In an effort to educate voters, we will be posting responses to our candidate questionnaire. Questionnaires were emailed to each candidate running for City Council, President of City Council, and Mayor. Candidates have until March 4th to submit. We are publishing results in the order they are received.
How frequently do you use a mode of transportation other than your car to navigate the city? Based on your experience, where should the city prioritize resources for transportation?
KS: I used MTA for four years until I purchased another car. I cycled for excercised. My sons all rode bikes and skateboards. Our streets are horrible there are no visible relfectors on our major throughfares it makes it difficult navigating through the rain. The city has has expand bike lanes in some areas, however it is not enough. Bike lanes need to be widenand visibly marked with lane reflectors.
What role do you believe biking and walking improvements can play in creating a safer, healthier, more livable Baltimore?
KS: Biking and walking improvements will increase walkable communities. Reduces vechicle traffic, it encourages community engagement, and encourage folks to get out met their neighbors.
Often road redesigns that improve the safety for people on bikes or people walking do so in a way that removes priority for single occupant vehicles. This can look like removing lanes for travel or decreasing available street parking. Can you describe how you would manage public expectations during project implementation, and handle any backlash from constituents that don’t share in the City’s vision for complete streets?
KS: This is issue can be resovled back the sidewalks thusly increasing bike lanes. Including having bike egress lanes between parking space and the sidewalk. It is not curb parking is not necessary. The City have non-curb parking with space with bike egress lanes between the parking space and the curb.
Recent audits have discovered that the Department of Transportation struggles to measure key performance indicators. The city’s procurement and project management processes have also faced scrutiny. This has led to significant delays of key improvements to bicycle infrastructure in Baltimore. How will you work to improve performance and accountability of city agencies like the Department of Transportation under your leadership?
KS: Refuse to approve the budget until audits done accounting for all monies. Approve a lean budget that best meets the challenges of the city.
The percentage of people choosing to take public transit or ride a bike for transportation is increasing in Baltimore, while the percentage of residents without access to a vehicle is over 30%. How would you rate the city’s current investment in sustainable transportation solutions for its residents, and as a council person what would you do to support increased investment?
KS: Public tranpostion can stand some improvement. It is crucial that we expand our rail system to include Northeast, South, Northern, and Southwest Baltimore. Thats is major captial porject that will multiple finding sources including city, state, federal, and private funders. What we can do at the local level is have programs like to bike to work. Increase the number of bike racks on buses. Install bike parking stands at the light rail and subway so the folk bike from home and take these public transportation venues work. Install bike parking rails downtown, near hosptials, universities, and other places of work that are located residential neighborhoods to invite more people to bike to work.
A recent study by Harvard economists found that the single strongest factor affecting the odds of a child escaping poverty is not the test scores of his or her local schools or the crime in the community; it is the percent of workers in his or her neighborhood who have long commutes. How do you plan to improve transportation options and commute times for our most vulnerable residents?
KS: We have reinvest in communites schools. A kid should not have to take the bus school in a city with many schools as we have in Baltimore. Kids should be walk or bike to a school in their community. We use to have bike parking rails at our schools because we had the option of riding our bikes to school.
What other information about your candidacy would you like to share with our members?
KS: I am long time community activist. I am the only candidate in this you can actually google and find out the work I have done in my community. Please check out Kinji Scott in your browser.