO DO WAS ACTUALLY RUN A NEWSROOM TO TELL THE STORIES. THE GOOD AND THE BAD. AND SO THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WE’VE DONE. I’VE BEEN WORKING IN MY COMMUNITY IN EAST BALTIMORE. I’M A FORMER COUNCILWOMAN. I RAN FOR, UH, I RAN FOR OFFICE IN ONE, UH, IN 2016. AND I NEVER GAVE UP ON DOING THE RIGHT THING IN BALTIMORE CITY. I MADE SURE THAT OUR POLICE COMMISSIONER LIVED IN BALTIMORE CITY. I MADE SURE THAT OUR TOP OFFICIALS LIVED IN BALTIMORE CITY AS WELL. THANK YOU, MR. MOSBY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS ELECTION IS A UNIQUE ELECTION, AND IT’S UNIQUE BECAUSE ALL OF THE CANDIDATES HAVE A RECORD. WE’VE ALL SERVED IN OFFICE TO THE VOTERS OF BALTIMORE. I SAY ONE THING THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT COMPARING AND CONTRASTING. WHEN YOU LOOK AT MY RECORD IN COMPARISON TO THE COLLECTIVE. RECORDS OF MY OPPONENTS, THEIR RECORDS PALE IN COMPARISON. I. WAS THE CITY COUNCILMAN THAT BANNED THE BOX FOR EX-OFFENDERS TO PROVIDE SECOND CHANCES. I WAS THE DELEGATE IN ANNAPOLIS THAT ENSURED THAT THE PREAKNESS STAYED HERE IN THE CITY OF BALTIMORE, AND THE CITY OF BALTIMORE WAS NO LONGER. TAKING FOLKS HOMES BASED OFF THEIR WATER BILL. AND AS YOUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I’VE BEEN THE PERSON TO ENSURE THAT LOCAL CONTROL. IS BACK TO THE CITIZENS OF BALTIMORE OF ITS POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE CIVIL WAR, AND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE REAL INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY FOR AFFORDABLE PERSPECTIVE. I’VE I’VE DONE THE WORK, I’VE DONE THE WORK, FACED SOME OF THE TOUGH, THE TOUGHEST. ADVERSARY. I’VE DONE THE WORK FACING SOME OF THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGES. BUT I’VE SHOWN UP AND DONE MY JOB EVERY SINGLE DAY. THAT’S BECAUSE THAT LITTLE BOY WHO GREW UP IN NORTHEAST BALTIMORE IN A THREE BEDROOM HOUSE WITH SIX WOMEN, SHARED A BEDROOM WITH MY MOTHER AND MY OLDEST SISTER. TILL I WAS 14 YEARS OLD, WATCHED HER CATCH PUBLIC FAILED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION EVERY SINGLE DAY. WATCH MY TEACHERS STRUGGLE IN THE CLASSROOMS WITH ME. WATCH MY PEERS STRUGGLE ON THE STREETS OF BALTIMORE. I’M FROM BALTIMORE. I’M FOR BALTIMORE. I’M FROM BALTIMORE. I’VE. ALWAYS BEEN A FIGHTER FOR BALTIMORE. THAT SETS ME APART FROM MY OPPONENTS. THANK YOU SIR. MR. COHEN. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US AT THE GREAT MORGAN STATE. IT’S AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL. MY NAME IS ZEKE COHEN. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE BALTIMORE. PROUD TO BE RAISING TWO KIDS HERE WITH MY WIFE. SHE’S. A PHYSICIAN IN CHERRY HILL. MY DAUGHTER MAYA ATTENDS HAMPSTEAD HILL ACADEMY. WE LOVE THIS CITY, BUT I AM ALSO FRUSTRATED BY BALTIMORE. I’M FRUSTRATED BECAUSE WHEN I BEGAN MY CAREER AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, I TAUGHT IN A SCHOOL BUILDING THAT LACKED HEAT, AIR CONDITIONING, DRINKABLE POTABLE WATER. A SCHOOL THAT HAD BARS ON THE WINDOWS WHERE VERY LITTLE NATURAL LIGHT COULD GET THROUGH TO OUR CLASSROOMS. IT WAS A SCHOOL THAT LOOKED MORE LIKE A JAIL THAN A SCHOOL, AND I REMEMBER THINKING TO MYSELF AS A FIRST YEAR TEACHER, IF WE SEND OUR CHILDREN TO PLACES THAT LOOK LIKE PRISONS, WHAT IS IT THAT WE EXPECT THEM TO BECOME? I’M FRUSTRATED THAT HERE IN 2024, WE STILL HAVE SCHOOLS IN THE RICHEST COUNTRY ON EARTH, IN THE GREATEST CITY ON EARTH THAT LOOK LIKE JAILS. THAT IS WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF MY LEGISLATIVE RECORD, PASSED THE FIRST LAW IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO ADDRESS TRAUMA THROUGH LEGISLATION, PASSED TRANSPARENCY AND LOBBYING ACT TO DEAL WITH CORRUPTION IN OUR CITY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING AS YOUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. COHEN. THANK YOU. OUR FIRST QUESTION NOW GOES TO C4. YOUR QUESTION, SIR. MR. BIDEN, CANDIDATES, WE ARE FOUR YEARS REMOVED FROM THE EVERY TEN YEARS CENSUS THAT SHOWED THAT BALTIMORE NOW AS WE SIT HERE HAS LESS POPULATION THAN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY. WE’RE FIFTH LARGEST NOW INSTEAD OF MARYLAND AT 565,000. THERE’S A BALLOT INITIATIVE ATTEMPT TO GET OUR CITY COUNCIL REDUCED FROM THE CURRENT 14 MEMBERS TO EIGHT, WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THE SIZE OF OUR CITY COUNCIL? AND CONSIDERING THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOSE POPULATION, DO YOU SUPPORT REDUCING THE NUMBER OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS? I ACTUALLY DO NOT SUPPORT THAT BILL. I, I FEEL LIKE THAT WE SHOULD ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, MORE, MORE HELP ON WHEN YOU THINK OF THE COUNCIL, I JUST THINK THAT WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU ARE ACTUALLY HAVING MORE CONSTITUENTS WANTS VERSUS, UH, I THINK OF IT AS ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, ESSENTIALLY, YOU’LL NEVER SEE AND TOUCH YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IF IT’S THAT BIG. SO NO, I DO NOT AGREE WITH IT. MR. MOSBY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE’S A LOT OF STRUCTURAL CHANGES THAT NEED TO TAKE PLACE IN BALTIMORE FOR A LOT OF THINGS THAT WILL SET, UM, PRIORITIES IN OUR CITY IN A MORE BALANCED FASHION. THE ONE THING THAT I’M CONSTANTLY TALKING TO FOLKS ABOUT IS RECONFIGURING THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THINGS LIKE THE BALTIMORE GAS AND ELECTRIC CONTRACT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ISSUES LIKE SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS ON 83, WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT I RAISED ABOUT C-F-G AND WHAT I’M DOING RIGHT NOW IN PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES OF AFFORDABLE, UH, APARTMENT BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT REALLY SETS OUR CITY APART AS IT RELATES TO A BALANCE AND EQUITABLE GOVERNMENT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LOOKING AT THE CONFIGURATION OF THE THE CITY COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT’S 15 MEMBERS OR WHETHER IT’S 11 MEMBERS OR NINE MEMBERS OR SEVEN MEMBERS, IF OUR GOVERNMENT IS STILL INEFFECTIVE AND INEFFICIENT AS IT RELATES TO DELIVERING CITY SERVICES THAT ARE THE THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON. THANK YOU. SIR. MR. COHEN, YOU KNOW, C4, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I’M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF IS THAT OUR DISTRICT ACTUALLY GREW BY ABOUT 5700 PEOPLE IN THE LAST CENSUS, AND WE DID THAT THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS, THROUGH SMART INVESTMENTS IN REBUILDING FOUR BRAND NEW BEAUTIFUL 21ST CENTURY SCHOOLS IN INVESTING IN PATTERSON PARK AND DONETSK PARK, AND MAKING IT A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE NOT ONLY WANT TO LIVE BUT STAY. AND I DO BELIEVE THAT AS A CITY, WE NEED TO GROW OUR POPULATION. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SHRINKING THE COUNCIL IS THE WAY TO GET US THERE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEAR CONSTANTLY IS THAT FOLKS LOVE THE PROXIMITY TO THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER. IT’S LIKE YOUR OWN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND I AM SO PROUD OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE’VE BUILT IN THE FIRST DISTRICT WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS. THE INCREDIBLE CONSTITUENT SERVICE THAT WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT IS WHAT I WILL CONTINUE TO DO AS CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT. AND I DO NOT BELIEVE WE NEED TO SHRINK THE COUNCIL TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, SIR. THANK YOU. DEB, YOU HAVE THE NEXT QUESTION IN BALTIMORE YOUR ZIP CODE DOESN’T JUST SAY WHERE YOU LIVE, BUT OFTENTIMES HOW YOU LIVE WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOLS, PERCEPTIONS, DEVELOPMENT, DELIVERY OF SERVICES, FOOD SECURITY, AND THE LIST GOES ON. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO ADDRESS THESE STARK INEQUALITY IN BALTIMORE CITY? MR. MOSBY, I THINK IT STARTS WITH OUR PRIORITY IS BASED OFF OF OUR BUDGET. YOU KNOW, I’VE CHALLENGED THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT EVERY SINGLE YEAR AS PRESIDENT TO REALLY SHOW FROM A QUANTIFIABLE AND QUALITY WISE, THE WAY OUR BUDGET IS STRUCTURED AND WHERE THE EQUITY IS PLACED IN OUR BUDGET. AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF BALTIMORE, WE UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THAT THAT BALANCE HAS BEEN USED TO A VERY SMALL GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS. UH, IT’S REALLY ABOUT PUTTING OUR FOLKS, OUR WORKING CLASS AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE, YOU KNOW, AS CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I PROPOSED HOUSE BALTIMORE A A PROGRAM TO REALLY PROVIDE GOOD OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR WORKING CLASS, TO HAVE AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY’VE DEALT WITH THE CRIME, THE THE GRIME AND THE BLIGHT. THEY’VE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY DISINVESTED IN. IT’S TIME TO PUT THEM AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE. AND THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH ALL OF THE POLICIES I PUT FORTH TO DATE. MR. COHEN, YOU KNOW, DEB, IT IS AN ABSOLUTE SHAME THAT A CHILD GROWING UP IN SANDTOWN-WINCHESTER WILL STATISTICALLY LIVE 20 YEARS LESS THAN A CHILD GROWING UP IN ROELAND PARK. WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE WORLD, AND YET WE HAVE PROFOUND HEALTH DISPARITIES IN OUR CITY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I’M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF IN OUR DISTRICT WAS OUR INVESTMENT IN O’DONNELL HEIGHTS, A PART OF SOUTHEAST BALTIMORE THAT HAD BEEN LANGUISHING. IT WAS WORLD WAR TWO PUBLIC HOUSING, MOLD, MILDEW. WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE, WE MADE A COMMITMENT THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO LEAVE O’DONNELL HEIGHTS BEHIND. AND I’M PROUD TO SAY THAT RIGHT NOW, WE ARE CONTINUING TO REBUILD KEYS POINT, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL, MIXED INCOME HOUSING, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE FROM O’DONNELL HEIGHTS HAS A RIGHT TO RETURN. THAT IS HOW WE NEED TO DECONCENTRATE POVERTY ACROSS OUR CITY. IT’S INVESTING AND REBUILDING PUBLIC HOUSING FROM THE GROUND UP, MAKING SURE EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO OWN A HOME. I WOULD SAY IT’S SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST MOVING INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD HOOD. IT’S MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES RS. THAT’S ACTUALLY COMING DOWN FROM THE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT, AND FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT. IT’S MAKING SURE THAT WE INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY IS MAKING SURE THAT EXAMPLE MY DAUGHTER IS IN BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I PUT MY DAUGHTER THERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT OUR PRECIOUS JEWEL SHOULD ALL HAVE ACCESS. NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE, WHAT ZIP CODE THAT YOU LIVE IN SHOULD HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES. IT’S MAKING SURE THAT WE HEAR FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, THAT WE HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, THAT WANT TO SEE DIFFERENCE. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. AND I’VE DONE THAT AS A COUNCILWOMAN. I’VE SAT AT THE TABLE. I’VE HEARD THEM SAY, SHANNON, I CAN’T GET MY CHILD TO TO TO JUST HAVE A GOOD BOOK IN OUR SCHOOLS. I CAN’T GET MY CHILD FOR FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO THE SCHOOL. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. NOT ONLY DO WE NEED AMENITIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES, GOOD SCHOOLS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND PARKS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, IT’S AN INVESTMENT. IT’S ACTUALLY PUTTING THE MONEY BEHIND IT. OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM JEFF SALKIN. LET’S TALK ABOUT HARBORPLACE. IT’S KIND OF EVERYBODY’S SECOND NEIGHBORHOOD IN IN BALTIMORE. AND A MAJOR OVERHAUL HAS BEEN PLANNED, AND VOTERS ARE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON IT. DO YOU SUPPORT THE CURRENT PLAN AS PROPOSED OR ARE THERE ANY CHANGES THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE? Z COHEN YEAH, THANK YOU. JEFF. UH, HARVARD PLACE IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CITY. IT IS WHERE MANY BALTIMOREANS GET THEIR FIRST GLIMPSE OF BALTIMORE. AND SO INVESTING IN THAT AREA IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. I AM PROUD OF THE WORK THAT MR. BRAMBLE HAS DONE IN MY DISTRICT. HE’S THE DEVELOPER THAT’S LOOKING TO REDEVELOP IT. HE TOOK A PEPCO PLANT ACROSS FROM BAYVIEW AND TURNED IT INTO A THRIVING MIXED USE COMMUNITY. I LIKE THE PLAN. WHERE I HAVE SOME CONCERNS IS THE PUBLIC MONEY THAT WILL NEED TO GO INTO IT. I KNOW THAT OUR CITY AND OUR STATE ARE IN A VERY CHALLENGING ECONOMIC CLIMATE. WE’RE LOOKING AT STRUCTURAL DEFICITS FOR BOTH AND SO WHILE I DO SUPPORT THE OVERALL CONCEPT AND BELIEVE THAT WE NEED REINVESTMENT IN HARBORPLACE, I’M GOING TO BE LOOKING VERY CAREFULLY AT THE PUBLIC PRICE TAG AND HOW MUCH MR. BRAMBLE WANTS FROM US AND THE TAXPAYERS NEED. SO OF COURSE, WE WANT THE HARBOR TO BE BEAUTIFUL. WE WE, WE HAVE VISITORS THAT COME HERE. WE USE IT AS A LOCAL PEOPLE. WE USE IT. UH, BUT BUT THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT’S NOT EVERYTHING IS GOING INTO THE HARBOR. THAT’S THE ARGUMENT THAT YOU HEAR CONSTANT ALL THE TIME FROM NEIGHBORS IS THAT EVERYTHING SEEMS TO GO DOWN TO THE HARBOR. WHAT ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES? WHAT ABOUT EAST AND WEST BALTIMORE AND SO TO ME, THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE NOT JUST INVESTING IN THE HARBOR, BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE INVESTMENT THERE, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT’S SPREAD OUT TO ALL COMMUNITIES, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORS ARE THERE, THE COMMUNITIES ARE THERE, THAT THEY HAVE A SAY. WE’VE HEARD FROM MANY PEOPLE SAY, I DON’T SUPPORT IT. I DON’T WANT IT. IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE RESIDENTIAL. IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE AN OPEN SPACE FOR ALL PEOPLE. AND IT’S LIKE, ABSOLUTELY, WE WANT TO KEEP THAT. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HEAR FROM EVERYONE AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS A PART OF THIS PROCESS AND NOT USE PUBLIC FUNDING TO JUST BUILD HOUSES. THIS IS AN ELECTION. ON COMPARING AND CONTRASTING. UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DEVELOPMENT IN OUR CITY, IT’S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO DEVELOP THE HARBOR. UM, THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT DEAL IS THE VOTERS GET TO DECIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, I ONLY GET ONE VOTE, UH, WHEN WE COME AND VOTE IN JANUARY. BUT THE COMPARE AND CONTRAST UP HERE IN THE IMPORTANCE ABOUT GROWING OUR CITY. IT’S GOING TO BECOME MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT FOR CITIES LIKE BALTIMORE TO HAVE MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC ENGINE DRIVING PROJECTS LIKE HARBORPLACE. AND IT COMES EVEN MORE CHALLENGING WHEN WE DON’T ENSURE THAT OUR LOCAL LABOR, THAT THE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN OUR CITY, THAT PAY TAXES IN OUR CITY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THOSE DEALS. MY TWO OPPONENTS UP HERE SUPPORT, UH, PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS, WHICH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AROUND THE COUNTRY IN PLACES LIKE BALTIMORE, IT’S NOT THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE WORKING THE PROJECTS. IT’S NOT THE LOCAL SMALL MINORITY, WOMEN OWNED COMPANIES THAT ARE WORKING THE PROJECTS. I HAVE VERY SEVERE CONCERN ABOUT THE WAY THAT SHANNON HAS STRUCTURED THE DEAL AND THE WAY THAT ZEKE HAS SUPPORTED THIS DEAL TO THE UNIONS TO RECEIVE THEIR ENDORSEMENT. I’LL GIVE YOU BOTH A CHANCE TO REPLY. IF YOU’D LIKE. HE CALLED YOU BY NAME, SO, UH, PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS ARE JUST AGREEMENTS. EVERYONE GETS TO COME TO THE TABLE. EVERYONE GETS TO SAY WHAT THEY AGREE ON. UH, AND SO WHAT PROJECT, EVEN AT HOME, DO WE NOT COME TO THE TABLE AND DETERMINE WHAT THE STIPULATIONS ARE? AND SO WE WANT PROJECTS TO END ON TIME. WE WANT THEM TO BEGIN ON TIME. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE PAID ON TIME. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE HERE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THE PROJECT. WE CAN DO THAT. YOU CAN PUT IN THE STIPULATIONS, AND THAT’S WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS. YOU’VE BEEN IN OFFICE. WE’VE HAD PROJECTS. GO ON. WHY? HOW COME IT WASN’T DONE DIFFERENTLY THEN? THANK YOU MA’AM. ZEKE, YOU HAD A CHANCE IF YOU’D LIKE. YEAH. LOOK, I’M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE SUPPORT THAT OUR CAMPAIGN HAS RECEIVED FROM WORKING PEOPLE ALL OVER BALTIMORE, INCLUDING THE BUILDING TRADES. WHAT I HAVE DONE AND WHAT I WILL CONSISTENTLY DO IS MAKE SURE WHEN THERE IS A BIG DEAL THAT BALTIMOREANS GET THE WORK. THAT’S WHAT WE DID WHEN I INHERITED THE HARBOR POINT DEAL. THAT’S WHAT I WILL DO AS CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT. WE GOT TO MAKE SURE WHEN DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS IN OUR CITY, WHEN WE GROW OUR POPULATION, THAT WE BALTIMORE, PARTICULARLY OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, BENEFIT FROM THAT GROWTH. NEXT QUESTION. I CAN’T REBUT THAT. SHE SAID MY NAME. WE’LL GIVE YOU WE’LL GIVE YOU 30. ALL RIGHT. I THINK THE YOU KNOW WHAT WE HEARD FROM OUR OPPONENTS IS BUILDING TRADES ALL ACROSS BALTIMORE, BUILDING TRADE TRADERS. THEY DON’T LIVE IN BALTIMORE. THEY LIVE IN WEST VIRGINIA. THEY LIVE IN CARROLL COUNTY. THEY LIVE IN HARFORD COUNTY. THEY LIVE IN PENNSYLVANIA. WE CAN HAVE PLA DEALS, BUT THE PLA DEAL SHOULD MANDATE THAT MAJORITY OF THE JOBS GO TO BALTIMORE CITY RESIDENTS. IF BALTIMORE CITY FUNDS ARE IN THE DEALS, IF WE’RE STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT MAKES MORE SENSE FOR US TO DO DEVELOPMENT, WE SHOULD ENSURE THAT LOCAL HIRING IS FRONT AND CENTER. THAT’S WHAT I’VE COME COMMUNICATE TO THE UNIONS AND MY OPPONENTS HAVE DECIDED NOT TO NEXT QUESTION IS COMING FROM FROM C4, MISS SNEAD. BALTIMORE CITY HAS AN AUDIT COMMISSION THAT HAS SEVERAL CITY AGENCIES THAT, ON A ROUTINE BASIS, IT AUDITS THE MAYOR, CREATED THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY ENGAGEMENT. OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MUNCY. THAT AGENCY IS NOT A REGULAR PARTICIPANT IN THAT. UM, WOULD YOU SUPPORT ADDING THEM TO THE LIST? CONSIDERING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THEM IN THE CRIME FIGHT THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY AND HOW THEY’VE GROWN SINCE, SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THEIR CREATION? JUST A FEW YEARS AGO? YES. I THINK ALL OF OUR AGENCIES SHOULD BE ACTUALLY BE AUDITED. I THINK WE NEED TO ASK CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT. WE CAN HAVE HEARINGS ON WHAT THE UPDATE IS, WHAT’S GOING ON, WHAT GOALS HAVE WE SET? WHAT GOALS HAVE WE MET? HOW IS IT WORKING? COMPARE IT TO LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR. ABSOLUTELY. WE NEEDED THAT’S ALL. THE PEOPLE OF BALTIMORE CITY ARE ESSENTIALLY ASKING FOR. THEY’RE NOT SAYING TAKE AWAY PROGRAMS, BUT WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW IF THEY’RE WORKING. IF OUR MONEY IS WORKING TOWARDS SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS. AND SO I WOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ACTUALLY HAVING THOSE AUDITS. THEY ALL SHOULD DO IT. MR. MOSBY, YOUR AUDITS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, WHETHER PERFORMATIVE OR FINANCIAL AUDITS OF OUR CITY AGENCIES. AND I’VE BEEN I SIT ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. WE’VE BEEN FORCEFULLY PUSHING FORWARD ONE OF THE AUDITS THAT WE PUSHED FORWARD THIS YEAR WAS FOR THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, UH, MONEY, YOU KNOW, $641 MILLION THAT WE HAD A CHOICE TO INVEST IN OUR CITY AND INVEST IN THE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY DISINVESTED IN FOR FAR TOO LONG. WE DECIDED TO SPEND THE MONEY, SPEND IT ON SOCIAL PROGRAMS, SPENDING ON NEW JOBS, SPENDING ON JUST INCREASING CAPACITY FOR FOLKS FOR 18 TO 24 MONTHS. THAT IS THE THE WRONG WAY OF TAKING THAT APPROACH. AND THAT’S WHY I SPOKE OUT AGAINST IT. UM, MY OPPONENTS, THEY’RE INTERESTED IN CREATING NEW JOBS OR PUTTING MONEY INTO EXISTING JOBS. YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE GENERATIONAL CHANGE. LET’S THINK BIG. THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GO TO A PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, TO GO TO OUR BUSINESSES AND ALL COME TOGETHER AND CREATE A PLAN THAT REALLY WENT OVER AN AND ERASED SOME OF THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED IN EAST AND WEST BALTIMORE. THAT’S THE TYPE OF THINKER AND ADULT THAT WE NEED IN THIS POSITION. AND THAT’S WHO I’VE BEEN PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. MR. COHEN, LOOK, FOR EVERY SINGLE PUBLIC DOLLAR NEEDS TO BE AUDITED, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT GO TOWARD PUBLIC SAFETY. THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IN OUR CITY, AND WHETHER THAT’S SAFE STREETS OR GVSU’S, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE KEEPING TIGHT TABS ON ALL OF THE MONEY AND WHERE IT’S GOING. LOOK, I’M EXTREMELY PROUD TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF STATE’S ATTORNEY IVAN BATES IN OUR CAMPAIGN. WE ARE WORKING HARD TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE WE ARE HOLDING VIOLENT REPEAT OFFENDERS FULLY ACCOUNTABLE, WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING GETTING LOW LEVEL CRIMES AWAY FROM OUR CITY. WE KNOW THAT TOO MANY BALTIMOREANS SUFFER FROM THE DAY TO DAY IMPACT OF CAR THEFTS. WE SEE FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION, WHICH IS A DISEASE THAT WE MUST TREAT THROUGH A PUBLIC HEALTH LENS. I SUPPORT THE CITATION DOCKET THAT MR. BATES HAS ROLLED OUT, BUT CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT EVERY DOLLAR IN ANY AGENCY, INCLUDING HIS NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY AUDITED. DEB WEINER WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER COHEN JUST MENTIONED WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, WHICH IS CARJACKING AND CAR THEFTS. LAST YEAR, 10,000 CARS WERE STOLEN IN BALTIMORE CITY AND THEFT BY JUVENILE WAS UP BY 166%. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVED WAS A VICTIM OF A CARJACKING, WHAT WOULD JUSTICE LOOK LIKE FOR YOU AND WHAT WOULD BE AN ACCEPTABLE ADJUDICATION OF THIS CRIME? MR. MOSBY, PERPETRATORS OF CRIME MUST DEAL WITH CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR ACTIONS. BUT I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HERE IN THE CITY OF BALTIMORE, FOR THAT WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF PUTTING OPPORTUNITIES IN FRONT OF OUR YOUNG FOLKS FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU HAVE A YOUNG FOLK THAT ARE CAUGHT UP IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THEY’RE ON AN ANKLE BRACELET, THEY’RE BEING MONITORED, THE REALITY IS, EVERY SINGLE DAY DURING SCHOOL HOURS, THEY SHOULD BE. WE’RE IN SCHOOL. IF THAT’S NOT RAISING A RED FLAG, THAT’S A PROBLEM FOR OUR YOUNG FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE SYSTEM. IF THEY’RE NOT GOING TO THAT DIVERSION PROGRAM, THAT SHOULD RAISE A RED FLAG. THAT’S A PROBLEM. IT’S ABOUT US ENSURING THAT WE GET TO OUR CHILDREN BEFORE THEY COMMIT THOSE VIOLENT ACTS. BECAUSE TYPICALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A JUVENILE THAT’S DOING THINGS LIKE CARJACKING, THEY’VE BEEN IN THE SYSTEM WITH OTHER OFFENSES PRIOR, AND IT’S A FAILURE OF OUR SYSTEM, NOT JUST HERE IN THE CITY OF BALTIMORE, BUT WE’RE WORKING WITH OUR STATE PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE TO CORRECT. IT’S NOT ABOUT ALWAYS BEING HARSH ON CRIME. SOMETIMES IT’S ABOUT US BEING SMART ON CRIME AND BEING SMART ON CRIME IS BEING PROACTIVE AND IDENTIFYING THE RED FLAGS OF OUR YOUNG FOLKS THAT ARE HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. MR. COHEN, LOOK, THE LEVEL OF CAR THEFT IN OUR CITY IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. AND WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WHY THEY MOVE OUT OF BALTIMORE, IT’S REALLY TWO THINGS. IT’S SAFETY AND SCHOOLS AND THEN CITY SERVICES IS THE THIRD. BUT WHEN WE SEE SO MANY CARS BEING STOLEN ON SUCH A REGULAR BASIS, WE NEED TO FOCUS IN ON THAT ISSUE. YOU KNOW, I WAS PROUD TO CALL TOGETHER THE STATE’S ATTORNEY, THE BALTIMORE POLICE DEPARTMENT. DOJ’S BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER IN A HEARING, MADE SURE ALL PARTIES WERE ON THE SAME PAGE AFTER WE STARTED TO SEE SOME REALLY HORRIFIC CRIMES UP BY PATTERSON PARK IN MY DISTRICT. WHAT IT TAKES IS COORDINATION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WORKING TOGETHER. INSTEAD OF POINTING FINGERS AT EACH OTHER. PERPETRATORS MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND THEN WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE FOLKS HAVE THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED TO NOT RECIDIVATE, BECAUSE THAT REMAINS A MAJOR DRIVING ISSUE WITHIN OUR CITY. THANK YOU, MISS SNEED. YEAH, I WAS ACTUALLY KNOCKING ON DOORS WHEN A NEIGHBOR ON EUTAW WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MOST RECENT VICTIMS WHO WAS CARJACKED, WHO, YOU KNOW, BLOODIED, STAYED IN THE HOSPITAL, AND I KNOCKED ON HIS DOOR THAT SATURDAY AND HE SAID I WAS CARJACKED. I WAS I WAS DIDN’T KNOW IF I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT OR NOT. AND I’VE SAID, THAT IS JUST CRAZY. YOU SAW THE BANDAGES ON HIS HEAD. YOU CAN SEE THAT HE COULD BARELY MOVE LIKE AND HE. BUT HE CAME TO THE DOOR AND SAID, I’M SICK OF THE VIOLENCE. MY KIDS WERE SCARED. AND SO I WOULD SAY TO YOUR ANSWER IS, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WE HAVE GOT TO HOLD PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTING CRIMES ACCOUNTABLE. YOU SHOULD NOT GET A SMACK ON YOUR HEAD, ON YOUR HAND, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON’T EVEN GET THERE. I’VE SAID IN THE MEETINGS, I DON’T WANT OUR YOUNG FOLKS TO EVER HAVE TO SEE A POLICE OFFICER OR BE BEHIND A JAIL CELL. THAT’S NOT WHAT I WANT TO SEE. SO MY GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU NEVER END UP THERE. HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON’T END UP THERE? WE HAVE BETTER EDUCATION. WE HAVE QUALITY EDUCATION. WE ACTUALLY HAVE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. WE ACTUALLY HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE’S LIVES. THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. THAT’S YOUR TIME, MA’AM. THANK YOU, MR. SORKIN. UM, LET’S STAY ON PUBLIC SAFETY. THE IN THE DEBATE WE DID ON THIS STAGE EARLIER WITH THE CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE HOMICIDE RATE, WHICH IS DOWN, AND IT’S DOWN A LOT IN BALTIMORE. AND WHO OR WHAT MIGHT GET CREDIT FOR THAT TREND, OR WHETHER IT’S A NATIONAL TREND. SO BROADLY ON PUBLIC SAFETY, ARE WE ON THE RIGHT TRACK? WHAT CHANGES, IF ANY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE? SEE, COHEN? LOOK AGAIN, I THINK THAT IVAN BATES HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE GAME CHANGER WHEN IT COMES TO THE STATE’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, TAKING OVER AN OFFICE THAT WAS FUNDAMENTALLY BROKEN AND REBUILDING IT PIECE BY PIECE. UM, REALLY COMING IN WITH ENERGY AND SOME FIRE BEHIND THEM. LOOK, I ALSO HAVE TO GIVE SOME CREDIT TO MUNCIE, THE MAYOR’S OFFICE, THE FOLKS WHO’VE BEEN THERE ON THE GROUND DOING THE WORK. UH, BUT NUMBER ONE, I THINK IT’S REALLY OUR COMMUNITIES THAT DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT FOR THE REDUCTION IN VIOLENCE. THERE ARE SO MANY FOLKS IN MY DISTRICT WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS SOUTHEAST CAMERA NETWORK THAT ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. THERE ARE TEACHERS WHO ARE GETTING UP EVERY SINGLE DAY SUPPORTING OUR CHILDREN IN MAKING SURE THEY STAY ON THE RIGHT TRACK. THERE ARE PARENTS WE DON’T OFTEN TALK ENOUGH ABOUT IT, BUT THERE ARE PARENTS WHO ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING IN THIS CITY BY THEIR CHILDREN. AND SO I THINK IT’S BEEN A TEAM EFFORT. IT’S ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER. BUT REALLY, EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN BALTIMORE, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR SAFETY. WE NEED. SO ALL OF US, LIKE WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE OR WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE, WHEN YOU’RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS, PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATED AND FED UP. THEY DON’T FEEL SAFE AND SO THE REALITY IS, IF PEOPLE DON’T FEEL SAFE, THEY’RE NOT WILLING TO GO TO CERTAIN AREAS. THEY’RE NOT WILLING TO SPEND THE NIGHT OUT. THEY’RE NOT WILLING TO HAVE DINNER IN CERTAIN AREAS. AND WE NEED EVERYONE TO BE A PART OF IT. I FEEL LIKE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT IT TRULY, UH, THE TREND TRULY GOES DOWN IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE ALL INVOLVED. YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE COMMUNITY AT THE TABLE. YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE PARENTS AT THE TABLE. YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE TEACHERS AT THE TABLE. YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE MEN AT THE TABLE AS WELL. AND SO I FEEL LIKE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WHO’S MAKING THE DIFFERENCE? I FEEL LIKE WE’RE ALL WE ALL HAVE TO PLAY A ROLE IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE. THE REALITY IS WHETHER WE HAVE OVER 300 HOMICIDES OR UNDER 300 HOMICIDES, IF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AREN’T FEELING SAFE, THEN IT’S ALL OF OUR PROBLEM, AND IT’S ABOUT US AGAIN. BEING SMART ON CRIME, NOT JUST FOCUSING ON THIS IDEA OF BEING TOUGH ON CRIME. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BALTIMORE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE LOOK AT THE ATTRITION RATE, WE’RE LOSING MORE OFFICERS THAN WE’RE GAINING EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THAT’S IT’S AT THE CORE OF OUR ISSUE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR CONNECTIVITY OF OUR OF OUR COMMUNITIES WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. I REMEMBER WHEN OFFICER FRIENDLY WAS IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND AS A KID GROWING UP IN BALTIMORE CITY, THE IDEA OF BEING A COP WAS COOL. THAT’S NO LONGER THE CASE. HOW CAN WE RECONNECT THE TWO? AND ABOUT BEING SMART ON CRIME AGAIN? YOU KNOW, FOR OUR YOUNG FOLKS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDER, UH, HOME MONITORING, WE SHOULD BE MONITORING THEM. THEY SHOULDN’T BE THE VICTIMS OF CRIME OR THE PERPETRATORS OF ADDITIONAL CRIME BECAUSE OF THAT MONITORING. SO IT’S ABOUT US ALL COMING TOGETHER, AND IT’S ABOUT FOCUSING ON THIS IN A WAY THAT SUSTAINABLY DRIVES DOWN CRIME, NOT US PATTING OURSELVES ON THE BACK WHEN WE GET A NEW NUMBER BEFORE MISS SNEED AND ALL THE OTHER CANDIDATES KNOW THIS AS WELL, THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES IS CHAIRED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE MAYOR HAS TWO APPOINTEES OF THE FIVE MEMBERS, THE MAYOR ALWAYS HAS THREE VOTES, NO MATTER WHAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL WANT TO DO, OR THE COMPTROLLER MAY WANT TO DO. WOULD YOU SUPPORT REDUCING THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES FROM THREE FROM FIVE MEMBERS, WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY, TO THREE MEMBERS? CONSIDERING THOSE THREE WOULD BE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE AND HAVE SOME SENSE OF OF FAIRNESS IN THAT PROCESS? YES. I’VE SAID THAT WHEN I WAS A COUNCILWOMAN, WE HAD TO VOTE FOR IT, THAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT. UH, AND SO WE HAVE IT. IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME THAT YOU HAVE TWO OTHER VOTES THAT ARE NEVER GOING TO VOTE AGAINST THEIR BOSS, THE MAYOR. SO I WOULD BE FULL IN FULL SUPPORT LIKE I WAS WHEN I WAS A COUNCILWOMAN, TO SEE THAT CHANGE. MR. MOSBY, I’VE HAD THE ABILITY OF SERVING AS A CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES, AND IN THAT TIME, I THINK THAT WE SEE A DIFFERENT BOARD OF ESTIMATES MEETING SOME GOING UPWARDS OF THREE AND FOUR HOURS BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF DIALOG AND DISCOURSE THAT WE’VE HAD. YOU KNOW, DURING THAT TIME, I’VE BEEN ABLE TO RAISE ISSUES LIKE THE BALTIMORE GAS AND ELECTRIC CONDUIT ISSUE, OR AGAIN, THE ISSUE ON 83 AS IT RELATES TO THAT SOLE SOURCE DEAL OR THE ISSUE WITH THE GARAGES AT CFG ARENA AND THE COMMERCIAL SPACE AT CFG ARENA. THAT IS A CRITICAL FUNCTION FOR OUR CITY GOVERNMENT. IT’S THE SPENDING BOARD FOR OUR CITY GOVERNMENT AND FOR THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH TO HAVE SOLE POWER AND SOLE DISCRETION, WHICH THEY ACTED ON DURING THE BEA GADDY CONDUIT ISSUE IS WHAT THE SOLICITOR SAID THAT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO IS EXTREMELY PROBLEMATIC. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RESTRUCTURING OUR GOVERNMENT, UH, DOING BEST PRACTICES AND GETTING IT INTO THE IN ALIGNMENT WITH DEMOCRACY, IT HAS TO START AT THE FOREFRONT OF HAVING A BALANCE AND RECONFIGURED BOARD OF ESTIMATES. AND THAT’S WHY I’VE BEEN PUSHING AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH AND IT WILL HAPPEN UNDER MY LEADERSHIP. MR. COHEN, LOOK, I THINK ALL THREE OF US SUPPORT REFORMING THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES AND LOWERING THE NUMBER TO THREE. I THINK THAT’S JUST A MORE DEMOCRATIC WAY OF DOING IT. AND YOU KNOW, WHO ELSE SUPPORTED THAT BACK IN THE DAY WAS NOW MAYOR BRANDON AND SCOTT. SO TO ME, IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ACTUALLY GET MOVEMENT ON THAT. I HAD A BILL NOT TOO LONG AGO THAT WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT BEST PRACTICES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I REALLY WANT TO BE DATA DRIVEN, EVIDENCE BASED. WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WHAT SMART CITIES ARE DOING AS IT RELATES TO THEIR SPENDING BOARDS. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT BILL GOT STALLED IN COMMITTEE. IT NEVER EVEN GOT A HEARING. UH, BUT WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH. AND I WOULD JUST SAY THAT EVEN UNDER THE CURRENT ALIGNMENT, THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT HAS A LOT MORE POWER THAN HAS BEEN DISCUSSED. THAT PERSON CAN DEFER MORE ITEMS ON THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES. THAT PERSON CAN BRING COMMUNITY CAN MAKE SURE THAT ITEMS ARE GETTING A GOOD HEARING. AND SO I THINK WE DO ACTUALLY, AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT, CURRENTLY HAVE A LOT OF POWER TO DETERMINE SPENDING. AM I ALLOWED TO ADDRESS THAT? 30S. SO I THINK THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOU’VE SEEN. YOU KNOW, I’VE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF HUNDREDS OF BILLS THAT I’VE DEFERRED WHILE BEING ON, WHILE I’VE BEEN THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES, WHEN YOU LOOK AT AGAIN, THE DIALOG THAT WE’VE HAD TO HAVE, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BOARD OF ESTIMATES, I’M PRETTY SURE THAT THE VOTERS AND THAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE SEEN A BOARD OF ESTIMATES FUNCTION IN A WAY THAT THEY HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE. UH, AGAIN, IT’S REALLY ABOUT TALKING ABOUT THE SPECIFICS, NOT RHETORIC OR PLATITUDES. AND I THINK WHEN WE UPLIFT SOME OF THE ISSUES, LIKE THE PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES, ISSUES THAT WE’RE CURRENTLY DISCUSSING, THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THIS BOARD OF ESTIMATES HAS DONE. I’LL GIVE YOU 30 IF YOU’D LIKE IT. OTHERWISE, I’LL MOVE ON. MOVE ON. DEB WEINER, WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL CHARACTER MISTAKES THAT MAKE YOU THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THIS JOB? AND MOREOVER, HOW DIFFICULT IS IT FOR YOU TO ADMIT WHEN YOU’RE WRONG? MR. MOSBY? I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, I STAND ON STAGE WITH TWO REALLY AMAZING INDIVIDUALS THAT CARE ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES, CARE ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITIES. UM, BUT THE THING ABOUT BEING CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT, UM, THAT I THINK SETS ME APART. IT’S IT’S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO HAVE A VERY ANALYTICAL LEADER, A PERSON THAT IS ABLE TO KIND OF TAKE REALLY HARD ISSUES AND FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT’S A BALANCED APPROACH, NOT A LEADER, THAT DURING ELECTION TIME IS JUST GOING TO SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR TO GET ELECTED AND THEN ULTIMATELY NOT DO THAT. AND I THINK AS BEING ELECTED FOR OVER TEN YEARS, WHETHER IT’S MY WORK AS A CITY COUNCILMAN, MY WORK IN ANNAPOLIS, AS A DELEGATE OR NOW MY WORK AS CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT, EVERY SINGLE TIME I’VE SAID I’VE DONE SOMETHING, I SAID I WOULD DO SOMETHING. I ACTUALLY DID IT. I THINK THAT THAT IS WHAT CARRIES ME AND WHY I HAVE SO MUCH SUPPORT FROM FELLOW COLLEAGUES, NOT JUST IN ANNAPOLIS, BUT ALSO IN CITY HALL. YOU NEED A PERSON THAT’S GOING TO BE A MAN OF THEIR WORD, A PERSON THAT’S GOING TO STAND UP WITH INTEGRITY, A PERSON THAT’S GOING TO DELIVER EVEN DURING THE TIMES OF TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH TIMES AND CHAOS. MR. COHEN. YEAH. LOOK, I’LL JUST SAY THIS. UH, NOTHING PREPARES YOU BETTER FOR THIS JOB THAN BEING A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER. UM, THAT’S HOW I STARTED MY CAREER. WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND JUST BEING A TEACHER GIVES YOU SO MANY SKILLS IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING HOW TO MANAGE CONFLICT, HOW TO KEEP A POSITIVE DEMEANOR, HOW TO BE THOUGHTFUL IN HOW YOU ADDRESS WHEN YOU SEE ISSUES, WHEN YOU SEE THINGS SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL. AND SO I FEEL LIKE I HAD THE PERFECT JOB TO TRAIN ME IN HOW TO BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. UM, STARTING MY CAREER TEACHING IN WEST AND THEN IN SOUTH BALTIMORE. LOOK, I AM A PROUD DAD OF TWO KIDS. UM, I PRIDE MYSELF ON MY FAMILY, ME, MY INTEGRITY, MY FAITH AS A JEWISH PERSON. UM, ABSOLUTE. I LOVE THIS CITY. AND I WILL ADMIT WHEN I’M WRONG, I AM FAR FROM PERFECT. AGAIN, IT IS AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO SHARE THE STAGE WITH THESE TWO FOLKS. UH, BUT LOOK, IT IS ALWAYS AMAZING TO GET TO REPRESENT THIS CITY. I WANT TO SAY IT’S BEING A MOM. IT STARTS AT HOME SOMETIMES TO ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE THE LEADER IN YOUR HOUSE TO BE THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT IN YOUR OWN HOUSE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND STAND UP AND STILL BE ABLE TO GET IT DONE. BUT AS A JOURNALIST, I WOULD SAY MY INTEGRITY HAS NEVER BEEN QUESTIONED. I WOULD SAY AS A AS A WOMAN WHO’S WORKED FOR IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES, NOT ONLY WAS I A JOURNALIST AT FOX 45 AND WJZ, CHANNEL 13, BUT GOING OFF TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS A A WHEN I WORKED FOR BIG BROTHERS, BIG SISTERS, WHEN I WORKED AT THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT. WHEN I WAS WITH US, SENATOR CHRIS VAN HOLLEN. IT WAS BECAUSE MY INTEGRITY, MY CHARACTER, UH, THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WITH ME. IT WILL NEVER CHANGE. EVEN RUNNING FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WITH TOM PEREZ, I HAD TO DO A BACKGROUND CHECK, A BACKGROUND CHECK. UH, I GOT ALL CHECKED OUT. IT’S NOTHING COMING OUT ON ME THAT’S NEW. PEOPLE KNOW ME. THEY CAN FIND ME. THEY CAN CALL ME. I DON’T MAKE UP STUFF. AND SO THEREFORE, WHEN IT’S NOT, UH, CORRECT, WHEN I DON’T FEEL A CERTAIN WAY. I’VE ALWAYS BEEN HONEST. I’VE ALWAYS BEEN UPFRONT. AND THAT’S WHAT TYPE OF LEADER WE NEED TODAY. THAT’S YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, JEFF SALKIN. GOVERNOR MOORE HAS RESTARTED PLANNING WORK FOR THE RED LINE. HOW DOES THAT PROJECT FIT INTO YOUR VISION OF OF HOW TRANSPORTATION OUGHT TO WORK IN THE CITY OF BALTIMORE? AND WHEN YOU THINK BACK TO THE PREVIOUS RED LINE PLAN, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE THAT THAT YOU WOULD CHANGE? IT WOULD MAKE IT BETTER OR MORE EFFICIENT? THE MODE OF TRANSIT BROADLY, WHAT SHOULD THE RED LINE BE? YEAH, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT PROJECT. AND SO GRATEFUL TO WES MOORE AND HIS LEADERSHIP AND WAS SO DISAPPOINTED WHEN OUR FORMER GOVERNOR KILLED THIS PROJECT. REALLY SETTING BALTIMORE BACK AT LEAST A DECADE. LOOK, BALTIMORE IS STARVED FOR HIGH QUALITY MASS TRANSPORTATION. IT IS THE COMMON DENOMINATOR IN SO MANY GREAT CITIES IS THAT YOU CAN GET FROM PLACE TO PLACE WITHOUT HAVING TO HOP IN YOUR CAR. AND WHEN I HEAR FROM YOUNG PEOPLE THAT IT TAKES AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES TO GET TO SCHOOL, MULTIPLE TRANSFER HOURS THAT FOLKS CAN’T GET TO WORK ON TIME, WE BADLY NEED THAT INVESTMENT IN HIGH SPEED, HIGH QUALITY TRANSPORTATION. THE OTHER THING I’LL SAY QUICKLY IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE’RE DOING THE BASICS RIGHT HERE IN BALTIMORE. IT SHOULD NOT TAKE A YEAR AND A HALF TO GET A SPEED HUMP IN YOUR COMMUNITY. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE DOT IS DOING COMMON SENSE TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES TO JUST SLOW FOLKS DOWN SO THAT WE CAN HAVE GREAT WALKABLE COMMUNITIES. MISS NI, I THINK I’M THE ONLY ONE HERE THAT’S PROBABLY A ONE CAR FAMILY. AND SO I ACTUALLY RIDE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. I ACTUALLY GET ON THE SUBWAY. I ACTUALLY TAKE MY DAUGHTER AND GET ON THE BUS. UM, SPEAKING FIRSTHAND, I KNOW THE IMPACT THAT IT COULD HAVE MADE HERE. UH, BEING ABLE TO, UH, GO TO WEST TO EAST BALTIMORE TO BE ABLE TO GO, UM, TO GET TO WORK ON TIME, TO BE ABLE TO NOT LEAVE, HAVE TO LEAVE TWO HOURS EARLY OR AN HOUR AND A HALF EARLY JUST FOR A BUS TO, LIKE, PASS YOU BY. IT WOULD HAVE MADE A HUGE IMPACT HERE. EVERYONE IS CONCENTRATING NOW ON THE BRIDGE COLLAPSE. UH, WORKING AT THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT. THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO SIX FIGURE JOBS DOWN AT THE PORT? WE COULDN’T ALMOST IT WOULD TAKE BUSSES AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE THERE FOR HOURS, AND YOU HAVE TO BE ON THERE AT 6 A.M. IN THE MORNING. AND SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, I’M THE ONE THAT’S ACTUALLY, UH, THE ONE CAR HOUSEHOLD THAT HAS TO GET ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, THAT HAS TO ACTUALLY LIKE MOST OF MY COMMUNITY, THAT HAS TO RELY ON IT. SO IT ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE BETTER. AND IT WOULD HAVE MADE AN IMPACT FOR SO MANY OF US HERE. I TALK ABOUT THIS OFTEN. I SHARED A BED BEDROOM WITH MY MOTHER AND MY OLDER SISTER, SO I WAS LIKE 14 YEARS OLD AND I CAN REMEMBER EVERY SINGLE DAY AROUND 430, 5:00, MY MOM’S ALARM CLOCK RINGING FOR HER TO GET UP SO SHE COULD CATCH TWO AND THREE BUSSES TO GO TO WORK TO PUT FOOD ON OUR TABLE. I CAN REMEMBER WALKING HOME FROM CHINQUAPIN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND STANDING ON THAT SAME BUS STOP, WAITING FOR MY MOTHER TO COME HOME, AND IT WOULD BE 20 MINUTES LATE OR 40 MINUTES LATER, OR AN HOUR LATE. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS CRITICAL FOR UPWARD MOBILITY OF OUR FOLKS, AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT’S JUST A GUT REACTION OR FEELING. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I EXPERIENCED JUST BY MYSELF, BUT THE EMPIRICAL DATA SHOWS US THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE NUMBER ONE INDICATOR OF SOMEONE ESCAPING POVERTY AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO UPWARD MOBILITY IS THROUGH TRANSIT. UH, THE FACT THAT BALTIMORE CITY’S MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM IS IN THE STATE THAT IS IN IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. IT’S LITERALLY OUR ACHILLES HEELS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE NEED THE RED LINE NOW. I’M GLAD TO HAVE WES MOORE IN OFFICE. THAT MAKES IT A PRIORITY. C4 MISS SNEAD AND CANDIDATES. WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC EDUCATION, WHEN THE MAYOR ACTUALLY APPOINTS, UH, MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, EXCEPT THE TWO THAT ARE ELECTED, IT SAYS DIRECT IMPACT THERE. IF YOU’RE PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL, YOURS WILL BE MORE OF AN OVERSIGHT ROLE. OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM LEADS THE STATE WHEN IT COMES TO CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. THAT’S 10% OR MORE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT STUDENTS MISS. WE ALSO HAVE A SITUATION. THE MARYLAND STATE INSPECTOR GENERAL FOUND THAT MANY SCHOOLS HAD INFLATED GRADES AND PROMOTED CHILDREN THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROMOTED AND ACTUALLY COUNTED CHILDREN. OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM COUNTED CHILDREN PRESENT THAT WEREN’T PRESENT. HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR ROLE REALLY GETTING INTO THE WEEDS? MORE ON THIS BECAUSE MANY CITIZENS BELIEVE THE COUNCIL HAS KIND OF TAKEN A DISTANCE APPROACH TO HOLDING THAT ACCOUNTABILITY LEVEL. I’VE SAID IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I HAVE A DAUGHTER IN BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE VERY GOOD. UM, AND SO I BELIEVE THAT IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE WHEN WE ARE INVOLVED AND WE PLAY A PART WHEN WE ARE PARTNERS WITH OUR SCHOOLS. AND SO SO I’VE SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT WE HAVE MORE PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT INVOLVED. WE HAVE TO HAVE THE PARENTS INVOLVED TO BE MORE TO BE INVOLVED IN OUR SCHOOLS, TO LET THEM KNOW, BECAUSE WE DO, NO MATTER WHAT, WHEN STUDENTS IN THEIR SEATS, BECAUSE WE KNOW WHEN THEY MISS SCHOOL, THAT’S A HUGE DEFICIT. AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE INCREASE OUR PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT, NUMBER TWO IS THAT WE MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE FOR OUR PARENTS. AND YOU SAY, WELL, HOW DO YOU MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE FOR OUR PARENTS? STOP HAVING PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES BETWEEN THE HOURS OF THREE AND FIVE. MOST OF OUR PARENTS DON’T GET OFF OF WORK UNTIL 5:00, AND MOST OF THEM HAVE TO GET ON THE BUS TO EVEN GET THERE. AND SO BY THE TIME THEY WOULD GET THERE WOULD BE 6:00. CHANGE THOSE HOURS TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PARENTS. I WOULD ALSO SAY WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO DO DIGITAL. CAN WE MEET DURING ZOOM? I THINK THAT’S ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE OUR PARENTS MORE INVOLVED. THE OTHER THING IS YOUR TIME, MA’AM. I’M SORRY, MR. MOSBY. I HAD EARLY CHILDHOOD PRESCHOOL AT HARFORD HEIGHTS. I WATCHED MY CLASSMATES STRUGGLE AT YORKWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO LEARN HOW TO READ IN THE THIRD GRADE, I SAT IN THOSE CLASSROOMS. IS THAT ZEKE TALKED ABOUT WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU COULDN’T SEE OUTSIDE. AND IT WAS HOT OR IT WAS COLD OR IT WAS A FAILING, UH, ENVIRONMENTS. I HAD TEACHERS LIKE ZEKE THAT WERE REVOLVING DOOR TEACHERS THAT TAUGHT ME FOR ONE YEAR AND POURED INTO US AND THEN LEFT. AND WHEN I GOT TO POLY, I FOUND OUT THAT BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM FAILED ME. UNTIL THAT POINT, I STRUGGLED, BUT ULTIMATELY BLOSSOMED AND BECAME THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEER THAT I WANTED TO BECOME. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE NEED SMART LEADERSHIP TO REALLY PUSH THIS THING FORWARD, AND IT’S ABOUT TAKING LOCAL CONTROL OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, LIKE WE’VE TAKEN IT OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD COME AND REPORT TO, UH, AND GET CONFIRMED THROUGH THE THROUGH THE, UH, BALTIMORE CITY COUNCIL. UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE CFO, THEY SHOULD REPORT TO THE FINANCE DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF BALTIMORE. IT’S TIME THAT WE STOP PUNTING THE FOOTBALL AND ACTING AS IF THIS IS A DUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ANNAPOLIS AND A LEVEL OF MONEY AND FUNDING THAT WE’RE PUTTING INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE SHOULD TAKE COMPLETE CONTROL. MR. COHEN, I’LL GET YOU A CHANCE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, BUT ALSO RESPOND TO TEACHING. YEAH, I’M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE NINE YEARS THAT I SPENT WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN THIS CITY. AND I’M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE SUPPORT THAT MY CAMPAIGN HAS RECEIVED FROM THE BALTIMORE TEACHERS UNION. IT’S THE HARDEST JOB ON EARTH. LOOK, THE REALITY IS THAT FOR TOO OFTEN C4, WE HAVE ALLOWED POLITICIANS TO PUNT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM BACK AND FORTH, WHETHER IT’S ANNAPOLIS, THE MAYOR, THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE CITY COUNCIL. WHEN I BECOME CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THE DAYS OF SEEING BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE SOMEONE ELSE’S PROBLEM. ARE OVER. WHAT DO I MEAN? SPECIFICALLY? WE GOTTA START YOUNG WITH KERWIN. WE SHOULD HAVE UNIVERSAL PRE-KINDERGARTEN STARTING AT AGE THREE. WE KNOW CHILDREN’S BRAINS DO THE MOST AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT AGES ZERO THROUGH FIVE. ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO GRADUATE CHILDREN INTO POVERTY. EVERY SINGLE CHILD IN THIS CITY NEEDS TO HAVE EITHER COLLEGE OR CAREER PLAN. NOT EVERY KID NEEDS A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE, BUT THEY DO NEED AN APPRENTICESHIP. SOMETHING IN THE TRADES IS SOME WAY TO GET INTO THE MIDDLE CLASS. THANK YOU. THE WINNER OF AND ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, COUNCIL MEMBER COHEN SAYS THAT BALTIMORE CITY RESIDENTS PAY TWICE THE TAXES BUT DON’T GET DOUBLE THE SERVICES. IS GETTING THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE FEASIBLE OR A PIPE DREAM? WELL, A LOT OF TIMES HE’S TALKING ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE PROPERTY TAX. UM, AND AGAIN, IT’S RHETORIC AND PLATITUDES. SO OUR TAXES ARE TOO HIGH. WE NEED TO DO THE THINGS TO STRUCTURALLY BRING THEM DOWN. BUT IT’S ALSO ABOUT COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES RIGHT NOW EVERYTHING IS ROLLED UP IN YOUR PROPERTY TAXES IN THE CITY OF BALTIMORE, UNLIKE OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES WHERE, SAY, SANITATION AND TRASH ARE TAKEN OUT. BUT I’M I’M I’M EXCITED THAT IN ANNAPOLIS I FOUGHT FOR AND IT RECENTLY PASSED, UH, WHERE WE CAN HAVE A TIERED TAX SYSTEM WHERE THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN SPECULATING ON OUR COMMUNITIES JUST BUYING UP PROPERTIES, SITTING THEM AND HOLDING ON THEM, THAT THEY CAN BE TAXED HIGHER THAN THE RESIDENTS THAT ACTUALLY LIVE THERE, THE OWNER, THE OWNER, OCCUPY UNITS. IT’S THINGS LIKE THAT ABOUT US BEING SMART ON OUR TAX SYSTEM THAT REALLY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO GROW OUR CITY IN A WAY THAT’S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. WE CAN NO LONGER CONTINUE TO JUST PUT ALL THE WEIGHT ON THE MIDDLE CLASS. THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN LIVING THROUGH THE DECAY, THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN LIVING THROUGH THEIR HOUSES, BEING DESTROYED BY VACANT PROPERTIES. IT’S REALLY TIME TO HOLD THE SPECULATORS ACCOUNTABLE, MR. COHEN. YEAH. LOOK, SIMPLY PUT, DEB, BALTIMORE DESERVES BETTER WHEN IT COMES TO CITY SERVICES. WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE FOUR POOLS THAT WERE UNABLE TO GET OPEN LAST SUMMER IN THE HOTTEST YEAR ON EARTH, C4 COVERED IT A BUNCH ON HIS SHOW PATTERSON PARK IN MY DISTRICT, SECOND LARGEST POOL IN THE CITY. WHEN I THINK ABOUT RECYCLING AND TRASH PICKUP, WHICH TOOK WAY TOO LONG TO GET BACK ONLINE WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT WE DESERVE FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, JUST HAVING OFFICERS THAT ARE OUT OF THE CARS ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY. WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE CONTINUED DETERIORATION IN SOME OF OUR CITY SCHOOLS, WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDINGS AND MAINTENANCE AND FACILITIES, WE DESERVE BETTER CITY SERVICES. I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE WORK WE’VE DONE IN SOUTHEAST BALTIMORE. WHEN THAT POOL WENT DOWN, MY COMMUNITY RALLIED AND GUESS WHAT? WE BUILT OURSELVES A BEAUTIFUL SPLASH PAD SO THAT OUR KIDS WOULD HAVE A WAY TO GET COOL DURING THAT SUMMER. BUT WE SHOULD HAVE HAD OUR POOL. AND AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I WILL DO THE OVERSIGHT THAT BALTIMORE DESERVES. MISS SNEAD. ABSOLUTELY. WE DESERVE CLEAN ALLEYS. WE DESERVE OUR TRASH TO BE PICKED UP ON TIME. ABSOLUTELY. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE IN BALTIMORE CITY. SOMETIMES IT’S JUST TAKING THAT EXTRA STEP. I’VE SEEN SOME OF THE WORK THAT’S BEEN DONE. WHEN I SEE THE TRASH BIN GO DOWN THE ALLEYS, AND IT’S NOT ALL PICKED UP, IT’S LIKE IT’S THROWN TO THE SIDE SOMETIMES AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION TO SAY, HEY, CAN YOU PICK THAT UP? HEY, CAN YOU GRAB THAT? AND I THINK IT’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT AREAS, SOME SAY, WELL, I NEVER HAVE TO DO THAT. THEY DO A GREAT, GREAT JOB IN MY AREA. AND SO THAT’S WHERE THE FIGHT IS. SOMETIMES IT’S IT’S NOT GETTING THE SERVICES IN EAST AND WEST BALTIMORE THAT SOME ARE MAYBE GETTING IN DIFFERENT AREAS. AND THAT’S WHY I SAY I’M NOT TRYING TO SEPARATE US. WE JUST WANT THE SAME THAT EVERYONE ELSE IS GETTING. AND IT IS WE CAN DO IT BASED ON THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE. WE CAN ABSOLUTELY PICK UP TRASH ON TIME. WE CAN ABSOLUTELY GET THE RECYCLING ON TIME. WE CAN ABSOLUTELY BUDGET OUR SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN HAVE EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED. THAT CAN BE DONE. MR. SORKIN, I WANT TO PICK UP ON THE THE CITY PROPERTY TAX, WHICH IS THE RATE IS IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE THE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, WHICH MEANS THAT IF YOU’RE GOING TO BUY A HOUSE IN THE CITY, YOU’RE GOING TO PAY, YOU’RE WILLING TO PAY LESS FOR IT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU’RE GOING TO GET A GIANT TAX BILL YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR. MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE A PATH TO FIX THAT? IS THERE A WAY AS SOME HAVE SAID, THAT YOU CUT THE RATE AND OVER TIME, PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE. EVENTUALLY THE CITY IS GETTING BACK THE SAME MONEY AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF HAPPY CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE THEIR HOUSES ARE WORTH MORE. IS THAT A IS THAT A PIPE DREAM? MR. COHEN? YEAH. LOOK, WE ARE NOT COMPETITIVE WITH OUR SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS RIGHT NOW. IT IS ABSOLUTELY TO OUR DISADVANTAGE THAT WE PAY DOUBLE THE PROPERTY TAXES AS OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS IN BALTIMORE COUNTY. AND SO WE DO NEED TO FOCUS ON REDUCING PROPERTY TAXES, BUT WE NEED TO DO IT SMART. WE CAN’T JUST SLASH OUR BUDGETS. UH, I’VE HEARD A 40% REDUCTION. TO ME, THAT IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE OR REALISTIC PLAN AND WOULD ACTUALLY HEAD US TOWARD BANKRUPTCY AND RECEIVERSHIP AS A CITY, WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS WORKING WITH FOLKS LIKE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OLSZEWSKI, GOVERNOR MOORE, COMPTROLLER LIERMAN, SENATE PRESIDENT FERGUSON, HOUSE OF SPEAKERS. UM, ALL OF US NEED TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM TOGETHER WITH THE MAYOR, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT, MAKING SURE WE ARE COMING WITH A STRATEGY AND A PLAN TO GET PROPERTY TAXES DOWN. BUT NOT DOING SOMETHING SO DRASTIC THAT IT WOULD MEAN NO MORE ROADS, NO MORE POLICE DEPARTMENT, NO MORE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE TO PRESERVE OUR CITY SERVICES. MR. SNEED, I WANT TO SAY IT’S A RESPONSIBLE TO EVEN THINK THAT WE CAN CUT THE PROPERTY TAXES AND THEN DO EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO, THAT WE CAN GET AN AMBULANCE THERE ON TIME. WHEN SOMEONE’S CALLING 911 TO GET A POLICE OFFICER THERE WHEN WE WANT. WHEN YOU CALL NINE ONE, WE JUST WE JUST CANNOT DO IT. WHAT’S GOING TO BE CUT? WE ALREADY KNOW THAT WE’RE ON A TIGHT BUDGET. SO DOES EDUCATION GET CUT? DOES POLICE GET CUT? I DON’T THINK THAT’S FAIR. SO I REALLY THINK THAT OUR LEADERS, WE HAVE TO SAY IT’S IRRESPONSIBLE FOR US TO DO THAT AND TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW WHEN WE’RE NOT EVEN DOING THE BASICS, GREAT, WHEN WE’RE NOT DOING THE BASICS GOOD ENOUGH. SO CAN WE START THERE? I WOULD LOVE TO SEE TRASH PICKED UP ON TIME. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE RECYCLE PICKED UP ON TIME. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE THE CONVERSATION OF HOW DO WE CUT PROPERTY TAXES? BUT UNTIL WE HAVE A FIVE STARS ACROSS THE BOARD, I DON’T THINK WE SHOULD BE HAVING THE CONVERSATION. MR. MOSBY, WHERE WE HAVE SAFE COMMUNITIES, GREAT SCHOOLS, GREAT RESOURCES AND ASSETS, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE BUSTING AT THE SEAMS. THEY’RE IN THE WHITE L. UH, WHERE WE HAVE REDUCTION IN POPULATION IS WHERE WE HAVE THE ISSUES AROUND CRIME, GRIME AND CONCERN THERE IN THE BLACK BUTTERFLY. IT ALL MIRRORS THE RACIAL REDLINING MAP THAT WAS PASSED THROUGH IN 1936. AND WE SEE THE RESIDUAL EFFECTS OF IT TODAY. IT’S REALLY ABOUT ENSURING THAT ONE, WE ADDRESS TAXES. AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE TIERED TAX SYSTEM. WE TALKED ABOUT GOING AFTER SPECULATORS THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING IN OUR COMMUNITIES FOR SCRUPULOUS, UH, EFFORTS TO TRY TO WAIT AND WAIT AND WAIT TO, TO, TO, TO RECOUP MONEY. BUT IT’S ALSO ABOUT PROVIDING THE SERVICES IN AN EQUITABLE LEVEL TO ALL OF BALTIMORE, BECAUSE THAT’S HOW WE RETAIN THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE DECIDING TO JUST JUMP ACROSS THE LINE TO BALTIMORE COUNTY AND LEAVE THE CITY. IT’S REALLY ABOUT ENSURING, AGAIN, THAT WE PROVIDE EQUITY THROUGHOUT ALL OUR COMMUNITIES AND DO IT IN A WAY THAT’S VERY EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE. WE’RE GOING TO MOVE NOW TO OUR CLOSING STATEMENTS. EACH CANDIDATE WILL GET A MINUTE. WE’LL BEGIN WITH MISS SNEED. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE UNIVERSITY THAT WAS PART OF MY GROWTH. MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, CITY IN UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, EASTERN SHORE. BUT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAVE DONE MORE COMMON SENSE LEGISLATION IN THE YEAR MY OPPONENT’S. I AM THE ONE WHO MADE SURE THAT WE HAVE A POLICE COMMISSIONER THAT LIVES HERE. SO HE CAN EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING THAT WE’RE GOING THROUGH. I AM THE ONE WHO PUT IN LACTATION LIKE LACTATION ACCOMMODATIONS, BECAUSE I KNEW OUR HOUSES ARE RUN BY SINGLE. MOST OF OUR HOUSES ARE RUN BY SINGLE PARENTS. I’M THE ONE WHO DID THAT. I’M THE ONE WHO MADE SURE THAT THE MAYOR’S CABINET LIVED RIGHT HERE IN BALTIMORE, SO THEY COULD HELP US ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE HERE. I AM ESSENTIALLY THE ONE WHO HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR BALTIMORE CITY AND NOT JUST SAYING, I’M FIGHTING FOR BALTIMORE CITY, BUT HAVE THE LEGISLATION TO BACK IT UP AND TO PROVE IT. SO I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE CONSIDER ME SHANNON SNEED WHEN YOU AND GO AND MAKE YOUR DECISION, BECAUSE WE NEED SOMEONE WITH ETHICS. WE NEED SOMEONE WITH INTEGRITY. WE NEED SOMEONE WITH CHARACTER WHO WON’T JUST TELL US ONE THING AND DO THE OTHER. WE WANT SOMEONE THAT’S GOING TO STAND UP FOR US. AND THAT’S WHY I’M BE A PUBLIC FINANCE CANDIDATE. I’M NOT TAKING ANY MONEY FROM DEVELOPERS. I’M NOT TAKING ANY MONEY FROM UNIONS. I’M NOT TAKING ANY FROM PACS. AND SO WE NEED SOMEONE LIKE ME. THANK YOU, MISS SNEED. MR. MOSBY, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. ME? UM, AGAIN, I’M FROM BALTIMORE. I’M FROM BALTIMORE, AND I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A FIGHTER FOR THIS CITY. UH, WHEN IT WAS MY TIME TO STEP UP IN CITY HALL, I DID THAT AGAIN WITH THE PASSING OF BAN THE BOX, THE FIRST AND MOST PROGRESSIVE BAN THE BOX LEGISLATION IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. WHEN I WAS IN ANNAPOLIS, I FOUGHT TO ENSURE THAT THE PREAKNESS STAYED HERE IN THE CITY OF BALTIMORE. I FOUGHT TO ENSURE THAT YOUR HOMES WEREN’T TAKEN BASED OFF OF FAULTY WATER BILLS. AND AS YOUR CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I’VE DONE THIS, THAT ENSURING THAT WE HAVE LOCAL CONTROL BACK TO OUR CITIES, UH, BACK TO OUR CITIZENS AND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE AN INCLUSIONARY HOUSING POLICY THAT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY BE THANKFUL FOR AND BE PROUD OF. IT’S ABOUT DOING THE WORK. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT MY RECORD, UH, IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY, IN THE FACE OF CHALLENGES I’VE SHOWN UP EVERY SINGLE DAY, BALTIMORE AND DID THAT WORK BECAUSE I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOU. I’M ABOUT CREATING A CITY THAT’S GOING TO CREATE MORE. NICK MOSBY’S, THAT LITTLE BOY WHO SAT AT CHINQUAPIN MIDDLE SCHOOL THINKING THAT THE SYSTEM FAILED HIM BUT WAS ABLE TO BECOME THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEER THAT WAS TRAPPED IN HIS MIND. THAT’S WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND THAT’S WHAT I’M COMMITTED TO. STILL DOING. THANK YOU, SIR, MR. COHEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE GREAT MORGAN STATE, TO OUR AMAZING PANELISTS, TO, UH, MY FRIENDS WHO ARE UP ON THIS STAGE, TO JASON, TO EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. THIS IS WHAT IT’S ABOUT. IT’S ABOUT A MORE CIVICALLY ENGAGED BALTIMORE. LOOK, I LOVE THIS CITY. I’M PROUD OF MY LEGISLATIVE RECORD. I’M PROUD OF PASSING LAWS THAT MAKE BALTIMORE FIRST IN THE COUNTRY TO ADDRESS TRAUMA. I’M PROUD OF OUR WORK ON TRANSPARENCY, ON ILLEGAL DUMPING, BUT MOSTLY I’M PROUD TO BE A DAD WHO IS LIVING OUT MY VALUES IN MY HOUSE IN SOUTHEAST BALTIMORE. I THINK THAT WE ARE A CITY ON THE RISE. WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES LIKE THE ONE I’M IN RIGHT NOW. SOME OF THE BEST HOSPITALS, CREATIVES, ARTISTS, ARTS, RESTAURANTS. WE HAVE SO MUCH GREAT HERE IN BALTIMORE ALREADY, BUT WE DESERVE BETTER WHEN IT COMES TO CITY SERVICES AND CITY LEADERSHIP. AND THAT IS WHAT I WILL BRING TO THIS JOB. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO OUR CANDIDATES. ALSO, A BIG THANK YOU TO MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND THE MURPHY FINE ARTS BUILDING FOR HOSTING US TONIGHT. KEEP IN MIND A BIG REMINDER EARLY VOTING WILL START ON MAY THE 2ND. IT WILL RUN YOU THROUGH MAY THE 9TH. AND THEN YOU HAVE THE PRIMARY ON THE 14TH. SO WE WILL SEE YOU IN THE VOTERS BOOTH. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.