Challenge: Property Taxes Continue to Increase. Make no mistake - when the Politicians of our City say “we haven't raised taxes” they are at best being a bit disingenuous. In fact, the most recent FY26 Budget summary says “Good News: General Fund recurring revenue is projected to increase by $5.6M over projected FY25 primarily due to the growth in property tax revenue ($4.5M).” The average homeowner now pays 44% more in city taxes than they did just 8 years ago. Annapolis is heavily dependent on property tax; 61% of all revenue comes directly from you the homeowner (up from 60% in FY25).

Solution: Improve City Spending Practices. Eliminate wasteful expenditures. We must first get control of our spending (please see my section on “Controlling City Expenses”). I can give numerous examples of how we spent money in the city in a questionable manner. 

• $210,000 for vouchers for landscape companies and homeowners to purchase battery powered leaf blowers. 

• A push by our present Ward One Alderman to add a 2nd dedicated City Council support staff even though the present support staff is underutilized according to the City Manager. 

These are two examples of wasteful expenditures.  

Additionally I would push to redirect Council energies with a laser-like focus on slowing the increase in our property tax bills. 

1. Slow the year-to-year property tax assessment increase.  Reduce Annapolis’ Homestead Property Tax Credit rate so that it matches Anne Arundel County. This would result in Annapolis residents seeing their year-to-year assessment rate reduced from 10% to 2% to match our friends in Anne Arundel County. This will help keep people in their homes.

2. Provide relief to homeowners. Ensure we pass savings gleaned through improved City efficiency (see section on “Efficient Government”) directly onto the homeowner in the form of property tax relief. 

3. Support older and long-time homeowners. We need tax relief for our long-time older neighbors; they are a valuable resource that makes up the fabric of our community. I will work toward introducing an ordinance that freezes the city portion of the property tax at the present levels for residents that have owned a home in the City for 20 years and have reached the age of 70. 

4. Have Short Term Rentals (STR) provide more revenue to our City.  I will introduce a proposal that increases the Occupancy Tax and Permit fees on STRs. The revenue gain will self-fund a city staff member and a dedicated 24-hour hotline for neighbors to report potential issues with any STR near their home.  Additionally, 75% of the remaining funds will be distributed to the owner-occupied neighbors on the block as a property tax rebate. 

Challenge: Respecting the historic nature of our city. Flooding along Spa Creek poses an increasing threat to private residences, with rising water levels regularly damaging property, disrupting daily life and undermining long-term investment in our historic neighborhoods. Homeowners seeking solutions face not only environmental challenges but also a troubling political divide between the city of Annapolis and groups whose charter it is to preserve the charm of the community.

As an example, the ongoing conflict — most recently highlighted by Mayor Buckley’s public criticism of Historic Annapolis during a City Council meeting in January 2025 — reflects a broader dysfunction in how the city balances progress with preservation. Rather than collaborating on resilient, historically sensitive solutions, the two sides often work at cross-purposes, delaying critical action. This gridlock is unhealthy for the city, especially as Annapolis faces mounting climate-related threats that demand unity, not division. 

Solution: Find a way to move forward. To address this crisis, and with new city Leadership, the city leaders must set aside differences and work collaboratively on proactive, inclusive strategies. A key step is the implementation of the Ward One Flood Mitigation Program. This is my community-driven initiative that prioritizes both resilience and respect for the historic fabric of the city. This program can serve as a model for integrating green infrastructure, stormwater management, and raised elevation designs that protect homes without sacrificing architectural character.  

Additionally, I would create and lead a joint task force between city officials, Historic Annapolis, and Ward One residents that would ensure ongoing communication, transparency, and compromise. By focusing on shared goals—such as safeguarding property, preserving history, and preparing for the future—Annapolis can move from conflict to cooperation, creating a more resilient and unified city. 

Challenge: Providing Reasonable City Services. Just like having “reasonable” property taxes, the performance of City services (Fire, Police, Public Works) are unquestionably a basic expectation for any resident of the City. Due to our failure to budget correctly and to manage everyday operations, the city continues to face challenges meeting the most basic of responsibilities.

Solution: Fill Fire and Police Department vacancies. Fire and Police must be budgeted to full staffing needs. This is a non-negotiable aspect of how we build our operating budgets.  We cannot continue to be understaffed, and the city will need to provide the resources in order to be the first choice of any candidate that wishes to enter those professions. Furthermore, the city should review the possibility of merging DPW with the county and determine if the cost savings that will occur will also include an enhancement of services provided.  We need to look at each service provided, such as snow removal and sidewalk repair, and understand our weaknesses and strengths. Performance metrics need to be adhered to, and management held accountable. 

Challenge: Providing Resiliency at the City Dock. It is safe to say that every candidate for any city office is in favor of building some form of flood resiliency that protects our downtown. That includes me. Due to the recent removal of the existing Harbormaster office and the public facilities, we now find ourselves with no choice but to move forward with some structure to support a safe and inviting environment for our most treasured physical asset: our waterfront.  

Solution: Move Forward with Resiliency Efforts and Rescope the Welcome Center.  At this point in the plan’s evolution and early execution, funding has already become a challenge. FEMA funding is no longer a sure thing. As a result, Annapolis will very likely need to find alternate resources to complete the City Dock project. My goal is to limit resident exposure to this unplanned fiscal liability. 

The city should consider an approach that dramatically scales down the project to a level that we can afford WITHOUT the need to raise funds. As with at any expansion project you may have done or will do in future, we may initially want a lot, but the budget should dictate what we can really afford to have. 

The Burgess house should be the centerpiece of any effort to construct a “Welcome Center.”

Challenge: Lack of Safe and Accessible Parking. Of utmost concern in the Historical District is the ongoing parking issue for residents. Adding to the problem is the lack of safe parking for the employees of our downtown business community late at night.  

Solution: Homeowner Parking Priority. Owner-occupied residents of parking districts 1 and 2 should be allowed to park within a “reasonable” distance from their front door. Ideally this would be right in front of their home. I believe if we are creative and open minded, we can reach this aspirational objective, as it does not require more parking spaces, but rather a more intelligent allocation of existing spaces. This will help all owners and support those residents who want to remain in their home as they age. 

Additionally, we must listen to our business partners and recognize the safety concerns of transporting their employees late at night to a parking garage that may not present the safest option. Although I do not have the ideal solution to the issue I pledge to address the concerns with business leaders within my first 3 months in office.

Challenge: City Spending is on an Unsustainable Trajectory.  The amount of resources the city spends continues to grow disproportionally to inflation and/or normal government growth trends. The average inflation rate over the past 8 years is 3.21%, while the increase in Annapolis Operating Budget is 8.77% per year. 

Solution: No More Business as Usual; implement Zero Based Budgeting.  On a bi-annual basis I would implement a Zero-Based budgeting process. This means starting from nothing and requiring that every department justify every expense, and not just carry over past allocations (as is the present-day process). It is a more rigorous, transparent way to ensure our tax dollars are being used effectively and are aligned with current community needs.

Challenge: Inefficient Spending Creates Waste. Efficient government has become a catchphrase in today’s political climate. It means something different to all of us. But at it’s core, it should mean making sure our dollars are spent in order to yield the biggest return. I believe most of our city officials wake up in the morning wanting to do the right thing with the our money, but because of political considerations they may lose the willpower. 

Solution: Reduce Redundancy. If elected I would lead a task force to build on past efforts and implement a consolidation of City-run departments with similar County departments. This effort should yield great savings and it will be my pledge to pass 100% of the savings directly to you the taxpayers through property tax relief.