Businessman Aims For Responsible Spending, No Politics On City Council

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Patch invited all candidates for Annapolis mayor and City Council to complete a candidate questionnaire. We are posting their responses verbatim before the primary election on Tuesday, Sept. 16, and the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

We will share all of our candidate profiles and election news at this link. More election information is posted here.

Name: Tom Krieck

Elected Office Sought: Alderman Ward 1

Political Party: Independent

Profession: Business Executive

Age On Election Day: 66

Website: tom4ward1.com

Facebook: Tom4ward1

What makes you the most qualified candidate for this position?

If you were to design an ideal City Council as a functioning entity you would want to have a balance of talent that offers skill sets from a variety of backgrounds. I am the only candidate from Ward 1 that brings a business background to a problem. I have held COO, Executive Vice President, and Division President positions both in Fortune 500 companies and smaller firms. I completed my business career starting and growing my own company into a multimillion-dollar operation. Upon swearing in I would be the only member of elected city government that holds MBA (Master's in Business Administration) degree. This would allow me to confidently navigate the complexity of the financial issues we face without having to rely on the city staff for interpretation. I promise to bring this insight, sensibility and life experience to my role as Ward One Alderman. I am the best person for the position.

How will you approach the planned construction of City Dock Park?

Flood mitigation construction should proceed WITHOUT DELAY. This includes construction of the berm and repairs to all flood pumps. WE should look at the City Dock project with a view towards the entire City Dock area. Immediately all policies surrounding City Dock development need to be re-addressed inclusive of the “special” height zoning ordinance (0-14-25) and the one-sided Market House lease (0-33-25). Additionally, we need to bring the entire project in line with available funding, which is currently about $45 million. No luxury features with marble facings, let us provide the basic needs that can be enjoyed by all. Let us take this step by step and understand the financial implementations of EVERY move.

Finally, the City Dock project should be built celebrating the HISTORY OF ANNAPOLIS with the city's “Last Waterman’s Home”, the Burtis house, featured as the centerpiece of the project.

How will you address crime in Annapolis?

We can begin by filling vacancies in our police and fire departments. Our police and firefighters should not be stretched to the limit. It is fiscally irresponsible and unsafe from a performance perspective.

But that is not the only way to address crime. We need to peel back the onion on crime and understand that crime is a result of lack of opportunity.

The city needs to redirect nonsensical spending such as the $210,000 on leaf blower rebates or $400,000 on pickleball lights to programs that can make a difference. As an example, a one-year trade school education leading to an apprenticeship would cost about $11,000 through Anna Arundel Community College. If we could send 20 or 30 young people to trade school, we can change their lives, the lives of their families and establish the beginnings of upward mobility by providing opportunity.

How will you address affordable housing and public housing in Annapolis?

I fully support Affordable Housing in our city and the first step towards that objective is to reduce the property tax burden on our current and future homeowners. You cannot have affordable housing with ever increasing property tax; since those taxes are about 20% of a mortgage payment. If property taxes continue to rise at the current rate the mortgage payment of a truly affordable home will be out of reach of the audience that the home is meant for.

In a city commissioned 2023 Economics of Community Development study it was recommended “INCREASE DENSITY INCREMENTALLY” ... “IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO UTILIZE THE LAND IT HAS EFFICIENTLY IN TERMS OF TAX PRODUCTIVITY”. Housing development in our city is being labeled under the Affordable Housing umbrella. As developers build more multi-family dwellings, we need to recognize we are NOT tackling our affordable housing crisis. Rather, the city is building a larger tax base at the expense of our lifestyle to allow for more spending.

Additionally, in the same report it states that “FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS .... IS INSUFFICIENT...” Development of housing, affordable or any other type, should be synchronized by support of our infrastructure (road capacity, sewers, sidewalks, etc.) and services (police, fire,). If they are not synchronized quality of life suffers for all.

I would propose we step back and look at development in a more holistic viewpoint with an eye toward LIFESTYLE impact on our present residents rather than blindly moving forward.

How do you plan to balance development and historic preservation in the city?

First, we have a mechanism in place today that is tasked with creating this balance, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). The problem is politics have effectively robbed this body of its independence. We need to make the HPC a bi-partisan commission appointed by the city council, not the mayor. It should be a mandate that this commission have one advisory member from Historic Annapolis. The term should be for 4 years without threat of removal unless proven dishonesty and/or resignation by the member. We need to take the politics out of this commission and allow the experts to fulfill their charge without the threat of removal.

I am not reflexively opposed to sensible development that respects the tremendously important historic features of Ward 1, but we need to make sure we are not promoting development just to increase property tax revenue. I will make sure that Ward 1 is not burdened with development, HPC approved or otherwise, that is intended to bail out the fiscal responsibilities of the city-wide government.

How should Annapolis respond to the ongoing cuts to federal jobs and grants to local governments?

Regardless of if it is 1 or 1,000 individuals that have lost their jobs, we as a community need to provide help. That is what real communities do!

Additionally, answering this question should not be just about federal workers. For any individual who has lost their positions, it is equally painful. That stated we need to become the clearing house, i.e., “one stop shopping” for all Annapolis residents who are affected. I propose that any federal worker who was separated due the recent actions be given priority to apply for open city jobs.

Additionally, I propose we establish an 800 number and/or website to connect to city staff who will be charged with addressing this crisis. This staff support will come from a reallocation of present resources on a temporary basis. The job will be to connect people to the State and County programs now in place which include job fairs and Maryland Public Servants Resources, Maryland Legal Aid, County Finance office to help on utility bills etc.

Additionally, we can waive entry cost to PIP and other city recreational programs for the individuals and their families. We can help relieve the stress of their situation by providing some diversions.

The city can’t singularly solve an unemployment issue, but by using our resources we can make the road easier for affected individuals and their families.

What else should voters know about you and your platform?

I am not a politician, never have been and it is not my life goal. I have undertaken this effort due to the increasing division within our city on what the residents want, and need, and what the city is delivering. We cannot continue the uncontrolled spending within our city. We now have $8.5 million dollars in debt service that is project, FY26 budget, to go up to $13.4 million in two years. Inasmuch as 61% of all monies the city takes in (up from 43% three years ago) will come from property tax, unless we think differently our property tax WILL rise under the next administration.

My platform is based on “No Politics –Just Solutions.” I will offer balanced solutions to issues rather than weave politics into a solution. I have NO business interest in the city and will not benefit in any way from the outcome of my positions. I offer a different approach to city government. I ask for the vote of the Ward 1 residents because I sincerely want to have a better city for us and our children