Baltimore mayoral candidate Bob Wallace says he is a change from 'way things have always been'
BALTIMORE -- Maryland Primary Day is just weeks away and voters in Baltimore City will be making their voices heard in the race for mayor.
Several key elections will be on ballots state-wide with many focused on the 2024 Presidential Race.
Among the candidates vying for Baltimore's executive chamber include incumbent Mayor Brandon Scott, former Mayor Sheila Dixon, and businessman Bob Wallace. All three candidates are running in the Democratic Primary.
WJZ's Tara Lynch sat down with Wallace to discuss his platform for the mayoral race.
Wallace is an engineer by trade, and a businessman, creating three tech-based companies.
He is a former Republican, who ran for mayor in 2020 as an Independent.
Four years later, Wallace is running in the Democratic Primary.
When asked about his party affiliation, Wallace quoted former President John F. Kennedy, saying, he will "make decisions not based on party, but on what is right for the city."
Policy initiatives remain similar with crime, education and the economy taking center stage.
In terms of violence in the city, Wallace says there needs to be a no-tolerance policy. He plans to implement a four-pronged approach including prevention, intervention, enforcement and evaluation.
"As the CEO, working with the communities we want to establish the level that we will tolerate. Once we get clear on that, then the How to becomes easier," Wallace said. "I'll put resources upstream which is prevention and interceding, but once you make a decision to cross the line and take a gun and hurt somebody in the city, then I have no other choice but to come after you and get you off the streets."
Increasing opportunities for public school students is on the mind of Wallace, who attended Baltimore City Schools.
He says that by increasing the public school budget, there can be more resources for students to push them into the workforce.
By developing more work-ready employees, Wallace believes the economy will grow, and work together with his initiative to bring more business into Baltimore.
He also says he plans to change tax codes to make investing in Baltimore City more attractive to developers, entrepreneurs, and business owners.
"We do want to track outside capital, but there's capital here that we can that we can mobilize," Wallace said. "We have businesses here, [including] minority owned businesses, women owned businesses that we can mobilize today. We have a workforce. We have people unemployed now … who could be the labor that we need to build this new economy."
Wallace has room to catch up in the polls with Mayor Scott and Dixon leading the race, but he views himself as a change from the "way things have always been."
"The problems, they've been around for decades," Wallace said. "We can't keep putting in this failed leadership who brings with them failed policies that don't work… You've tried these other options and you see what you got. Maybe it's time to try something different. Vote for Bob Wallace. Give him a shot."
Former Deputy Attorney General Thiru Vignarajah dropped out of the race the day before early voting began, endorsing Dixon.
Vignarajah said he would endorse Mayor Scott if he could secure a top position in the administration, according to an official from the Scott campaign.
Specifically, Vignarajah wanted to be named police commissioner or city school district chief executive officer. The Scott Campaign declined this offer.
Dixon said in a statement she did not promise any position to Vignarajah but appreciates his support.
Wallace issued a statement saying he is not "wedded to the past" and is "unbossed by special interests.
Statement from the Wallace Campaign: "Now that Thiru Vignarajah has dropped out of the race for Mayor, the voters have a clear choice between the policies and failures of the past, and the promise of the future with me as mayor."
"We should not lose sight of the well-placed observations that Thiru made about both Brandon Scott and especially Sheila Dixon. On crime, housing, education, and most other issues confronting Baltimore City, Thiru noted that both Scott and Dixon have had a combined 40 years of experience and opportunity to solve these problems, yet they remain open wounds in the side of the citizens today."
"I, Bob Wallace, am the only candidate left in the race that is not wedded to and burdened by the past, as I am unbossed and unbought by any of the special interests that have always had excessive influence in the selection of the city's leaders. We will continue to communicate our values, policies, and vision for the future of Baltimore City. I pledge to continue to seek the trust and support from voters who may be undecided. I look forward to welcoming all the voters that desire a real change for Baltimore to my campaign, and pledge to remain in the race until the end to provide the voting public a real alternative to the same old same old we have seen for so long."
Primary day is May 14 with early voting running through May 9. If you have not registered to vote, you can do so at your local polling place by bringing an approved document to prove your residency.