1. Describe your vision of a healthy, safe, equitable transportation system for Baltimore City and the roles walking, biking, and public transportation play in that vision.

   Unfortunately, My vision of a healthy, safe, equitable transportation system is quite the opposite of what we have in most of Baltimore. I believe that we need to establish a true BRT system that optimizes routes between East and West Baltimore and creates an inter-county, regional transit authority that would give us access to better public funding and more autonomy over how transit serves our city.
   
   Walking, public transit (especially rail), biking, and mobility options play an enormous role in a safe/healthy/equitable transportation system. And transportation is the fastest way to improve economic opportunity.
   
   I have come out publicly in favor of pedestrianization of several key spaces in the city to create attractive opportunities in places that have fallen into disinvestment (specifically: The Howard Street Corridor near Planned Parenthood, the “Highway to nowhere,” and part of Old Town Mall, masterplan notwithstanding). I have had discussions about these projects for the former two, as they are outside of District 12. We know from successful transit cities worldwide that being intentional about de-prioritizing cars, especially with pedestrianization, is attractive not only to communities and families, but to small businesses as well.

2. The fastest and most economical way to address climate change, improve public health, and create equal access to opportunity is to design a city that reduces dependence on private automobiles. What are the biggest barriers to getting people to choose walking, biking, or public transit instead of personal vehicles, and what would you do to address these impediments?

   There are both legislative and political barriers to making our residents and city less car-dependent. First, we must strike all “minimum parking” covenants from local development, but we must go a step farther and incentivize development that is explicitly anti-car.
   
   Legislatively, That means we should mandate a parking cash-out at businesses that pay for employee parking.
   
   Politically, we need to do more than just install a bike lane and expect the community to get on board. We know that privileged people frequently have the resources and engagement to be the loudest voices and set the narrative about transportation options (see also: Monument Street, Canton, Roland Park). Part of changing that narrative is showing people how expanded transportation options means jobs, economic improvement, community development, etc.
   
   We’re currently facing a literal apocalypse, and 2020 is very likely our last “off-ramp” to avoid descending into worldwide eco-fascism. As a city on a major tributary to the Chesapeake (with overwhelming poverty), we should be the VANGUARD model for climate-action policy that centers on jobs and transportation, paving the way for a local Green New Deal model across the Country.
   

3. In 2017, the Planning Commission approved the Separated Bike Lane Network plan that connects 85% of Baltimore’s neighborhoods by creating safe, protected places to ride a bike. Do you agree with the plan’s recommendations, and if so, what would you do to ensure that we fulfill the plan’s promise to build a minimum of 17 miles of bike lanes per year? Are there specific areas of the city where you would prioritize implementation?

   First, I agree with the plan recommendations. I think that unfortunately, we have a lot of catching up to do because when we tear out or re-plan bikeways because of a few loud neighbors, we have to make up for net-loss cycle track as well as our obligation to install new cycle track.
   
   Again, this comes back to narrative, and showing people that bikes mean jobs.
   
   I would like to see stricter implementation of the Separated Bike Lane Network plan, and I would like to see the same for Councilmember Dorsey’s Complete Streets implementation.
   
   I believe that the priority implementation should be connecting neighborhoods that would have been best served by the Red Line, however, as so much of our city toils in severe, oppressive poverty, I would like to see disinvested communities be connected with resources to help them obtain not only discounted or free bikes, but also, the knowledge of how to maintain and care for them.

4. Approximately 50 people are killed on city streets each year while walking, biking, or driving, with another 9,000 people injured. What is your plan to reduce the number of Baltimoreans injured and killed in traffic every year?

   Fatal accidents and serious injuries are a severe injustice. Living less than 500 feet from 28th street is a constant and terrifying reminder that people drive recklessly, but moreover, we have designed a city that encourages them to do so.
   
   I would like to see us roll out more speed and red-light cameras. I would like to see the implementation of traffic calming techniques citywide, and I would like to see significantly more serious fines and penalties* for driver-on-pedestrian or driver-on-cyclist injuries and fatalities.
   
   *I would clarify that I believe strongly that torture is unethical and that the American prison system is torture. I am an advocate for decarceration and would not support penalties that lead to more incarcerated persons.

5. Approximately 800 Baltimoreans die early every year from preventable diseases related to carbon emissions, more than double the city’s murder rate. Thousands more are hospitalized each year as these emissions trigger asthma and other respiratory diseases. There is a strong correlation between hospitalization and proximity to major car commuter routes. What is your plan to reduce carbon emissions from automobiles in order to decrease the number of Baltimoreans hurt by and dying from emissions-related diseases?

   We need to shut down the trash incinerator. We need a partner who will organize people and go to Annapolis and advocate for the shutdown of BRESCO as well as the re-classification of incineration as “toxic waste.” We must pedestrianize more spaces and we must do it intentionally to undo the harm that cars and reckless, often racist development have done to our People.
   
   I stand against any development that isn’t explicitly green, especially actively polluting industrial development like the trash incinerator.We could build and staff several recycling centers in Baltimore for the health and maintenance costs of the incinerator. More people in our city recycling means thousands of new jobs! Furthermore: industrial facilities that create measurable pollution would need to contribute significant funds to community greening and carbon offsetting in impacted communities (providing solar power to the surrounding neighborhood, for example). District 12 is, on average, the hottest district in the city. Providing additional tree cover and green spaces in our district (and other affected parts of the city) will cool the heat islands in our city and help to sequester carbon from cars.
   
   We must implement a Localized version of the Green New Deal. We have aging infrastructure, citywide, that needs to be updated for the health of residents as well as the health of the planet. Infrastructure contracts will be awarded to *someone*, so let's make sure that a component of those contracts is hiring Baltimoreans who may have served time or who lack experience/education into fair-paying jobs that will act as a pathway-to-apprenticeship and eventually, more financial independence.

6. Do you walk for transportation? If so, for what purposes, how often, and what was your last trip walking?

   Yes. My wife and I share a car, and I have worked remotely or within walking distance to my home for the past several years. I walk at least daily to my office (and I walk our dog, Tomato, down to Sisson St. Park frequently, too).
   
   My last walking trip was canvassing in East Baltimore this weekend, but, even if I weren’t running for office, I take almost daily trips to my office (on Howard St @ Strong Schools Maryland) or to the grocery store.
   
   One of the most attractive things about our neighborhood is proximity to cool local establishments – we see shows at Ottobar a lot (and did on Saturday). Also, I sometimes go for a walk to play Pokemon Go.

7. Do you use public transportation? If so, for what purposes, how often, and what was your last trip by public transportation?

   Yes. When I travel to other parts of town during the day (when my wife is at work), I sometimes ride the bus (depending on urgency and schedule).
   
   I think I ride our buses about 3-4x (round trips) a week, and the last time I rode the bus was Friday for a candidate interview in Mount Vernon.

8. Do you ever ride a bicycle? Is it for transportation, recreation, or both? What was your last trip by bicycle?

   I own a bicycle (a couple, actually) in need of some minor repairs.
   
   I use my Bike for transportation and, to some degree fitness, though I suppose that the danger that is inherent in riding a bike in the city adds an element of adrenaline that one might enjoy as “recreation.”
   
   My last trip by bike was a daytime ride to the YMCA in Waverly (and back home afterward).

9. Baltimore’s urban areas have limited space on streets. In order to increase safety and improve mobility, some modes of transportation must be prioritized over others to make the most of this limited space. Please rank how you would prioritize different modes of transportation on city streets, using numbers 1 through 7:

   1. Walking & devices that aid people with a disability
   2. Public Transportation
   3. Bicycles & Scooters
   4. Freight and Delivery
   6. Personal Automobiles
   6. Ride Hailing Services (Taxi, Uber, Lyft) - [multiple studies suggest that rideshare do not create functional improvements in traffic or environmental health]
   7. Parking
   

   
   Agree or disagree?
   

10. I support removing parking on a street if it would improve safety and increase mobility of people using that street.

    Agree
    Yes. I think we probably need to make sure we keep some amount of designated disability parking for residents with disabilities and their service providers.

11. Minimum parking requirements are shown to increase housing costs while limiting potential density and making neighborhoods less walkable. I support following the lead of other cities that have removed minimum parking requirements from new development.

    Agree
    Uneqivocally, as stated above.

12. Some cities require employers that subsidize parking also offer an option for employees to receive that subsidy as a cash payment. I support a mandate that employers offer parking cashout so that employees can choose to pocket that money, use it for alternative transportation, or continue using that cash to pay for parking.

    Agree
    Not only do I support this, I researched and helped to write a policy proposal to create a parking cash-out mandate statewide in 2018 when I worked for Delegate Lewis. Unfortunately, I believe it died in committee (HB1637, February 2018)

13. Increasing density in areas of opportunity is proven to help individuals escape poverty. I support taller, denser, or larger buildings in areas they are now prohibited by zoning.

    Agree
    Yes, however, I would want to increase density using the resources we already have first. I am against falling into the oppressive trap that NYC has, where housing affordability is calculated against a bananas radius (as it is here), and that allows developers to exploit credits and subsidies while turning their fast-fashion “cubes” into big Airbnb hotels.

14. Transit oriented development can expand access to areas of opportunity by locating housing and retail along high frequency transit. Current zoning code only identifies these zones along subway and light rail routes. I support expanded Transit Oriented Development zoning to include areas within a quarter mile of high-frequency bus routes.

    Agree
    Land use is one of the City Council’s most comprehensive powers. We need to be a city of #numtots and expand transit oriented development definitions to reinvigorate forgotten communities with new opportunities and accessibility.

15. It is now widely accepted that Single Family Residential Zoning was historically created to maintain racial segregation. I support removing Single Family Residential Zoning categories, allowing both single family and multi family residences to be built in all residential zoning areas.

    Agree
    Yes, with the caveat that we also need rent control, and tenant-lease-renewal and other protections in place for renters whose landlord would want to change their house into a multi-unit apartment at the end of their lease.

16. I support allowing existing residences to be split into apartments in all zoning categories without having to pass legislation for each conversion, increasing density in neighborhoods that were traditionally single family homes.

    Agree
    Yes, see above (15).

17. At 20mph, 90% of pedestrians survive being hit by a car. At 40mph, only 10% survive. I support enforcing a maximum speed limit of 25 mph on arterial streets, and 20 mph on local streets.

    Agree
    Yes, with the only consideration being if we create true BRT in the city, I would be interested in seeing the numbers on people hit by bus and evaluating whether buses should have an exception when traveling in bus-only lanes.

18. Allowing turns on red is a contributing factor in increased pedestrian injury and death. I support banning turns on red at all intersections that allow pedestrian crossing.

    Agree
    I actually wasn’t aware that this was the case. I’d like to learn more, but generally think I would fully support this.

19. Automated Speed and Red Light Enforcement Cameras are widely proven to reduce fatal collisions. I support using these cameras on any street, not just near schools and construction sites.

    Agree
    Yes. Unequivocally.

20. The Automated Speed Enforcement Camera current threshold is 12 miles per hour. I support cameras being able to issue citations for those traveling 5 miles per hour or more over the speed limit.

    Agree
    Speed Camera thresholds should be the same as moving violation thresholds. I would be in favor of reducing thresholds for both, simultaneously, but not of one without the other.

21. I would invest in automated enforcement cameras that will issue citations to private automobiles for being stopped or parked in bus lanes.

    Agree
    Yes. Additionally utilizing bus-mounted cameras, and having the citations be graduated for businesses with 100+ employees (delivery drivers, for example). As Amazon drivers are often contractors, I would be for policy that allowed us to send UPS/Amazon/Fedex citations to those companies directly, as it is important to protect workers who are already likely to be exploited.

22. Dedicated bus lanes and bus boarding islands are proven to dramatically improve bus reliability and boarding times. I support removing parking or travel lanes to create bus lanes and boarding islands to improve bus performance.

    Agree
    Yes.

23. The city adopted the Greenway Trails Network plan that will connect existing trails such as Gwynns Falls Trail and Herring Run Trail to create a 35-mile trail loop that connects 80% of Baltimore’s neighborhoods to greenspace and recreational trails. I support the construction of these trail connections, even if it requires using grass medians or taking road space or parking space away from private automobiles.

    Agree
    Yes. We are a one-car household and Baltimore is a city that could be *wealthy* with green spaces. We should do what is necessary to put those spaces front-of-mind and create safe walking trails for health and recreation.

District Specific Questions: 12th District

1. 28th and 29th Street are treated as highways by people driving along them through neighborhoods. Neighbors have developed the 28th and 29th Streets Traffic Calming initiative to call for installation of temporary traffic calming devices and study on how to implement permanent traffic calming that includes exploration of travel lane reduction or two-way conversion on both streets. I support installation of temporary traffic calming devices, even if they remove some parking, and support the study on how to implement permanent traffic calming.

   Agree
   Yes. Even if that means I have to buy us some hay bales. I walk this area every day and 28th and 29th streets are terrifyingly dangerous. As a kid, I grew up being able to safely cross Harford Rd. by myself, very few streets instill existential fear in me the way that 28th & 29th streets do.

2. Big Jump Baltimore, a grant won by Baltimore City Department of Transportation, calls for installation of a road diet and separated, all-ages bike lanes on 25th Street and Huntingdon Avenue to improve safe access to businesses along the corridor. I support installing the remainder of the Big Jump Baltimore grant facilities.
   Agree
   Yes. I am somewhat biased because I live there, but I love the Big Jump project and would love to attend (another) Big Jump party!

3. Dedicated bus lanes are proven to increase service reliability and speed. MTA Maryland’s BaltimoreLink Red bus route is one of the busiest in the city. I support dedicated bus lanes on Greenmount Avenue, even if it means removing some parking.
   Agree
   Yes. Greenmount Ave is deeply disinvested and we are about to see a HUGE impact from the pay-to-play/ponzi scheme being run by a sham developer along the Greenmount corridor. We must incentivize people to feel safe there, and we don't do it by bulleting cars through cattle-chute lanes.