July 31, 2011|By Julie Scharper and Justin Fenton, The Baltimore Sun
Rolley proposed levying a $1 tax on bullets, which he said was "a bit of a gut reaction" prompted by the story of a four-year-old who was hit in the leg by a stray bullet at the Fourth of July celebration at the Inner Harbor. He also proposed making the possession of a small quantity of marijuana a summary offense, punishable by a citation, but not jail time.
Webster lauded Rolley's proposal.
"I'm glad to hear that at least someone is putting some new ideas on the table for discussion," he said. "This needs to be looked at from a public health perspective, and not just using the law enforcement hammer."
Pugh said she would create a master plan for safety for the city, prioritizing streets and corners that need to be made more safe.
She hopes to expand a program called "Citizens on Patrol Without Borders," in which residents patrol neighborhoods other than their own and teach members of other communities how to start patrol groups.
Young, the home improvement worker, says city leaders must act quickly to create opportunities for ex-offenders like him who wish to earn an honest living.
"You never know what you'll earn one week to a next," without a steady income, he said.
Young said he's thought of driving for a sedan service, but has stayed away because he fears the temptation to ferry drugs to earn more money would be too great.
"Everybody knows somebody in the game if you're out here," he said.
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Baltimore Sun reporter Steve Kilar contributed to this article.
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