My Direction
Public Safety
One thing I’ve heard from colleagues, friends and others who didn’t grow up in Wicomico County is how envious they are of the security. As a child, I remember neighbors feeling compelled to leave the doors unlocked while never fearing a simple walk down the street. We should feel safe in our home – in our neighborhoods.
My dream for District 2 and Salisbury is to make our home a place of serenity – where mothers and fathers can rest easy at night and children can look to their neighbors as extended family. But I’m not naive, I know crime has risen in recent years, and we must be prepared for when disaster strikes and how to ensure our community remains a safe haven for all. As your councilman, I will work with our local law enforcement officers and first responders to cut down on crime in our district and ensure a speedy and prompt response when assistance is needed. I’ll rally for more community policing so our residents and police officers can build relationships and not be met with fear and aggression. I’ll fight to make sure our new police chief continues the work of Chief Barbara Duncan and reduce the crime rate in our city. I’ll advocate for representatives from our district to form a public safety committee and relay to law enforcement officials and elected leaders about the concerns in all of District 2.
I want our families to feel safe – I want our district to be protected. But that doesn’t mean a higher police presence. It means introducing new programs that can create a united community, pushing more resources towards mental health awareness to help those that may feel criminal activity is their only route, and it means shining a light on domestic abuse, giving every person a voice to report any wrongdoing. We are blessed to live in an area where you can truly see and feel the sense of community. My family taught me the importance of looking out for one another, and that’s what I plan to do as your representative on the city council. I promise to have your back!
Affordable Housing/
homelessness
Call me an optimist, but I believe everyone should be able to purchase and afford the home of their dreams without breaking the bank. Growing up and living in District 2, I’ve seen some of the hardships my neighbors have faced, struggling to pay mortgages or forcing them to leave their homes because the bills have skyrocketed. This is an issue facing all parts of our country, but it doesn’t mean Salisbury should sit around and allow prices to increase to unprecedented heights. Our city has taken proper steps to address these issues, recently implementing the Anne Street Village that will shelter over two dozen homeless individuals. The Here is Home project with an estimated 2,300 units set to be built with additional housing coming from the great work of Habitat for Humanity. This is an issue that affects all, but is heavily felt in the African American community.
Salisbury is preparing to implement a new property tax, making it even more difficult for our residents to pay their annual bills. How can we expect our citizens to contribute to their own personal happiness when we ask them to pay every cent earned on the roof over their head? Not only do we have to make it easier to live here – we have to make people want to live. We as elected officials must paint a more positive picture of Salisbury to attract new businesses, families and individuals to our blossoming community. We’re blessed to have an institution in Salisbury University, that I proudly attended, that consistently produces talented, creative graduates on a yearly basis. But do these recent graduates stay in Salisbury or do they pack up and leave with their degrees and ideas in hand?
Salisbury is the capital of the eastern shore and has more potential than any other place I know. It should not be this complex to give our residents a quality home they can hold with pride. It is my promise to make Salisbury and District 2 a more affordable area for home buyers and to introduce police that will lower rent costs, create more housing opportunities for middle and low-income families, and to put roofs over the heads of all my constituents.
Education & Youth Empowerment
In order to ensure a strong foundation and bright future, we must invest in our local education system. As a product of Wicomico County Public Schools, I’ve experienced just how impactful and beneficial our school system can be. A graduate of Wicomico High, my teachers and classmates inspired me to pursue a life of service with a desire to give back to my community. Under the leadership of Superintendent Micah Stauffer and other educators, I can confidently say we have an amazing district in Salisbury and throughout Wicomico. But we can always do better. As Chair for the Wicomico Board of Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore, I’ve seen the benefits that financial literacy and workforce development programs can have on our youth. The upcoming Perdue Henson Junior Achievement Center will be a game changer for our students and redefine education on the Shore.
My relationships with our school officials has allowed me to interact with our students, helping me have a strong pulse on our students' needs and challenges. We must encourage our youth to participate in clubs, activities and programs that prepare them for the demands of the workforce. We must ensure all students have access to broadband and other forms of technologies so they can familiarize themselves with the tools and resources available with just the click of a button. We must understand that in the age of COVID, mental health concerns need to be addressed, making students realize they have an ally in their elected officials – someone who will fight to ensure they get the help they need should issues arise in the classroom or at home. But most importantly, we must shine a light on future opportunities, showing our students the successful life that awaits them once they leave the classroom.
We have amazing high education institutions in our own backyard in Salisbury University, Wor-Wic and UMES. A degree can open many doors, but it’s not the only route for our youth. We must put trades, apprenticeships and other routes on full display to showcase all career opportunities – ones that truly make our community thrive. When it comes to our future leaders, there’s no shortage of resources we can provide. It is our responsibility to provide them with the knowledge and tools to create a brighter tomorrow. As councilman, I will make it my sworn duty to protect and serve all students, doing my best to help them discover their full potential.