The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • A2

THE BALTIMORE SUN NEWS TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 ELECTION 2016 BALTIMORE MAYOR Mosby to release 15-point plan today prekindergarten for all children. He also wants to build "state of the art" recreation centers on vacant properties and create a new mayoral office emphasizing education reform. To reform policing, Mosby says he will speed up implementation of the Police Department's body camera program, do away with gag orders in settlements over police misconduct, and increase funding for the police Warrant Apprehension Unit. To spur economic development, Mosby wants to lower the city's property tax rate, give additional tax breaks to city workers, and offer financial incentives for employers who hire ex-offenders. Mosby does not offer specific costs for his proposals and does not say just how he will pay for them, but argues that the city's more than $3 billion budget has enough money if resources are reallocated.

reduce crime. It is focused on targeting gun offenders and increasing police training while addressing the city's joblessness and "public health crisis." Mosby's campaign spokeswoman, Tiffany D. Cross, slammed Dixon's proposal in an email to reporters. "Will we move forward or will we return to the failed policies of the past?" she wrote. "While arrests declined slightly before her resignation, Ms.

Dixon failed to address the critical issues of police brutality and aggressive use of force while she was Mayor." Mosby and Dixon are among 13 Democrats seeking to become the next mayor. Other leading contenders include state Sen. Catherine E. Pugh, City Councilman Carl Stokes, lawyer Elizabeth Embry and businessman David L. Warnock.

lbroadwaterbaltsun.com Twitter.comlukebroadwater "$3 billion spent each and every year is enough to change our fate, if spent properly," the plan states. The plan also calls for increased accountability in city government, including hiring a project manager to stop contractors from running over budget, reinvigorating the CitiStat office, creating a task force to address lead poisoning and restoring the inspector general position in the Housing Authority of Baltimore City. Mosby said he believes it's better to address the city's issues by investing in young children. "Either we pay for it now, or we pay for a lot later," he said. Christopher B.

Summers, president of the Maryland Public Policy Institute, a conservative think tank, said he believes Mos-by's fiscal plans could develop the economy, adding jobs. "We agree with him in the property taxes issue," Summer said. "Lowering city property taxes should be the No. 1 priority for the city. He does have pro-growth economic policies." But Summers said he was worried about what appeared to be "an expansion of the city's bureaucracy" were Mosby's plans to be implemented.

"It's ambitious and it's bold, but you have to ask the question: How do you pay for it?" Summers said. "There are big, lofty goals that will probably be unrealized." Lawrence Brown, assistant professor of community health and policy at Morgan State University, said the plan is "a good start, but it needs to go further." He said Mosby should outline remedies for specific police misconduct issues such as "rough rides," do more to prevent the lead poisoning of children and foster desegregation. Mosby's plan comes as fellow mayoral candidate Sheila Dixon has released a four-point plan to Property tax cuts, pre-K for all on list By Luke Broadwater The Baltimore Sun Mayoral candidate Nick J. Mosby plans to release a wide-ranging platform calling for lower property taxes, universal prekin-dergarten and police reform, among other ideas. The West Baltimore councilman's "15-point Plan for Baltimore's Future," to be formally released today, calls for changes in city government ranging from education to jobs to crime.

"It's a comprehensive plan," Mosby said Monday. "We are unafraid to go after things that are challenging like systemic issues that have impacted communities for decades. We also want to create a 21st-century city." To improve education, he wants to float bonds to pay for Housing agency settles lawsuit STEVE RUARKFOR THE BALTIMORE SUN Towson fire station dedicated The Baltimore County Fire Department Honor Guard presents flags during a dedication ceremony Monday at the newly built Towson fire station on Courtland Avenue. The $7.6 million facility is 19,700 square feet and meets strict environmental standards. Some Balto.

Co. officials question move to decline riot reimbursement fendants in a class-action case decide who is affected, and then people in that class can apply to be included. Applying usually involves filling out paperwork or participating in interviews. Those approved share in the settlement Perry Hopkins, an organizer with the advocacy group Maryland Communities United, said "it's well past time" for the housing authority to take responsibility for the living conditions in Baltimore's public housing complexes. Hopkins and others from the advocacy group have helped tenants petition the agency to remedy poor conditions inside their homes.

They also prompted the women in the suit to come forward. 'Tfothing can replace the degradation, intimidation and the shame that they all experienced, but this is a step forward for them to get a fresh start," Hopkins said. A spokeswoman for HUD declined to comment on the agreement The federal agency also has been investigating the allegations. Graziano has said he finds the allegations "extremely disturbing." In July, a public housing agency in North Carolina agreed to pay $2.7 million to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit The U.S. Department of Justice joined private plaintiffs in suing Southeastern Community and Family Services the agency that administered the Section 8 voucher program in Scotland County, NC.

The suit alleged the housing coordinator and inspector sexually harassed female voucher program participants and applicants. In Baltimore, the plaintiffs claim that they and witnesses filed more than 10 complaints with the housing authority in recent years, outlining the demands for sexual favors, but no action was taken to address the situation. Some women say they felt they had no choice to give into the workers' demands for sex to ensure their problems would be fixed. "I felt nasty and I felt wronged," one woman said. ywengerbaltsun.com twitter.comyvonnewenger City, women agree in sex-for-repairs case By Yvonne Wenger The Baltimore Sun The Housing Authority of Baltimore City has reached a settlement agreement in a class-action lawsuit that alleges maintenance men demanded sex acts from at least 19 women as a condition of making repairs to their homes, the parties confirmed Monday.

Paul T. Graziano, Baltimore housing chief, and Cary J. Hansel, a lawyer representing the women, said they reached an agreement for an undisclosed amount of money, pending approval by the court and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Settlement talks were held Dec. 14 and Dec.

22 before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Susan K. Gauvey, but online court records contain few details on the meetings. Hansel and Graziano, through a spokeswoman, acknowledged the agreement but declined further comment The tenants who were seeking more than $10 million each contend that several maintenance men at Gilmor Homes, Westport and Govans Manor sexually abused and harassed them in recent years. They claim their constitutional and fundamental rights were violated.

Some say they lived for extended periods with no heat, gas leaks, and roach infestations. The suit was filed in September and amended in mid-November to add more plaintiffs and to seek class-action status. A criminal investigation into the allegations by the Baltimore state's attorney's office is ongoing, spokeswoman Rochelle Ritchie said Monday. Hansel said class-action suits generally provide notice to all individuals potentially affected, telling them how to apply to join the litigation. He declined to give details on how or when people could sign on to this case.

Typically, the plaintiffs and de gesture of good will. He said the Baltimore County Police Department could absorb costs associated with the response. But some on the County Council disagree. Councilman David Marks, a Republican who represents Towson and Perry Hall, said the money could be used to fill open positions for police officers. He also said declining the reimbursement could set a precedent "The county executive is absolutely correct that we should be a good neighbor and Baltimore County acted appropriately to send in support last April," Marks said.

"My only difference of opinion is I think that we should accept the reimbursement" Councilman Todd Crandell, too, said the money could be spent to fill police vacancies. The Dundalk Republican said the county also needs to add air conditioning to schools and make improvements to parks. Councilman Wade Kach, a Cockeysville Republican, said the move sends a message that county officials are OK with how the riot response was handled. "Our policemen who were sent to the city were put in harm's way," Kach said. But others had no problem with Kamenetz's move.

"Every day, fire apparatus and police cars run back and forth through jurisdictions through the state," said Councilman Julian Jones, a Woodstock Democrat who also is a high-ranking officer in the Anne Arundel County Fire Department Councilman Tom Quirk, a Catonsville Democrat, said it was important to help keep the city safe during a turbulent time. "I think that we're all in this boat together," he said. pwoodbaltsun.com twitter.compwoodreporter By Pamela Wood The Baltimore Sun Some Baltimore County Council members are criticizing County Executive Kevin Kamen-etz for declining more than $250,000 from Baltimore City a reimbursement to the county for sending police and firefighters to help during April's rioting. Baltimore City officials said last month they would pay surrounding counties a combined $L8 million for their help responding to unrest in April and May after the death of Freddie Gray, the 25-year-old West Baltimore man who suffered fatal injuries while in police custody. The reimbursements are part of $20 million in costs related to the unrest that the city expects to spend.

Kamenetz, a Democrat, said last week he would turn down the $257,000 reimbursement as a The most awarded, highest rated, local closet company. ClosetAmerica Everything in its place. Perfectly. Residential inquires: 410-324-2663 Commercial inquires: 410-705-5741 closetamerica.com Offer expires 13116. $2000 purchase required to receive offer.

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