Cost of Living
is too High
Authority: Cory Shaffer For Baltimore County Council (Jaclyn Shaffer, Treasurer).
No one is happy with the direction we're heading.
But we can't fight for progress when all our time and energy goes into just making ends meet.
And Baltimore County is more expensive than it's ever been.
that's a problem.
It's only when life is affordable that we have the security to build something better.
I'm Cory Shaffer
Independent
for Baltimore
County Council
District 5
Baltimore County
New District 5
(Currently District 3)
Lowering the cost of living is the only way we build a county where people have real economic stability.
Because when people are financially secure, they're less divided. Less afraid.
When that happens, everyone finally has the opportunity to be themselves.
To live up to their fullest potential.
To build a better county and a better community.
Stability creates a strong community.
I believe that communities should have a stronger voice than corporations.
Residents should matter more than donors.
Local government should listen to the people who live here.
But if the community doesn't have a voice,
COrporate interests always take over
How We Fight Back
People say they will bring better laws and leadership.
But We don't just need better legislation, we need to organize as a community to fight for lower costs.
It's only when people have stability that they have the agency to build the life they want.
That stability comes when life is affordable.
We lower the cost of living by fighting back together.
I am already building the groups to make that happen.
Policy
BGE:
Other counties are using community rate negotiation. Meaning that customers don't deal with BGE one-on-one anymore. It's everyone in Baltimore county saying - Give us rates and fees that work for us, or we're all going to be pushing back together. It's already happening in other counties. I would bring it here.
Housing & Development:
Development in it's own right isn't bad, it's how it's done and who it benefits. If a developer wants county approval, we should be getting something in return. They should provide more affordable housing. More local jobs. And more community investment. If a project needs county approval, it should benefit the people who live here. Development shouldn't just make corporations richer. It should make our community stronger. I would introduce a bill called the Community Benefit Ordinance. Where if developers want to make money in our community, they have to help our schools, infrastructure, and the people who live here.
Education
Countless examples show that spending alone doesn't improve outcomes. The best-performing school systems consistently measure results, identify problems, and intervene when something isn't working. I support public school performance dashboards that give people more transparency. We have to track outcomes and measure the statistics that matter to success. We also provide alternative options like workforce pathways and apprenticeship partnerships. But the main portion in tracking is budget transparency. We have to know where our money is going and how it's being used. Then if there are issues, we implement targeted intervention protocols when students and schools fall behind. I would introduce a bill and pressure the school board to implement each of these practices.
Public Safety
Residents see the same problems happening over and over. The same properties. The same areas. The same trouble spots. It happens because agencies often work separately instead of together. What policy would I introduce? Require coordinated tracking between: police code enforcement public works schools community organizations and publicly report repeat hotspots. How does that improve people's lives? Problems get solved instead of repeatedly managed. Communities become safer. Residents see actual progress instead of temporary fixes.