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Baltimore County Executive
Kimberley Stansbury
Republican
57
Towson, Baltimore County
Office Manager
B.S. in Political Science from Towson University
Fellowship Forest Community Association Secretary, Social Chair, Block Captain and Newsletter Editor. I taught Citizenship in the Community, Nation and World for Boy Scouts of America for over a decade.
Why are you running for office?
I am running for office to give back to my community. Baltimore County is my home, this is where I have chosen to live, raise my family and I want to see Baltimore County thrive.
What do you see as the most pressing issue Baltimore County faces and how would you address it?
Crime is our most immediate issue. We should not feel afraid in our own communities. We need to immediately bring back the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights, continue actively recruiting new officers and try to keep as many officers as we can from leaving BCoPD. Our officers need to know they are needed and that we support them.
What plans do you have to help the county and its businesses successfully emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Our small businesses are hurting right now. Businesses need access to grants and low cost loans. We need to support every effort to get our community to shop local and support our small businesses and people need to see their elected officials doing the same.
What are your views on the future growth and economic development in the county?
We need to bring new businesses into the county which will increase our tax base and bring jobs to our residents. We cannot overburden our already overwhelmed infrastructure, especially our schools, roads and utilities. I encourage new development but we must do it responsibly. I encourage the County Council to adopt the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) which will help the county plan for new growth and development in a responsible manner.
What role can the county government play to improve education in county schools?
Schools are severely overcrowded. We need to revitalize schools like Golden Ring and North Point Government Center and turn them into trade schools that will give students an advantage for obtaining well paying jobs following graduation. We must recognize Parental Rights and encourage participation with the BOE to develop curriculum. Let’s get back to basics and to make sure that we meet the needs of all students in reading, writing, math, history, art, music and physical education. We need to assure the safety of all students and teachers in school and on buses which should always be properly maintained. We need more SRO’s and mental health professionals. I believe that learning is enhanced when a parent is an active participant in the day to day aspects to include making sure their children come to school prepared to learn, do their homework, get enough sleep and have nutritious food etc.
What efforts do the county need to make to address systemic racism in government services?
Racism of any kind has no place in any aspect of our society and will not be tolerated in Baltimore County Government.
Do you think there needs to be additional oversight to the Office of the Inspector General or changes to the structure of the office? If so, please explain.
Absolutely! The office of the Inspector General needs to be expanded to be in line with other surrounding counties who have significantly larger staff sizes. This is imperative to make sure that we have a lawful, transparent and accountable county government.
What steps must the county take to improve public safety?
We need to make sure that we have sufficient law enforcement as well as a judiciary that will hand out appropriate sentences for those who violate the law in our county. In my opinion judges should be held responsible for the sentences they hand out and that information should be made public. Our roads and bridges must be maintained. Our 911 center must continue to be fully funded and fully staffed.
How is climate change impacting the county and what can be done locally to address the effects?
Maintaining clean air and water is very important to our communities. Everything we do impacts our environment. I believe in being a good steward for the environment. Our waterways include the Chesapeake Bay, Loch Raven Watershed, Herring Run just to name a few need to be maintained and cared for so that they can continue to thrive. Runoff not only from within the county but from surrounding jurisdictions continue to impact their health and we need to be vigilant about maintaining them. We also need to continue not only with tree planting but encouraging the continued use of native plant species in Baltimore County.
Baltimore Sun Media’s voter guide allows candidates to provide their background, policy and platforms on issues, in their own words. Any questions or feedback can be sent to elections@baltsun.com, or read more about the questionnaire process here.
