When Wayne Taylor was 16, he'd bring girls all the way from his home in Upper Marlboro to Annapolis for dates.
"We'd sit on the docks and watch the boats," said Taylor, a 13-year resident of the city and now candidate for mayor. "It was more enjoyable to get away from the day-to-day process that you're used to and come here to small-town Annapolis."
Since then, Taylor turned his affection for the city into a profession. He's the community engagement coordinator for the Anne Arundel Community Action Agency, a branch of a government organization that works to alleviate poverty. In 2007, he stepped down as Ward 4 alderman to serve as director of the county's Department of Aging and Disabilities, and then left that position to shift his focus back to Annapolis.
Taylor said he'll use his civil service and customer service experience to lead the city. He worked for about 10 years with companies such as Value City Department Stores and has directed and managed several Toys R Us branches.
"My job was to drive down expenses and increase sales and get the stores ready for guests," said Taylor, a Democrat. "So customer service, I know. Community direction and community organization, I know. Running a business, I know."
He also knows what he's up against: Five other Democrats, two Republicans and one independent candidate are running for Mayor Ellen O. Moyer's current position. She's serving her second and final term.
Taylor, a Washington native, said he stands out because of his concrete solutions to the city's issues.
He is working with the Community Action Agency to unify Annapolis' nonprofit groups. He said that action - his first priority if elected - should increase their impact on the community.
"We can take care of the youth needs and the needs of the Chesapeake and the needs of history and art, and focus on the family within our community," Taylor said.
His campaign theme of "One Annapolis" runs through the rest of his agenda, or what he calls the "five points of life": education, crime, transportation, infrastructure and the environment.
He wants to engage the community in a "civic educational process," turning troubled constituents into career-minded citizens. He wants to connect residents with hybrid trolleys, more sidewalks and bike paths. And he wants to better the environment through new sewage and water pipes and more "green jobs."
