Business development means working to ensure a vibrant economy for all citizens throughout Baltimore City – North, South, East, and West.  “Investing Where Baltimore Lives” is part of my model for our government.  It means effectively allocating government resources to our neighborhoods.  It also means finding and promoting ways to increase financial investments in our City.  

While we cannot overlook the strength of our manufacturing, financial, biotechnology, and legal hubs, we must also look to our local neighborhoods to create wealth.  For example, I established the Arts, Dining, and Entertainment Task Force to craft a comprehensive approach to local business development through the zoning, licensing, and policing of existing arts, dining, and entertainment facilities.  The Arts, Dining, and Entertainment Task Force was also charged with crafting incentives for the establishment of new venues to benefit our neighborhoods.

Just as I maintain an “open door policy” for our neighbors, I maintain open dialogue with business leaders who help create the jobs, help create the tax dollars, and help attract future investment in our City.  In all of my actions, I remain consistent:  the economic engines of the City are invaluable but these economic engines must work in tandem with government’s responsibility to its citizens.

My actions on the Baltimore City Council evidence my resolve.  The skyscrapers along our skyline are by supported by me, but they must come with clean, affordable, and healthy supermarkets in every neighborhood.  National and international conglomerates remain welcome in our Baltimore, but we must support our local, small, and disadvantaged businesses with the same passion.  High technology corridors are as much a part of my vision as a summer jobs program that teaches our youth accountability, responsibility, and the value of hard work.