2 days Ago By Brooke Conrad
Baltimore City Council Vice President Sharon Green Middleton won this year’s Democratic primary with 62% of the vote. She’s the longest-serving member of the current council, representing District 6 in Northwest Baltimore since her appointment in 2007. Middleton is one of the council’s more active sponsors of legislation.
The Baltimore Sun received mostly positive feedback from residents, who said she or her staff consistently attend community meetings and assist with 311 service requests. This is the 12th report in a series by The Sun and FOX45 News examining the effectiveness of the City Council in serving its constituents, ahead of a that proposes to reduce the council size from 15 to nine members by expanding the size of most council districts, except that of the council president, who is elected citywide. The measure is funded by David Smith, co-owner of The Sun and executive chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns FOX45.
“I’m totally against it,” Middleton said of the ballot measure, in an interview with The Sun and FOX45. She suggested the council needs “a couple more” members. “The problems we are having now are greater than the problems that I feel we had many years ago,” she said.
Middleton sponsored or co-sponsored 123 ordinances since January 2020, including 74 that were enacted or passed; 23 that failed, were withdrawn or were vetoed by the mayor; and 26 are still in progress. Seven of those bills dealt with crime, three with education, 26 with quality of life issues and 14 with government accountability. Middleton’s primary-sponsored, enacted legislation includes a program providing up to for low-income residents.
“I really started thinking about that bill when we were in COVID, and realizing that there were people...
losing their jobs,” she said. “Not paying that security deposit, which is almost like a whole paycheck, can do wonders.” Another proposal, currently in committee, would establish a .
Middleton is the primary sponsor of eight resolutions since January 2020, including an adopted measure that called for “coming together to ,” in the wake of in Minneapolis. Other resolutions, currently in committee, call for hearings on developing a for public schools and examining . Resolutions don’t carry the same force of law as ordinances but can involve activities such as expressing the council’s opinion or calling for a hearing.
Middleton’s district includes Ashburton, Blythewood, Callaway-Garrison, Central Forest Park, Central Park Heights, Coldspring, Concerned Citizens of Forest Park, Cross Keys, Cylburn, Dolfield, Dorchester, East Arlington, Evergreen, Forest Park, Garwyn Oaks, Hoes Heights, Howard Park, Langston Hughes, Levindale, Lucille Park, Medfield, Mount Holly, Park Circle, Parklane, Roland Park, Towanda-Grantley, West Arlington, Windsor Hills, Woodberry, Woodmere and Wyndhurst. Middleton’s security deposit legislation is an “important, short-term resource” for Baltimore residents, said Elizabeth Wiseman, past president of the Cylburn Community Association, especially for people who obtain housing vouchers and don’t have enough money for security deposits. Middleton is one of the most engaged councilmembers on issues concerning older adults, said Sarah Matthews, who previously served with Middleton on the Baltimore City Commission on Aging.
Matthews said she’s grateful to Middleton for instituting fire drills in buildings that house senior residents and individuals using mobility devices like wheelchairs. “We are the forgotten population,” said Matthews, 73, noting problems like drug overdoses and crime at senior residences. Matthews lives in a senior building in Bolton Hill, a short distance from Middleton’s district.
Middleton also assists with constituent service requests, like removing abandoned cars from the road, fixing a water leak, cleaning up illegal dumping and boarding up vacant homes, residents say. A few people noted a lack of grocery options in the area, especially supermarkets. When asked about her efforts, Middleton noted, via email, that there are five grocery stores in the area, in addition to several food pantries.
“Farmer’s markets and community gardens are a great resource for fresh foods that I continue to advocate for,” she added. is another concern for some residents. “As soon as one group leaves another comes in,” said Arlisa Anderson, of the Dorchester Community Association, noting efforts by Middleton and others to help women find alternatives.
“It’s just an ongoing problem that the police are aware of as well, and they have tried to make some inroads.” Middleton said she organized a community walk in the area with representatives from various city agencies to address quality-of-life crimes and prostitution. She also serves on the board of directors for , a nonprofit incorporated in 2007 to revitalize the area with things like economic opportunity and home ownership.
“She’s definitely been a fierce advocate for Park Heights,” said R. A. Mills, a member of the Pimlico Community Development Authority, which helps allocate slots funding to the Pimlico area, including Park Heights Renaissance.
Being a council member isn’t just about responding to 311 requests, said Steven Johnson, who and formerly served as president of the Pimlico Terrace Neighborhood Association. It’s also about solving long-term problems like prostitution, vacant properties, and economic decline, he said. “A lot of these issues have been age-old issues,” he said.
“The question becomes, is there really any action being made...
or are you just allowing this to happen?”.
