It's Decision Time for Baltimore Voters
A Whirl of Handshakes, Signs on Final Day
Candidate Otis Rolley swept through the market an hour later, handing out purple stickers, sampling chicken wings, and answering questions about his plans to boost employment. "Do you have a plan to create jobs… for people like me who might have a criminal background?" asked Anthony Thomas, 40, an unemployed cook from West Baltimore. After Rolley explained his plan to create incentives for businesses to hire ex-offenders, Thomas said he had decided to vote for Rolley. "I think out of these candidates, he has the better resume for rebuilding the city," Thomas said.
At Lexington Market, Baltimore Candidates Hear from the Jobless
After both women moved on, Davis went on to complain about the city’s failure to meet its own goals for minority and women-owned business participation. He talked about the decision by state and city officials this summer to relax the woman and minority hiring requirements for a new slots parlor. “She shelved that rule,” he complained to reporters. “All the jobs are going to Hispanic people.” That last charge was a frequently-heard one from the many unemployed young and middle-aged men at the market. “I’m committed to making sure jobs stay in Baltimore and go to Baltimore residents whether they look like us or not,” Rolley told the out-of-work man who brought it up to him. “I can’t do it without your help though. You have to come out to vote.”
Baltimore City Mayoral Primary to be Held this Tuesday
The Baltimore City Mayoral Primary Election will be held tomorrow. The City has more then 369,000 voters who will be able to go to the polls and make their voices heard. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Click here for a list of polling locations.
Candidates on the Issues
Otis Rolley on Property Taxes - Would conduct a census of all property in the city; cut property taxes for every homeowner, and most by more than 50 percent; raise taxes and fees on vacant and blighted property to encourage its stabilization; increase code enforcement; and provide a 10-year property tax abatement for new conversions and rehabs.
Mayoral Candidates Push to Get Supporters to Polls
Rolley, a former city planning director, said his campaign is targeting "super voters" — those who have voted in both the 2007 city Democratic primary and the 2010 gubernatorial primary — and has knocked on 45,000 of their doors. "We're trying to be smart and target those people most likely to vote," said Rolley. "These people are engaged."
Rolley Courting Voters - One at a Time
In this neighborhood of tidy brick rowhomes just south of Mondawmin Mall, residents say they have gotten to know the 37-year-old candidate through his dogged campaigning. "I like him because he's honest. He's a family man and he cares about the issues that affect families," said Denise McNeil, a makeup artist. "He seems like he has a kind heart."
Looking Through the Loopholes at the Mayor's Top Contributors
Psst: want to get around Maryland’s campaign finance laws? Then play it like the pros. State law forbids individuals, companies, unions and political clubs from donating more than $4,000 to a candidate for local office. But in this year’s Baltimore mayoral race, some developers, government vendors and lawyers have blown past the donation limit with ease. They’ve done it by spreading out their donations via wives, sisters, husbands, in-laws and other family members. More often than not, they gave through multiple companies. Limited liability partnerships are a favorite vehicle because – unlike contributions through corporations, unions or political clubs – donors using LLPs do not have to disclose their identity.
Baltimore Mayoral Candidate Brings in Star Power
Cosby began his first campaign stop for Rolley cracking jokes to a crowd at a West Baltimore senior living apartment complex. Rolley said he first met Cosby through a mutual friend and enlisted his help. "When I was asked about Otis, I got on the phone and I said, 'Are you willing to die for the people?' That question means, 'Are you willing to represent the people instead of going along with some of the city council people?'" Cosby said.
'Amendments' to Slots MBE Requirements Allegedly Sidestep a Judicial Bullet
Rawlings-Blake's commitment to Black and women-owned businesses was publically questioned after various media outlets reported that minority participation goals were diluted in an attempt to encourage competitive bids for the city's long-stalled slots facility. Mayoral contender Otis Rolley criticized the mayor for the amendments at a recent press conference. "Why did the Mayor allow this to happen – and why is she refusing to answer questions about it?" Rolley said. "Does she not know what her administration is doing? Either way, in a city populated by majority African Americans and women, any waiver that supports allowing big developers to escape the city's hiring obligation for the majority of our residents is unacceptable."
