Katie’s Straight Talk On The Issues
District 6 deserves a council representative who will put residents first and challenge status quo politics. I am specific about my concerns and priorities. You will get the straight-talk version from me.
Public Safety, Public Health and Public Schools
Public safety requires strong support for law enforcement combined with experienced leadership that asks hard questions and delivers results for our communities.
As a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and health law attorney, I have experience working with law enforcement and can ask hard questions on outcomes and policies. Annapolis and District 6 residents live in or near the State Capitol, 25+ miles from Washington DC with significant institutions and complex land and marine areas to cover. Our public safety officials are doing a great job and need more support. I will support robust resources to meet our complex public safety objectives.
Protecting public health means safeguarding programs and services that support seniors, children, and vulnerable residents in a rapidly changing policy environment.
With 35 years of health law experience, I have a keen understanding of our Medicaid and Medicare programs and the public health agencies and regulations that are essential to community well-being. I have the public health knowledge and experience to understand the devastating impact of changing policies and will be highly engaged in helping to develop programs to protect and support our safety net for seniors, the underserved and children. I support the pioneering work in Anne Arundel County on mental health, particularly its mental health crisis protocol, which is nationally recognized.
Anne Arundel County must expand support and resources for individuals with disabilities and special needs across all stages of life.
I attended Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, the first mainstream university to be built architecturally for universal physical access for disabled students and an education pioneer in disability services. It was a wonderfully powerful experience to be in a school environment with so many talented and beautiful people who had different challenges than my own. I have no doubt we must do more for children and adult special needs and will be a strong advocate for critical attention and resources, including targeted tax exemptions and credits. I oppose the currently proposed cuts for development disability services in the Maryland State budget.
Strong public schools depend on high standards, strong teachers, modern facilities, and targeted support for student mental health and special needs.
Assuring vibrant public schools is a primary responsibility of County government, and I will give priority focus to legislation and initiatives to: 1. improve standards and outcomes; 2. maintain recruitment and retention standards for teachers and other education professionals; 3. support construction-related renovations, maintenance and expansions; and, 4. assure student programs are targeted for student needs, especially mental health and special needs.
Land Use Management Needs A New Approach
Responsible development must balance growth with infrastructure, environmental protection, and meaningful community input.
We have a big challenge with development priorities and sensibilities. There cannot be undue deference to commercial property uses and residential development without adequate attention to density, infrastructure, school and healthcare capacities, environment, and other quality of life issues. It is not “NIMBY” to question one-side special interest development or unwise policies. Our County zoning and land use professionals are impressive, but the County should have a better structure for greater resident involvement and independent assessments. Presently, there is no Planning Commission authorized to review plans or represent citizens. This is even more important now where there is proposed take-over and undue involvement of the State in local zoning matters and Anne Arundel has had to halt development in parts of the County due to sewage over-capacity issues. I will support Charter reforms that give residents more say on what is happening in their communities.
State Take-Over of Local Zoning and Land Use Management Is Unwise Public Policy
Two bills in the 2026 General Assembly-Starter and Silver Homes Act and Short Term Rentals Act- presume to impose State control over local zoning and land use management decisions and illustrate why zoning and land use issues need to be a high priority for resident attention and participation. Has any of the representatives that serve District 6 alerted you in any meaningful way to the details of these Bills? Local communities—not the State—should control zoning and land-use decisions that shape their neighborhoods.
Major state zoning mandates risk overriding local planning, increasing density without infrastructure, and sidelining community input.
Starter and Silver Homes Act of 2026
A well-intentioned bill called the Starter and Silver Homes Act of 2026 proposes a seismic change in local government responsibilities for zoning and land use management for the purpose of building affordable housing, including density mandates.
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0239f.pdf
The Bill prohibits local jurisdictions from adopting or enforcing certain zoning provisions relating to lot size, dimensions, setback requirements, lot coverage, and design or architectural elements for certain single-family homes; prohibiting local jurisdictions from prohibiting certain housing types in certain zones; and prohibiting local jurisdictions from prohibiting certain subdivisions of certain lot types. It imposes broad uniform density increases.
For example, this bill would prohibit local government from disallowing town-homes developments in areas designated for single family development.
If you read beyond the title, many questions may jump out including: 1. Is it wise for the State to take-over, reverse or penalize local zoning decisions? and 2. How is the State qualified to decide a local action is “retaliation zoning” if a County Council sides with a resident and allows a down-zoning change? Does this legislation put in jeopardy the actions taken by the Anne Arundel County Council for Regions 6 and 8 (2-26) where resident development concerns were addressed in several instances by preserving residential designations or actually changing from commercial designations to residential designations?
The well-regarded Broadneck Council of Communities has an excellent identification of concerns regarding the Starter and Silver Homes Act of 2026 that I share:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/187605411331799/posts/6095067737252174/
I believe zoning and land use decisions need to stay at the local level. We need to assure the commitment to fund repairs and expanded infrastructures needs, schools and health care, and insist on identifiable particularized goals of where and how many housing units are needed-that question should not be left to the developers and other special interests.
State Regulation of Short Term Rentals Is More Unwise Public Policy
Expanding short-term rental licensing to tenants and subtenants threatens neighborhood stability and reduces housing availability for residents.
HB 993 Short Term Rentals, introduced for the third time, would prohibit local governments from disallowing tenants and subtenants from getting short-term rental licenses. This would up-end the Annapolis current law and proposed moratorium which limits STR licenses to property owners and explode STRs in Annapolis and all of District 6.
This bill has no relevant information in its staff reports and is an Airbnb styled special interest benefit. It displays disregard to the explosion of unregulated STRs in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County that undermine neighborhoods and significantly detract from housing inventory and affordability options. The idea that the State has better judgment than local government with hodge-podge special interest legislation like this is why status quo politics needs to change.
Check it out: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0666?ys=2026RS
Anne Arundel County needs a coordinated housing strategy that balances affordability, infrastructure capacity, and community stability.
The State initiatives to take away zoning and land use control highlight one compelling issue that needs urgent change: Annapolis and Anne Arundel County have no plan for comprehensive housing that is coordinated. Policy makers in the City of Annapolis only think or imagine to the City line, despite the catchment area being all of District 6. Some who advocate affordable housing degrade our housing stock by supporting special interests short term rental growth for mass tourism and applaud excessive luxury apartment buildings and new shopping centers most residents will not or cannot shop in. It is every special interest for themselves and no consensus on realistic goals or even what is needed.
But, here is the reality. We have finite capacity and land, and need in areas that are not served. The ad hoc approach undermines goals we all hold dear for stable communities with well supported infrastructure. No, that is not NIMBY, it is common sense.
We need planned development that micro-targets need and capacity combined with funding infrastructure and protecting our environment. It is hard work and we need to elect leaders willing to do this work.
Development must align with real infrastructure limits—including sewer, schools, and healthcare capacity.
On March 2, 2026, Anne Arundel County issued an emergency sewage capacity moratorium halting new building permits, tenant fit-out permits, and new capacity allocation approvals in parts of Anne Arundel County (BWI area) because sewage capacity was exceeded due to aging infrastructure and wet weather. It is troubling on many levels but adequate sewage and other capacities for Annapolis and Anne Arundel are real issues. Other counties have imposed development moratoriums over the years as well. How dense can we reasonably get?
Most local government staff reports approving high density developments do not even have this issue as a data point or schools or healthcare resources. The proposed state take-over legislation is similarly silent on how communities manage mandated density.
It is not adding up or making sense. We need a plan and a better way. I will be a strong advocate for communities in assessing development projects and will push for a real housing plan that leaves no community behind.
District 6 Can Lead In Government Innovation
Responsible budgeting means living within our means while pursuing innovative partnerships to improve public services.
I support a sound budgeting process that requires government to live within its means, which is the current tax and revenue structure. I will look for opportunities for public-private partnerships to fund and operationalize programs where appropriate. I also support exploring shared services between the City of Annapolis and the County related to core functions such as human resources and technology and other common items and services, except public safety.
County government must strengthen ethics rules and establish independent oversight to prevent fraud, waste, and insider influence.
Anne Arundel County needs an ethics update and an independent watchdog, like other large Maryland counties and cities. With a multi-billion budget, business as usual insider and special interest practices are not acceptable. I will champion an Inspector General function to independently monitor public contracts and government programs to ensure compliance, identify areas for improvements, and to detect fraud, waste and abuse. This is a basic part of any government being fiscally responsible and accountable. I will support such a function being available to the City of Annapolis and other cities via share service agreements.
An updated ethics code will keep high level County employees out of partisan election politics and assure that special interests do not have special access. This reform is overdue for Anne Arundel County.
Protecting the Bay, rivers, and maritime heritage of District 6 must remain a top priority in land-use and environmental policy.
District 6 is surrounded by the Bay and iconic rivers and waterways that need the highest level of protection from over-development, aging storm water structures, and aging infrastructures. We do not need short term rental houseboats or changes to maritime zoning that change our maritime heritage. I will stand with protecting our rivers and waterways, not further commercializing them. I will support strong marine safety policies that support our fishing and recreation industries.
Immigration strengthens our communities, and local government must ensure inclusive policies and support for immigrant families.
Immigration is essential to vibrant communities and local economies and our local government is ground zero for managing national and state policies. I favor public-private partnerships for robust legal and crisis family support for the short-term challenges and in the long term will assure that County programs -especially in our schools- are inclusive and supportive. I will make sure the immigrant perspective is at the table and that our communities are supported in this divisive time.
This election is a choice between status-quo politics and accountable leadership that puts District 6 residents first.
This primary election gives you a choice. On June 23rd, let’s challenge the status quo and move in a new direction of accountable representation with sensible outcomes that make our residents and communities the top priority.
