Kevin P. Harris
Candidate in May 14 primary
Democratic
Beechfield
Age: 41 years old on day of General Election (Nov. 5)
Occupation: Enrollment Services Specialist II
Education: Associate of Arts in Psychology from the Community College of Baltimore County
Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County
Previous political experience: I volunteered for Jim Shea’s gubernatorial campaign.
Why are you running for office?
After spending two years working in various Mayor’s Offices, I saw firsthand how difficult it was for our residents to access vital resources and how much red tape and unnecessary bureaucracy made it that much harder and I decided that I should try to make a difference.
Baltimore’s homicide rate dropped in 2023 for the first time in nearly a decade. How would you maintain that decrease while also focusing on quality of life crimes that make residents feel less safe in their neighborhoods?
I plan on using a multi-vector approach that targets crime from several angles. I will decrease the vacant houses in the city, and increase the light level. I will work on increasing the lead abatement rate in the highest crime areas. Increase victim support services. Work on decreasing the city’s inequality by providing incentives for people to create locally-owned businesses. I will create an interconnected city network to allow people to get employment opportunities more easily. I will also work on creating community pride by encouraging intercommunity events to highlight the amazing things happening in the city.
Pressure is mounting to reduce Baltimore’s property tax rate, which is higher than surrounding jurisdictions. Do you think a reduction is possible and how would you accomplish it?
It will be hard to reduce the tax rate with a declining population, so we must double our efforts to get more people to move to the city so we can spread the tax burden out. We can also cut back on the tax breaks we have given to hospitals and institutes in the city who are paying well below their share of the tax burden. By making these institutes pay more we can eventually reduce the property tax burden.
How do you assess the performance of Superintendent Sonia Santelises and what do you believe is the mayor’s role in improving city schools?
Our schools have had years of underperformance, and if Ms. Santelises had not been able to fix or improve those issues in the eight years she has been CEO then she needs to step aside and allow a new CEO to work on fixing the issues. The mayor’s role is to make sure the school board and CEO are made up of qualified people who can lead the schools in a positive direction. The mayor will also serve as an advocate for the schools with state and federal administrations to ensure we are getting the resources we need to make our schools the best they can be.
Baltimore has been faced with massive increases in school spending under the state’s Blueprint for Education law. A structural deficit is expected in the coming year. How do you propose covering the mounting costs of education and other city spending?
I plan to reallocate funds from historically overfunded agencies and transfer those funds to agencies most in need of additional funding. I will also advocate with the state, federal, and private companies to increase funding for our schools.
Baltimore’s many vacant homes attract crime and decrease the quality of life for city residents who live in their midst. How would you assess the city’s current approach to vacant properties and what would your plan entail?
My plan is to create more parks, playgrounds, public commons, and other third spaces by using eminent domain so we can demolish these vacant houses. The city used eminent domain to build the original Harbor Place, we can do the same to build more green spaces in the city. We can also use this process to build new affordable homes for residents to combat the skyrocketing prices of housing in the city.
Many Baltimoreans rely on public transit to get to work and move around the city. What can the city do to improve access to public transportation?
The city can create more localized public transit like bringing back the streetcars, as well as creating new charm city circulator routes. We can also create multi-purpose lanes to allow city residents to bike, and walk through the city in a faster, safer manner.
A plan currently calls for the redevelopment of Harborplace into high rise buildings offering a mix of uses including apartments on the waterfront. Do you support this plan and if not, what would you prefer to see in its place?
I am not in full support, I believe high rises would be better served in areas around the city that are not the Inner Harbor. I would want the Inner Harbor, which is the heart of our city, to be an open green entertainment center for families and tourists. I would prefer to see new forms of fun and entertainment in the area, so we can give families and teens places to go as there are so few third spaces for people currently.
Editor’s note: Baltimore Sun Media received this candidate’s responses on March 14.
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