Rob's Governing Principles, Values, and Policy Goals

Baltimore County deserves leadership that is honest, experienced, independent, and focused on results.

This campaign is built around a simple idea: government should work for the people who live here. That means safe neighborhoods, strong schools, responsible growth, honest budgeting, transparent decision-making, and real opportunity for the next generation.

My approach to governing is grounded in these values:

Guiding Principles:

Public Safety

• Nothing else works if people do not feel safe.

Education and Opportunity

• Every young person in Baltimore County should be able to see a path upward for themselves.

Protecting Children

• Children deserve safety, accountability, support, and a future.

Transparency and Authenticity

• Government should tell people the truth, even when the truth is uncomfortable.

Nothing for Us Without Us

• Communities should be involved in decisions that affect them.

Resource Stewardship

• Taxpayer money, public land, government buildings, roads, and county workers’ time are public resources. They must be managed carefully.

Investing in the Future

• The goal should never be to simply manage decline. The goal is to build a county that is safer, stronger, and more competitive for the next generation.

1.  Public Safety

i.  Fully Staff the Baltimore County Police Department

Public safety is government’s first responsibility.

Baltimore County must fully staff its Police Department and make this county one of the best places in Maryland to serve as a law enforcement officer.

My administration will pursue:

• aggressive recruitment and retention;
• improved officer support;
• a robust take-home vehicle program;
• more visible patrols;
• better traffic enforcement;
• stronger partnerships with communities; and
• regular public accountability for staffing and performance.

On day one we’ll begin the search for a new police chief who understands the importance of getting our runaway crime problems under control.My preference is to hire within, but I won’t allow this to become an impediment to hiring the best person for the job.

Within my first six months, I will implement a take-home vehicle strategy using county vehicles that are currently sitting unused or underused. We will work with community partners and local businesses to help get those vehicles road-ready and back into service.

In exchange, participating officers will commit to additional dedicated traffic enforcement shifts targeting reckless driving, aggressive driving, and excessive speeding.

ii.  Juvenile Crime

Juvenile crime does not end with an arrest.

Neither should accountability.

As a former prosecutor, I understand that juvenile cases are different. Children deserve privacy protections, and no one is suggesting that Baltimore County publish names, photographs, or personal information about juveniles.

But protecting children does not require government to operate in darkness.

As County Executive, I will convene public Juvenile Justice Roundtables every two months.

These meetings will bring together:

• Baltimore County Police;
• the State’s Attorney’s Office;
• the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services;
• schools;
• community stakeholders;
• representatives of the judiciary; and
• my administration.

Cases will be discussed by incident, not by child.

The public deserves to know what happened after an arrest, where the system worked, where it failed, and which agencies need more resources or accountability.

Sunlight is not the enemy of justice. It is one of its greatest allies.

iii.  Towson

Towson is Baltimore County’s downtown.  It should be safer, cleaner, more vibrant, and more strategically planned.

My Towson plan includes:

a.  Towson Public Safety Zone

I will designate a Towson Public Safety Zone covering Towson University, Towson Circle, Towson Town Center, and the surrounding business district.

b.  Police Substation at Towson Town Center

I will pursue a public-private partnership to establish a police substation at Towson Town Center at no additional cost to county taxpayers.

c.  Towson Revitalization Work Group

I will create a Towson Revitalization Work Group to build a community-driven vision for Towson Town Center and the surrounding area before a developer dictates the future.

The group will include residents, business owners, Towson University, planners, transportation experts, public safety leaders, property owners, and community organizations.

The future of Towson should not be written in a developer’s boardroom.

It should be written by the people who call Towson home.

2.  Economic Development

Economic development should mean more than ribbon cuttings and press releases.  It should mean jobs, opportunity, small business growth, a stronger tax base, and communities people are proud to live in.

My administration will focus on:

• supporting business incubators;
• helping small businesses grow;
• improving county permitting and customer service;
• attracting employers that create real jobs;
• revitalizing aging commercial corridors;
• encouraging public-private partnerships; and
• making Baltimore County more competitive.

Businesses do not invest in communities that feel unsafe.  They do not expand where rules are unpredictable.  They do not trust governments that operate behind closed doors.

A healthy economy begins with public safety, reliable infrastructure, honest government, and leadership that tells the truth.

3.  Commercial Corridors and Dead Malls

Before Baltimore County paves over more open land, we should rebuild what we already have.

My administration will prioritize redevelopment of:

• vacant shopping centers;
• dead and dying malls;
• aging strip centers;
• underused commercial corridors;
• empty office space; and
• large county-owned or underused properties.

These areas can become community centers with small businesses, housing where appropriate, offices, restaurants, entertainment, public gathering spaces, and safer streets.

This is how we grow without sacrificing the character of our communities.

4.  Data Centers

I am a hard no on large-scale hyperscale AI data centers.  That does not mean I am anti-technology. It means I am pro-common sense.

Large-scale data centers consume enormous amounts of land, electricity, and water while creating very few permanent jobs compared to other commercial uses.

Baltimore County should not dedicate valuable land and infrastructure to projects that may generate tax revenue but produce little long-term opportunity for residents.

I may consider appropriately scaled data facilities in existing commercial or industrial areas only if they:

• have community support;
• do not strain infrastructure;
• offset energy and water usage;
• fit surrounding land uses; and
• create a clear public benefit.

Economic development should be measured by opportunity, not just assessment value.

5.  URDL and Smart Growth

I oppose moving the Urban-Rural Demarcation Line.

Baltimore County has protected its farms, forests, open spaces, and rural communities for generations. Once that land is gone, we do not get it back.

Growth should be countywide, thoughtful, and strategic.

That means:

• no URDL expansion;
• redevelopment before sprawl;
• stronger countywide planning;
• more community involvement;
• better use of existing infrastructure; and
• zoning decisions that serve the whole county, not one political district.

6.  Councilmanic Courtesy and Zoning Reform

Baltimore County’s zoning process should not be controlled by backroom politics or one councilmember’s veto power.

My administration will push for reforms that eliminate the unconstitutional practice of councilmanic courtesy and require zoning and development decisions to be made through a more transparent, countywide, smart-growth framework.

Land use decisions affect the entire county.  The public deserves a process that is honest, predictable, and fair.

7.  Transportation and Infrastructure

Transportation is central to Baltimore County’s future.

My administration will prioritize:

• road resurfacing and maintenance;
• congestion relief;
• safer intersections;
• better coordination with state and federal partners;
• supporting the Key Bridge rebuilding and traffic mitigation;
• responsible infrastructure planning; and
• better long-term asset management.

We should also review county real estate holdings, empty buildings, underused facilities, and infrastructure obligations to make sure public assets are being used wisely.

8.  Education

i.  Schools That Put Children FIRST 

Baltimore County’s schools consume nearly half of every local tax dollar. Our families deserve more than promises—they deserve accountability, transparency, and results.

The debate about education has become trapped between those demanding ever-increasing spending and those looking for quick financial fixes. Neither approach answers the question taxpayers and parents are asking:

ii.  Is the money we’re already spending actually reaching our classrooms and improving student outcomes?

As County Executive, I will focus on bringing transparency and accountability to how education dollars are spent while respecting the independence of the Board of Education.

iii.  Independent Financial Audit

I will commission an independent, top-to-bottom financial audit of Baltimore County government and work with state and local partners to encourage a comprehensive review of BCPS finances.

Taxpayers deserve to know:

• Where every education dollar goes.
• Which programs produce measurable results.
• Which administrative costs can be reduced.
• Whether resources are reaching classrooms rather than bureaucracy.

Sunlight builds trust.

iv.  Expanded Inspector General Oversight

I will advocate for meaningful independent oversight of school finances through the Baltimore County Inspector General or another independent accountability mechanism.

When nearly half of county tax dollars support education, taxpayers deserve the same level of transparency and accountability expected throughout county government.

v.  Two Clear Priorities

Once we understand exactly where resources are being spent, I will advocate that every budget decision begin with two questions:

       First:Does this help us recruit and retain outstanding teachers?

       Second:Does this improve student outcomes?

If the answer to both questions is no, we should seriously reconsider that spending.

Teachers—not bureaucracy—are our greatest educational investment.

vi.  Decisions Driven by Data - Not Politics

Government should make decisions based on evidence, not assumptions.

I support creating a “SchoolStat” performance system that publicly tracks meaningful educational metrics over time, allowing parents, educators, taxpayers, and policymakers to evaluate what is working and what is not.

Success should be measurable.

vii.  Honest Conversations About Growth

School overcrowding, housing, and development are interconnected issues.  Baltimore County needs an open, fact-based conversation about the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance and whether it continues to serve our county fairly and effectively.

These decisions should not be made behind closed doors or driven by special interests. The public deserves a seat at the table, and consensus—not politics—should guide our path forward.

viii.  No Child Should Go Hungry

It's been reported that more than 30,000 Baltimore County children experience food insecurity.

That is not simply an education issue.  It is a moral issue.

Students cannot be expected to learn if they are hungry.

After conducting a comprehensive audit of county government and identifying at least 10% in operational efficiencies across departments (while protecting public safety and code enforcement), I will work to redirect resources toward proven programs that improve children’s health, nutrition, and readiness to learn—without raising taxes.

ix.  Better Results, NOT Bigger Government

Baltimore County families already invest heavily in public education.

They deserve confidence that those investments are producing safer schools, stronger academic achievement, better support for teachers, and greater opportunity for every child.

My goal is simple:

x.  Transparent government. Accountable spending. Excellent teachers. Better student outcomes.

Because every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and every taxpayer deserves to know their investment is making a difference.

9.  Children, Families, and Anti-Violence Services

Protecting children is one of my core values.  I strongly believe that Baltimore County should amplify anti-violence services, child advocacy, family support, trauma-informed care, and prevention programs through public-private partnerships.

If strong programs already exist, county government should help elevate them, coordinate them, and expand their reach.  If gaps exist, we should identify them and fill them.

The goal is simple: protect children, support families, prevent violence, and intervene before crisis becomes tragedy.

10.  Animal Welfare

I am a lifelong animal lover and a proud Frenchie papa.

Baltimore County Animal Services should be a higher priority.

My administration will:

• improve shelter accountability;
• strengthen transparency;
• support responsible pet ownership education;
• partner with rescues, veterinarians, nonprofits, and the private sector;
• expand access to pet food assistance;
• support low-cost veterinary care; and
• work with the State’s Attorney to ensure animal cruelty laws are enforced seriously.

Animal abuse should never be ignored.

11.  Immigration Enforcement

Baltimore County needs a lawful, balanced, transparent immigration enforcement policy.

Under my administration, Baltimore County will obey laws passed by the Maryland legislature during the 2026 legislative session, including the law banning 287(g) agreements.  Local police should not be diverted from local public safety responsibilities or placed in the middle of unstable federal immigration politics.

At the same time, everyone in Baltimore County must obey the law.

County employees will comply with valid court orders and lawful federal requests while refraining from performing federal immigration functions.

This approach reflects three principles:

• follow the law;
• protect due process; and
• preserve public trust.

Baltimore County will not become a sanctuary for lawlessness, and it will not participate in reckless political theater.

12.  Fiscal Responsibility and Resource Stewardship

Baltimore County does not simply need more money.  It needs better management.

My administration will conduct a serious review of county spending, staffing, vacancies, real estate, facilities, contracts, procurement, and agency performance.

We will partner with the county workforce to identify opportunities to improve service, reduce waste, and manage public resources more responsibly.

I will also work to end “use it or lose it” budgeting habits that punish agencies for saving money.

County government should reward cost savings and responsible resource management, not encourage unnecessary spending.

Taxpayer money should be spent on priorities:

• public safety;
• schools;
• roads;
• infrastructure;
• parks;
• libraries;
• animal welfare;
• child protection;
• and essential county services.

13.  Government Transparency and Performance

Residents deserve to know whether government is working.

My administration will use public performance reporting to measure:

• police staffing;
• crime trends;
• emergency response;
• road conditions;
• permitting timelines;
• agency vacancies;
• customer service;
• budget performance;
• use of county-owned property;
• economic development results; and
• progress on major initiatives.

If something is working, we should say so. If something is failing, we should fix it.

Government should be honest enough to measure itself and brave enough to improve.

14.  Partnerships

Baltimore County cannot solve every problem alone.  A serious County Executive must build relationships with local, state, and federal partners.

That includes the County Council, state legislators, the Governor, congressional representatives, municipal leaders, nonprofits, business leaders, unions, educators, public safety agencies, and community organizations.

When partners do the right thing, I will say so. When they fall short, I will say that too.

Leadership requires honesty, but it also requires maturity. We should praise good decisions when they happen and build working relationships wherever possible.

Get Involved

This campaign is about giving Baltimore County voters a real choice.

As an independent candidate, I must collect nearly 6,000 petition signatures just to earn a place on the November ballot.

Signing my petition is not a vote for me or even a pledge of future support - It simply means voters deserve another option.

You can help by:

• signing the petition;
• donating;
• volunteering;
• hosting a signature event;
• following the campaign on social media;
• sharing campaign updates; and
• contacting the campaign with your ideas.

Baltimore County deserves leadership that listens, tells the truth, and gets results. Based upon that starting principle, this policy agenda will continue to grow as I hear from residents across Baltimore County.

That is how government should work.

Nothing for us without us.

That is why I am running.

-Rob