Ron Gunzburger - Democrat for Annapolis Alderman

Working for a better, safer, more affordable Annapolis

Ron Gunzburger for Annapolis Alderman

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Look for Ron soon at your front door as he walks the district. He'd love to hear your thoughts about what we can do - together - to make a better, safer, more affordable Annapolis.

<h2>Get to know Ron Gunzburger...</h2>If you are like many people in Ward One, you likely already know Ron Gunzburger from his popular photos of local homes and flowers he's been posting on the Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/676361072414143" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Friends of Annapolis</a> page for the past five years. Those posts give you a real feel for the love and appreciation Ron has for our very special town and way of life...<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/011776fc-53da-4c49-8c77-b45f987a0e8c/c89c8e90-fdda-4707-8098-2efb60909349.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C4096%2C2048&amp;w=1500" alt="Facebook photos of Annapolis" caption="Just a few of Ron's many Annapolis posts on Facebook" align="center" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="base">Just a few of Ron's many Annapolis posts on Facebook... and, while Ron's posts are delightful and informative, there is a lot more to Ron than just his pictures. Ron has worn a lot of professional hats over his 40+ year career ... experiences Ron can put to good use helping his Ward One neighbors.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/635fcda2-c5d8-47d9-9ff5-01554ce19f2a/7526bb17-15cc-418f-aed3-9ab1ce2471d1.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=252%2C745%2C3375%2C1992&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="March 2020: One of the first Covid Response Team meetings" align="center" alignwidth="25" tiltdirection="right" variant="framed">March 2020: One of the first Covid Response Team meetingsGOVERNOR'S DIRECTOR OF COVID-19 RESPONSE STRATEGY. From the start of the pandemic, Ron worked closely with Governor Hogan to successfully steer our state safely though the two year state of emergency. The Washington Post rated Maryland's response as the best in the nation. <img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/1ba3f5ff-bc0c-4ffe-9f62-46dbda572135/4fcffbea-d4f3-412b-b9f1-9e3866838ce6.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=12&amp;con=22&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=52&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C4096%2C2516&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="2019: On scene working at the tragic Parkland school shooting, where 17 innocent people were murdered. Ron sadly understands the deadly toll of gun violence." align="center" alignwidth="25" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">2019: On scene working at the tragic Parkland school shooting, where 17 innocent people were murdered. Ron sadly understands the deadly toll of gun violence.LAW ENFORCEMENT SENIOR COMMANDER. Ron was general counsel and executive director (civilian) for six years in Florida at one of the largest public safety agencies in the nation ... making tough decisions daily for a massive county police, fire rescue, and corrections agency with 5,400 personnel and an annual budget exceeding $1 billion ... and one that pioneered major justice reforms.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/326438ae-4b8c-4c2a-9a34-a1bbcb18c4cf/14e0cf7d-621f-4fa7-bc24-6fa30e088fdc.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=4&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C4096%2C2730&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="1987: Law school graduation in Vermont" align="center" alignwidth="25" tiltdirection="right" variant="framed">1987: Law school graduation in VermontATTORNEY. An attorney since 1988, Ron previously served as an assistant public defender, an assistant Florida attorney general (RICO Unit), a civil litigation partner in a top-100 national law firm, and as general counsel/chief operating officer of a dot-com. He is licensed to practice law in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Florida.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/dcac397b-c05d-44bd-8b81-6367ccc198ff/487d8b7f-06df-4a3c-82bb-fab6467b6bd6.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=101%2C256%2C3879%2C2604&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="2023: One Small Step activation at the annual Congressional Baseball Game" align="center" alignwidth="25" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">2023: One Small Step activation at the annual Congressional Baseball GameNONPROFIT EXECUTIVE. These days, Ron serves as the chief of staff of the beloved nonprofit <a href="https://storycorps.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">StoryCorps</a> (best known for their <a href="https://www.npr.org/series/4516989/storycorps" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">weekly radio segment</a> each Friday on NPR's Morning Edition). He also helps lead their&nbsp;<a href="https://takeonesmallstep.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">One Small Step</a>&nbsp;initiative to reduce toxic polarization in America.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/56a725f8-2c96-408b-bbab-38a2a9dde775/d049a26e-a699-4ac7-ae59-21e9b8998a2d.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=1&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=51%2C575%2C3968%2C2821&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="Ron and his Mom - White House Holiday Party" align="center" alignwidth="25" tiltdirection="right" variant="framed">Ron and his Mom - White House Holiday PartyDEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT AND ACTIVIST. Starting in the 1980s, Ron was a professional campaign consultant in over 130 Democratic and nonpartisan campaigns. Additionally, the Stonewall National Museum recognized Ron as a "South Florida LGBT Rights Pioneer" for his gay equality activism in the 1980s and 1990s, when they recorded a video interview with him in 2016 for their permanent oral history collection.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/649e3bbd-e5ce-4793-907a-bf77a652967b/1135fcf5-053f-413c-954f-663cae1c32a4.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C998%2C3072%2C3098&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="Ron and Dana at a friend's backyard crab boil party in Eastport" align="left" alignwidth="30" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">Ron and Dana at a friend's backyard crab boil party in EastportPERSONAL. Ron and his husband Dana Buker have been together since 1987 (and legally married since 2006, when the law finally caught up to the times). They moved to Annapolis in 2019, and live in the historic district on Hanover Street. Since moving to the street, Dana and Ron turned most of the block's weed-covered parking islands into community flower gardens. Their own backyard garden was featured in the Hammond-Harwood House's 2024 Secret Garden Tour. To be clear: Dana plans the gardens ... and Ron digs the holes, weeds, and trims. In their free time, they play tennis (poorly), ski (decently), travel, cook, and frequently entertain friends and neighbors on their front porch. Ron and Dana are also sponsor parents to four USNA Midshipmen: three firsties (Class of 2025) and a plebe (Class of 2028). Ron earned his Bachelor's degree from George Washington University in 1984; and earned his Juris Doctor degree cum laude from Vermont Law School in 1987.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/70de9737-b9a7-4c06-abec-a2b67906de61/ff60f947-f6ed-4c13-ac0b-698879de8998.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=328%2C0%2C3423%2C3072&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="Ron and Dana and their Annapolis friends enjoy frequent ski weekends in West Virginia" align="center" alignwidth="25" tiltdirection="right" variant="framed">Ron and Dana and their Annapolis friends enjoy frequent ski weekends in West Virginia

"I love Annapolis, but we’re facing a lot of tough issues. I’m running to make Annapolis a better, safer, and more affordable community."

<h3>Fighting for Our Community</h3>These are some of the top issues our campaign is focused on. Learn more about our issues <a href="/issues" target="" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">here</a>.

A Better, Safer, More Affordable Annapolis

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Ron has a proven track record of transformational leadership in making government more professional, customer-friendly, and – most importantly – accountable to the people.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/8d5c4b1e-2d1b-4c0b-b3d9-429505c13bb3/246fb5e1-f994-4e3f-84d7-b355cb7916d0.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C4096%2C3072&amp;w=1500" alt="City Dock flooding - August 2024" caption="City Dock flooding - August 2024" align="right" alignwidth="45" tiltdirection="right" variant="framed">City Dock flooding - August 2024RESILIENCY AND CITY DOCK.&nbsp;From Day One, Ron will push for the mission-critical resiliency aspects of the City Dock project to move forward immediately, so we can stop the frequent flooding and save our local businesses.&nbsp;Those costly aspects of the City Dock project&nbsp;not related to resiliency&nbsp;continue to evolve – and they contain many good concepts – but more work is needed so we can get the remaining aspects of this project right and contain the spiraling project costs.CUSTOMER SERVICE.&nbsp;Our city government should work for us. As someone who has a track record of streamlining government at both the local and state levels, Ron will push for improved customer services, faster permitting, fairness, and more convenience at City Hall for residents and businesses.CITY GOVERNMENT REIMAGINED.&nbsp;All across America, cities like Annapolis have benefitted by adopting the council-manager form of government. This reform is widely recognized as a municipal best practice. In this model, a strong, empowered city council makes all policy and sets the budget ... and the professional staff implements it. This keeps the focus on what is best for Annapolis as a whole community, and takes the politics out of daily operations.

Move forward NOW on resiliency to stop the frequent flooding at City Dock. A more customer-friendly City Hall. Make City Hall more professional, more efficient ... and less political.

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A Better Annapolis

Ron has spent many years of his career working on criminal justice issues – both as a prosecutor and as a law enforcement senior civilian commander. Prioritizing public safety means peace of mind for our community … and also keeps us an inviting place for visitors.SUPPORT FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS.&nbsp;To ensure continued police excellence, and to recruit and retain the most talented officers, we need to be competitive with Anne Arundel County with salary parity for sworn police officers. We also need to get the city’s national CALEA police certification restored – as it is the gold-standard of policing professionalism.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/edb71551-c9bf-44bb-864c-02d592aa964a/8e61a32b-2d6b-41c3-ab5a-8ccfc8ef72e7.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C4096%2C4096&amp;w=1500" alt="Annapolis home fire" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="47.5" tiltdirection="right" variant="framed">INNOVATION.&nbsp;We need to make sure our police officers have what they need to keep our streets safe, and that we always stay on the cutting-edge of technology and public safety training developments.ENHANCED FIRE RESCUE.&nbsp;We must address the staffing stresses on our fire department, which impacts response time ... and lives. Salaries/benefits for our city’s professional firefighters must remain competitive with Anne Arundel County’s salaries so we recruit and retain the best personnel in the region.BIKE LANES.&nbsp;It's time to complete the long-overdue bike lane connectors to make Annapolis streets safer for cyclists.

Recruit and retain the best cops and firefighters. Restore our national police certification. Address Fire/Rescue staffing stresses. Complete needed bike lane connectors.

A Safer Annapolis

City spending rises year after year. The average Annapolis resident – both homeowner and tenant alike – pays&nbsp;nearly 25% more&nbsp;in city taxes today than they did just seven years ago. It is time to stop the skyrocketing of our city taxes and spending.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/32a671b8-a90b-4960-a6dc-3e6bc7d3b072/598a0184-2ef3-4af6-924f-c0a804fcde8f.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C4096%2C3098&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="45" tiltdirection="right" variant="base">FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.&nbsp;It is not the city's money ... it is our money. Ron will always be good steward of our public dollars. This means closely scrutinizing the budget each year, asking the tough questions, and making the hard decisions to keep our taxes lower. As our next Alderman, Ron will always fight against any increases in our city taxes. And it means reducing the city's homestead assessment increase cap from 10% down to just 3%, to protect people from being taxed out of their own homes.PARKING.&nbsp;We need a fairer and friendlier parking system in our city that prioritizes residents over vendor profits. We need to make Premium Parking - the City's contracted vendor - be more responsive to residents. If the vendor does not improve, Ron supports having the City aggressively pursue all legal options to fix or terminate their street enforcement deal in two downtown parking districts.HELP OUR SMALL SHOPS AND LOCAL RESTAURANTS.&nbsp;A strong local economy protects jobs and keeps our city tax base healthy. We need to bring back two-hour free parking in the parts of the downtown business districts where it is needed during business hours to help our struggling small shops and local restaurants survive. And we need to repeal red-tape city ordinance like the one which mandates that stores charge customers 10-cents for every paper bag needed to carry away purchases (and which also fines stores $1,000 if they don't make customers pay for bags).ECONOMY OF SCALE.&nbsp;County residents pay less for water than Annapolis city residents. This is just one example of an area where consolidating services with the County would benefit us. We need to innovatively look into ways to save money for both our city and our residents. While we should explore ways in the other parts of the city budget to save tax dollars, two vital areas must always remain under city control to ensure proper public safety: our city police and fire departments.

Fiscal responsibility with NO tax hikes. Fix the parking problems downtown. Help our small shops and local restaurants. Better use of our tax dollars to save money.

A More Affordable Annapolis

Keep in touch with Ron and our campaign for a better, safer, more affordable Annapolis...

<h3>Contribute now to support our campaign!</h3>

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<h3>Fighting for Our Community</h3>A real plan for a better Annapolis...

Take action NOW to stop flooding at City Dock

Fiscal responsibility with NO tax hikes

Make Annapolis safer, and support our cops

Address Fire/Rescue staffing stresses

Fix the parking problems downtown

Support our small shops and local restaurants

A more customer-friendly City Hall

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Dan Reynolds, President, National Federation of Public Employees (AFL-CIO)

Shevrin Jones, Florida Senator and Civil Rights/LGBT Rights Activist

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Join our people-powered campaign. You can make a difference for a better Annapolis in lots of little but important ways. These are just a few ways to help...<ul><li>Go walking door to door with Ron in your own neighborhood. </li><li>Host a coffee or get together in your home to introduce Ron to your friends and neighbors. </li><li>Email or text your friends urging them to support Ron.</li><li>Invite Ron as your guest to local meetings and events in Ward One.</li></ul>We look forward to hearing from you!

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Have ideas for improving our town ... or just have a question for Ron? Please use this form, and he will get you a quick answer.You can also email Ron directly at <a href="mailto:Ron@ForAnnapolis.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ron@ForAnnapolis.com</a>

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“I love Annapolis, but we are facing a lot of tough issues. Please join me in this people-powered campaign. Working together as neighbors, we can change our city for the better.”

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Appointed by political insiders to fill the interim council vacancy in September 2024, let's see what Huntley has done since taking office...

Interim Alderman Harry Huntley

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Keep up with the news impacting Ward One. Read stories here about both the campaign and city council actions impacting residents.

Latest Campaign News

The City Council already banned plastic bags for carrying your in-store purchases - an idea generally supported by the residents. Now the City Council is moving forward with a new ordinance to prohibit shops and restaurants from giving you free paper bags for your purchases.Alderman Harry Huntley voted FOR item R-14-24 to penalize businesses with a $1,000 fine if they fail to make you pay ten cents for every paper bag you need.Here is the agenda item:<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/c052f3ec-ddaf-4e45-acd4-ce4a5bf7e16c/c052f3ec-ddaf-4e45-acd4-ce4a5bf7e16c.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C2133%2C832&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="center" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="right" variant="framed">Source: Official minutes, City Council Finance Committee meeting, 9/17/24.

Alderman Harry Huntley voted FOR the proposed city ordinance to penalize businesses with a $1,000 fine if they fail to make you pay ten cents for every paper bag you need for your purchases.

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Alderman Huntley voted to fine businesses $1,000 if they give you a free paper bag

Annapolis City Council bill banning new drive-thrus, inspired by European trip, draws mixed responsesBy MEGAN LOOCKThe Annapolis City Council heard testimony Monday night on proposed legislation that would ban new drive-thru windows in the city.If enacted, the legislation would affect&nbsp;fast-food restaurants, banks and pharmacies. ...Democratic council members Ross Arnett, representing Ward 8, and Harry Huntley, representing Ward 1, support the legislation. ...The legislation has drawn opposition from Rhonda Pindell-Charles, a Democrat from Ward 3, who said in April that she is worried about how it would affect businesses and older residents. Council members Shelia Finlayson, representing Ward 4, and Karma O’Neill, representing Ward 2 — both Democrats — also oppose the legislation.Alderman DaJuan Gay, a Democrat representing Ward 6, said that he does not support the legislation “as it currently stands” because he wants to exempt banks and pharmacies.“Can we protect the most essential uses to the general public, which are, medicine, health, safety, and then, obviously, financial resources?” Gay said&nbsp;Monday.Marilyn Coolidge, a Ward 7 resident who lives in a retirement community, said she’s concerned about the ban’s impact on older people and those with mobility challenges.“Drive-thrus are a part of our culture, providing convenience to many who may depend on them,” she said. Full article: <a href="https://www.capitalgazette.com/2024/09/10/annapolis-city-council-bill-banning-new-drive-thrus-inspired-by-european-trip-draws-mixed-responses/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.capitalgazette.com/2024/09/10/annapolis-city-council-bill-banning-new-drive-thrus-inspired-by-european-trip-draws-mixed-responses/</a>

"The Annapolis City Council heard testimony Monday night on proposed legislation that would ban new drive-thru windows in the city. If enacted, the legislation would affect&nbsp;fast-food restaurants, banks and pharmacies. ... Harry Huntley, representing Ward 1, support[s] the legislation."

Alderman Huntley wants to ban pharmacy, bank and restaurant drive-thrus in Annapolis

<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/ab0ddb60-64bf-4fdf-8c41-15adf574222e/ab0ddb60-64bf-4fdf-8c41-15adf574222e.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C1461%2C1193&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="Ron Gunzburger, candidate for Ward One alderman, gives remarks. Historic Annapolis and the Ward One Residents Association cohosted a meeting of Ward One residents at the William Paca House to discuss the proposed coming changes to City Dock. (Paul W. Gillespie)" align="center" alignwidth="40" variant="base">Ron Gunzburger, candidate for Ward One alderman, gives remarks. Historic Annapolis and the Ward One Residents Association cohosted a meeting of Ward One residents at the William Paca House to discuss the proposed coming changes to City Dock. (Paul W. Gillespie)By MEGAN LOOCKThe City Dock revitalization project in Annapolis continues to draw questions nearly a year after the <a href="https://www.capitalgazette.com/2023/12/14/annapolis-city-dock-revitalization-ward-1-meeting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">first community forum was held</a>.At an event at the William Paca House garden held by the nonprofit Historic Annapolis Wednesday evening, dozens of people from Ward 1 gathered to voice their concerns.The proposed Maritime Welcome Center, part of the revitalization project, drew the most comments followed by City Dock Park and plans to shore up the city’s resiliency efforts. &nbsp;Renderings of the most recent concept plan for the center, which would replace the harbormaster’s office on Dock Street, were on view.Many questioned the center’s size and the Waterman’s Co-op, where those working the water could sell their goods, coming to the building. Others asked about the cost of maintenance or opposed watermen potentially selling seafood from the center.Other topics drawing scrutiny included the planned<a href="https://www.capitalgazette.com/2024/04/03/city-dock-historic-preservation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> fountain, pergola and stage</a>&nbsp;and the pending $33 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.Previous feedback from the public led the developers to return to the council with a smaller concept for the welcome center but a <a href="https://www.capitalgazette.com/2024/05/15/developers-present-annapolis-officials-with-10-million-maritime-welcome-center-plans-weve-heard-a-lot-and-weve-redesigned/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">higher price tag of $10 million</a>, a $3 million increase from its initial estimate.Laurie Sullivan, a resident, is concerned about maintaining the view of&nbsp;the bay from Ego Alley.“We’re trying to do a lot of things in one building, which then necessitates a bigger building,” she said of the center. “Do we have to have all of those functions in one single space, or is it possible to break those functions up into alternate spaces, smaller spaces on the periphery, or even into existing buildings?”As proposed, the welcome center will be attached to the rear of the Capt. William H. Burtis House, a historic waterman’s house dating to the 1880s. The first floor would include space for an outdoor maritime classroom with&nbsp;public water access for&nbsp;small watercraft, a Waterman’s Co-op where&nbsp;watermen could sell their catch, and&nbsp;a lounge. Showers, washing machines and dryers, public restrooms and private storage space would be in the basement.Ron Gunzburger, a candidate for Ward 1 alderman in 2025, questioned who the tenants of the center will be. He asked if Visit Annapolis, a tourism nonprofit that would be on the center’s first floor, is the correct tenant to occupy the space.Next Historic Annapolis will submit the night’s comments and questions to the city for answers, said Rachel Robinson, vice president of preservation at Historic Annapolis.“I want to build something beautiful for locals, and I have a history of doing that,” said Mayor Gavin Buckley, a Ward 1 resident.Source: <a href="https://www.capitalgazette.com/2024/09/06/annapolis-maritime-welcome-questions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.capitalgazette.com/2024/09/06/annapolis-maritime-welcome-questions/</a>Originally Published: September 6, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

Ron Gunzburger, candidate for Alderman, spoke out at the Historic Annapolis/Ward One Residents Association joint public hearing, expressing concerns over the planned visitor center, the ballooning costs, and the significant financial impact this will have on residents for years to come - residents who are already paying nearly 25% more in city taxes than they did just seven years ago.

Annapolis Maritime Welcome Center still draws pointed questions

<h4>Annapolis Democrats picked the city’s newest alderman. Others already want his job.</h4>By RICK HUTZELLHarry Huntley wants you to know he’s not the mayor’s man. Despite being labeled an “insider” in a local news headline about candidates for an Annapolis City Council vacancy, he says he’s not that, either. ...Tuesday night, Annapolis Democratic Party leadership chose the 26-year-old environmental policy advisor to replace former Alderwoman Elly Tierney. ...The party’s Central Committee selected Huntley over four other candidates, sending his name to Mayor Gavin Buckley for appointment. Huntley will be sworn in at Monday’s council meeting. Buckley, Tierney and five other council members supported Huntley’s appointment. ...Three of the other challengers for the Ward 1 seat said they will run in 2025. One, former Hogan COVID advisor Ron Gunzburger, has filed candidacy papers, set up a website with a list of endorsements and raised an estimated $10,000.“We have different visions for our city and vastly different levels of experience, and that choice benefits the voters,” Gunzburger wrote in an email. “It is unfortunate we did not have a special election to fill the vacancy, but the residents will certainly get their say in the September 2025 primary.” ...Within 48 hours of being picked, the alderman-select attended four community meetings. ...Then there was the “City Dock Community Listening Session” organized by Historic Annapolis, a preservation nonprofit. It’s part of another war going on downtown over a $100 million city plan to remake City Dock as a resilient park designed to stave off climate-driven flooding and reinvigorate the Historic District.Critics, including some of the unsuccessful candidates for the Ward 1 seat, say they want to move ahead with the resilience aspects — elevating City Dock, adding pumps and building pop-up flood barriers — while ditching others.For some, that means losing the outdoor performance spaces and children’s fountains that Buckley and supporters have championed; for others, a maritime welcome center that would sit at the water’s edge.City planners have approved the general plan. Additional hearings will delve into the details, but the big obstacle now is an ongoing review by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Its approval is expected to unlock about a third of the funding.The maritime center, intended as a modern companion to the historic home of a 19th-century waterman currently at the site, will come up for city planning review later this year. Historic Annapolis and other critics, most of them downtown residents, are <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/climate-environment/gavin-buckley-city-dock-KNJLSSPQT5BO5HURQQPFKJVCTQ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="color: var(--color-text)">spending a lot of political capital to argue that it is out of scale</a> for the location.Some say the project will destroy the view from Main Street; others protest that it is unnecessary to change how downtown Annapolis has looked for the last half-century. Buckley calls it a <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/opinion/column/in-its-race-against-climate-annapolis-future-and-past-are-at-war-73RUFYYBFJEUTEM2SOF2B3HD7U/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">war for the next 50 years</a>.“One of the other folks who was running got up and gave his opinion on all of it, a whole prepared speech,” Huntley said. “I got up and I said, ‘Look, I’m not here to give you my opinion. My job as the actual sitting alderman is to listen to you and listen to all of you, right? Not just the people who show up at a meeting on a Wednesday night, but everybody in the ward.’”He’s encountered federal reviews in his job at the Environmental Policy Innovation Center. He’s not surprised FEMA is taking its sweet time on a complicated process, reviewing all details of the City Dock plan under the National Environmental Policy Act.But he also sees what Buckley wants in a maritime center — the democratization of scenic views that draw the wealthy to Annapolis’ waterfront homes and yacht clubs.“The welcome center, right now as proposed, is going to give you that same … kind of view for everybody, for everybody, and that is such a beautiful vision that we can let people come to our city and look out on the majesty of the Chesapeake Bay,” Huntley said. “To me, it’s hard not to get behind that.”...Full article: <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/opinion/column/harry-huntley-city-council-ward-1-city-dock-YD5JSJICI5F3FMUGY2FXRAJHIM/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/opinion/column/harry-huntley-city-council-ward-1-city-dock-YD5JSJICI5F3FMUGY2FXRAJHIM/</a>Published 9/6/2024 5:30 a.m. EDT

Newly selected Alderman Harry Huntley SUPPORTS Mayor Buckley's costly City Dock welcome center plan. “The welcome center, right now as proposed, is going to give you that same … kind of view for everybody, for everybody, and that is such a beautiful vision that we can let people come to our city and look out on the majesty of the Chesapeake Bay,” Huntley said. “To me, it’s hard not to get behind that.”

Alderman Huntley backs Mayor's costly City Dock Visitor Center plan

Last night, a committee of Democratic Party political insiders selected progressive activist Harry Huntley as the interim Alderman to fill the vacant Ward One seat in Annapolis for the next year. Only one voting member of that selection committee resides in Ward One."I congratulate Harry on his selection, and look forward to facing &nbsp;off against him next year. We have different visions for our city, and vastly different levels of experience. Those differences present voters with a clear choice," said Democratic candidate Ron Gunzburger.The seat was not filled by special election because former Alderwoman Elly Tierney held her resignation paperwork for a few days beyond the legal cutoff date to trigger an election. Instead, her timing allowed the voters to be bypassed."The residents will certainly get their say in the September 2025 primary. I believe my plan for a better, safer and more affordable Annapolis is a better fit for the residents," Gunzburger emphasized.

"I congratulate Harry Huntley on his selection as the interim Alderman on the city council, and look forward to facing &nbsp;off against him next year. We have different visions for our city, and vastly different levels of experience. Those differences present voters with a clear choice," said Democratic candidate Ron Gunzburger.

The Race Is On!

By JOSH KURTZ ... A Democrat who served in Hogan’s administration is trying to join the Annapolis City Council.Ron Gunzburger, a longtime Hogan friend and adviser, announced last week that he is seeking the Ward 1 seat in downtown Annapolis that became vacant when Alderwoman Elly Tierney (D) resigned because she is moving out of state.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/bbb98233-d6c1-4932-b5c1-f0d25060cfac/bbb98233-d6c1-4932-b5c1-f0d25060cfac.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C619%2C619&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="40" variant="base">Gunzburger’s campaign is two-fold: He’s seeking an appointment for the vacancy when the Annapolis Democratic Central Committee meets on Sept. 3 to fill the position for the next 14 months. But regardless of whether he prevails in that vote, Gunzburger plans to run for the seat in the Democratic primary in September 2025.“I love Annapolis, but we’re facing a lot of tough issues,” Gunzburger said. “I’m running to make Annapolis a better, safer, and more affordable community.”Gunzburger, 61, held several roles during the Hogan administration and on the governor’s campaigns, including as director of COVID Response Strategy throughout the pandemic state of emergency. His relationship with Hogan goes back to the 1992 election cycle, when he managed Hogan’s unsuccessful congressional campaign against veteran U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th).Gunzburger currently serves as chief of staff of the nonprofit StoryCorps, which among other things has a weekly radio segment on NPR’s “Morning Edition.” An attorney, Gunzburger has also worked as a public defender, a prosecutor and in a top staff job at the Broward County Sheriff’s Department in Florida, where he grew up.He <a href="https://marylandmatters.org/2022/11/02/josh-kurtz-in-elections-final-days-check-out-this-invaluable-website-run-by-a-top-hogan-adviser/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also runs </a><a href="http://Politics1.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Politics1.com</a>, a valuable resource for political junkies who want to keep tabs on elections across the country.Gunzburger is competing for the appointment with Harry Huntley, an environmental policy analyst who recently resigned as treasurer of the Annapolis Democratic Central Committee; Genevieve Torri, a marketing specialist and political activist; and business executives Tom Sells and Tom Krieck.According to The Capital, Huntley has been endorsed by several city council members, including Tierney and Mayor Gavin Buckley (D).Source: <a href="https://marylandmatters.org/2024/08/27/political-notes-new-dem-website-hits-hogan-ex-hogan-aide-seeks-council-seat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://marylandmatters.org/2024/08/27/political-notes-new-dem-website-hits-hogan-ex-hogan-aide-seeks-council-seat/</a>

A Democrat who served in Hogan’s administration is trying to join the Annapolis City Council ... Gunzburger currently serves as chief of staff of the nonprofit StoryCorps, which among other things has a weekly radio segment on NPR’s “Morning Edition.” An attorney, Gunzburger has also worked as a public defender, a prosecutor and in a top job at the Broward County Sheriff’s Department in Florida

Ex-Hogan aide seeks council seat

<img src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/880e9334-bf43-484c-bf24-b888651186b9/880e9334-bf43-484c-bf24-b888651186b9.webp?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=4&amp;high=0&amp;shad=25&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C1538%2C1045&amp;w=1500" alt="Ron Gunzburger at City Dock" caption="CREDIT: Jeffrey F. Bill/Capital Gazette Staff" align="center" alignwidth="40" variant="base">CREDIT: Jeffrey F. Bill/Capital Gazette StaffBy MEGAN LOOCKA member of former Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration recently launched a campaign to represent Ward 1 on the Annapolis City Council.Ron Gunzburger, a Democrat, kicked off his campaign Wednesday. Ward 1’s alderwoman, Elly Tierney, a Democrat, is not running for reelection in 2025 because she will be moving to Massachusetts with her husband. In addition to running for Tierney’s seat, he is vying to serve out the remaining 14 months of Tierney’s term. Gunzburger has lived in Annapolis for five and a half years.Gunzburger started working for Hogan’s administration as a senior advisor in 2019 and transitioned to director of COVID response strategy a year later.. Currently, he is the chief of staff at StoryCorps, a nonprofit that works to “preserve and share the stories of the American experience,” according to its website.Democrats Karma O’Neill, from Ward 2, and Rob Savidge, from Ward 7, have publicly declared that they are running for reelection.Gunzburger said his priorities include public safety, addressing the “growing affordability crisis” in Annapolis and making sure that resiliency remains the priority of the City Dock Revitalization project.He called the City Dock plan “bold [and] ambitious” but said that it “seems to be tied up” because the resiliency aspects — the flood barrier system and raised earthen berm — “are also tied to the other improvements that are more controversial with the residents.”&nbsp; The other improvements he referred to are the proposed Maritime Welcome Center attached to the Capt. William Burtis House and the planned stage that will be added as part of the City Dock Park.“The reality is for the businesses, the restaurants, the people’s livelihoods depend on it, [as do] tourist dollars that we also like when people come and go to the City Dock area. We need to decouple the resiliency aspects of it, so we can move forward with FEMA [funding] and other federal and state funding for the project, and get that moving as soon as possible,” he said. “Then as a community, we can continue to discuss the evolving ideas for the improvements and reach consensus about what’s best, and maybe the residents will openly settle on the current proposal.”When it comes to housing, “Affordability is a problem in Annapolis, particularly in Ward 1, so that’s why I do want to address what the city spends, what they spend it on, where their priorities are, and essentially what they’re looking to do with taxes,” he said.He said he wants to “contain rising spending” in city budgets to keep property taxes from “rising further.” He also wants to continue discussions about affordable housing in locations that the city is already considering, pointing to the Old Public Works facility on Spa Road as an example. He said that he couldn’t “imagine situations [in which] I would vote to raise taxes because I think the city has a good-sized budget now.”Gunzburger also said he wants to see the city hire and retain enough police officers and firefighters and regain the police department’s accreditation with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, a voluntary commitment to professional standards and management. Gunzburger said he would work to match the salaries of the Anne Arundel Police Department.Police Chief Ed Jackson said in May that the department has prioritized public safety over its affiliation with CALEA.With high-profile crimes, such as a triple murder over a parking dispute, and an uptick in neighborhood crime, Jackson said, “even more important than CALEA is the preservation of life.”“Virtually my entire professional life, I’ve worked in law enforcement [as executive director of Broward Sheriff’s Office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida]&nbsp; and public safety, trying to make people’s communities better and safer and also more responsive to their needs,” Gunzburger said.Source: <a href="https://www.capitalgazette.com/2024/08/26/ron-gunzburger-hogan-ward-1-annapolis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.capitalgazette.com/2024/08/26/ron-gunzburger-hogan-ward-1-annapolis/</a>Originally Published: August 26, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

Ron Gunzburger, a Democrat, kicked off his campaign Wednesday. ... His priorities include public safety, addressing the “growing affordability crisis” in Annapolis and making sure that resiliency remains the priority of the City Dock Revitalization project ... He said that he couldn’t “imagine situations [in which] I would vote to raise taxes because I think the city has a good-sized budget now."

Former Hogan official launches campaign for Annapolis council seat

By MEGAN LOOCKThe Annapolis Democratic Central Committee postponed a scheduled hearing to fill outgoing Ward 1 alderman Elly Tierney’s seat until September.The hearing, originally set to take place Aug. 26, was postponed to “ensure a smooth transition and compliance with Annapolis City code” because the city will not accept the results of the vote until after Sept. 1, which is when Tierney’s resignation is “official,”&nbsp; said Josh Falk, president of the Annapolis Democratic Central Committee.“We felt it would be in better compliance if we waited until after or on that date,” he said.The central committee will be considering five candidates: Ron Gunzburger, Genevieve Torri, Tom Sells, Tom Krieck and Harry Huntley. The central committee is not accepting additional applications after the Aug. 20 deadline.The public meeting will be held Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The link will be posted to the Annapolis Democratic Central Committee’s <a href="https://annapolisdems.org/w/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">website.</a>In May, Tierney, a Democrat, announced that she would be<a href="https://www.capitalgazette.com/2024/05/17/annapolis-elly-tierney-retirement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> retiring from politics</a> to move to Massachusetts with her husband. Two months later, she submitted her letter of resignation. Tierney’s retirement starts Sept. 1, nearly a week before the council is scheduled to return from their August recess on Sept. 9.Six of eight council members, including Tierney and Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley, neither of whom is seeking reelection, sent letters supporting Harry Huntley, according to documents provided to The Capital Gazette. Late last month, Huntley <a href="https://www.capitalgazette.com/2024/08/05/annapolis-alderman-elly-tierney-official-retirement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">resigned</a> as treasurer of the Annapolis Democratic Central Committee to apply for the position.In addition to Buckley and Tierney, supporters of Huntley include Democratic council members Brooks Schandelmeier, of Ward 5; Karma O’Neill, of Ward 2; DaJuan Gay, of Ward 6; Shelia Finlayson, of Ward 4; and Rob Savidge, of Ward 7.Council members Rhonda Pindell-Charles, from Ward 3, and Ross Arnett, from Ward 8 — both Democrats — did not submit letters of support for Huntley.“Harry is an exceptional young leader who knows the Annapolis and Ward One communities and has the potential to spur dramatic improvements for our city. I appreciate his vision, deep understanding of government, and his work ethic,” Buckley wrote.Joe Donahue, an Annapolis attorney, is supporting Gunzburger, according to documents provided to The Capital. Donhanue was among several attorneys appointed by Gov. Wes Moore to an Anne Arundel County judicial nomination panel.“I can attest to Ron’s unwavering commitment to our values, and his energetic approach to his responsibilities. He possesses the skills necessary to ask tough questions about fiscal responsibility and to push City Hall to be more responsive and effective,” Donahue wrote.According to the city charter, if a member leaves office more than 15 months before their term ends, a special election must be held. If&nbsp;there are fewer than 15 months left in a term, the seat is filled by the central committee of the departing member’s political party. Tierney’s council term expires in November 2025, meaning&nbsp;Tierney is leaving the council 14 months early.--Source: <a href="https://www.capitalgazette.com/2024/08/22/tierney-replacement-harry-huntley/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.capitalgazette.com/2024/08/22/tierney-replacement-harry-huntley/</a>Originally Published: August 22, 2024 at 4:27 p.m

The Annapolis Democratic Central Committee postponed a scheduled hearing to fill outgoing Ward 1 alderman Elly Tierney’s seat until September.The hearing, originally set to take place Aug. 26, was postponed to “ensure a smooth transition and compliance with Annapolis City code” because...

Meeting to replace departing alderwoman Tierney postponed

Ron Gunzburger (Democrat) – a nonprofit leader, attorney, and Historic District resident – today launched his candidacy for Annapolis Alderman in Ward One. “I love Annapolis, but we’re facing a lot of tough issues,” Gunzburger said. “I’m running to make Annapolis a better, safer, and more affordable community.”Gunzburger, 61, previously served as Governor Hogan’s Director of Covid Response Strategy throughout the pandemic state of emergency (2020-2022), and helped save countless lives and small businesses.His top priority is moving forward with the resiliency aspects of City Dock plan. “Every year the flooding is getting worse. It’s really hurting our downtown businesses,” Gunzburger said. “We need to pass the critical pieces of the resiliency plan now. We can come back as a community later to reach consensus on how to move forward on the costly proposed improvements and buildings, as they are less time-sensitive.”Gunzburger spent years working on public safety issues – first as a public defender, then as a prosecutor, and finally as a law enforcement senior civilian commander in a huge police/fire rescue agency with 5,400 personnel. He brings a wealth of experience to bear on addressing another one of Annapolis’ critical issues: crime.“This is about making everyone in our community feel safe,” Gunzburger said. “We need salary parity with the County to ensure Annapolis can recruit and retain the best police officers, and we also need our national police certification restored, as it is the gold-standard of policing professionalism. We must also address the staffing stresses on our fire department – a concern which will only increase as our city’s population grows and ages.” Completing the long-overdue bike lane connectors to make Annapolis streets safer for cyclists is a related concern.Significantly, Gunzburger wants to fight Annapolis’ growing affordability crisis. “The average Annapolis resident is paying&nbsp;nearly 25% more&nbsp;in city property taxes today than they did just seven years ago. Those higher taxes mean higher rents, too. As our next Alderman, I will always fight against any increases in our city taxes,” Gunzburger vowed.&nbsp; “It is not the City's money, it is our money. I will always be a good steward of our public dollars and closely scrutinize the budget each year, asking the tough questions to keep our taxes lower.”Currently, Gunzburger serves as chief of staff of the beloved nonprofit <a href="https://storycorps.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">StoryCorps</a>, best known for their weekly radio segment on NPR's&nbsp;Morning Edition. He also helps lead their <a href="https://takeonesmallstep.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">One Small Step</a>&nbsp;initiative to reducing toxic political polarization.Gunzburger is well-known around town for his daily photos and related history lessons featured on Facebook’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/676361072414143" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Friends of Annapolis</a> page. Ron and his husband celebrated their 37th anniversary in 2024. They moved to their current home in the Historic District in 2019, where they can be found planting community flower gardens on their street and entertaining on their porch. Ron and his husband are also sponsor parents to four USNA Midshipmen: three firsties (Class of 2025) and a plebe (Class of 2028)Gunzburger plans to knock on doors throughout the district and personally meet every likely voter before election day. The Democratic primary election is September 16, 2025.

Ron Gunzburger (Democrat) – a nonprofit leader, attorney, and Historic District resident – today launched his candidacy for Annapolis Alderman in Ward One. “I love Annapolis, but we’re facing a lot of tough issues,” Gunzburger said. “I’m running to make Annapolis a better, safer, and more affordable community.” ...

Ron Gunzburger Launches Run for Ward One Alderman

<span class="image video image-left" data-embed="<iframe width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/FPUZ6vWSOfM?si=iDncweNwKt-ZZBIj&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot; allowfullscreen></iframe>" style="width: 40%;"><img imageurl="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/5581e2f3-3c9c-4362-9825-65c0eeb1fc69/5581e2f3-3c9c-4362-9825-65c0eeb1fc69.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C1320%2C883&amp;w=1500" embedcode="<iframe width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/FPUZ6vWSOfM?si=iDncweNwKt-ZZBIj&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot; allowfullscreen></iframe>" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" src="https://run.imgix.net/e053c21f-958a-407e-be5b-925c366413fa/5581e2f3-3c9c-4362-9825-65c0eeb1fc69/5581e2f3-3c9c-4362-9825-65c0eeb1fc69.jpeg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C1320%2C883&amp;w=1500" data-embed="<iframe width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/FPUZ6vWSOfM?si=iDncweNwKt-ZZBIj&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot; allowfullscreen></iframe>"><span class="video-button-placeholder" data-embed="<iframe width=&quot;560&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/FPUZ6vWSOfM?si=iDncweNwKt-ZZBIj&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; referrerpolicy=&quot;strict-origin-when-cross-origin&quot; allowfullscreen></iframe>">Ron is as a national leader in the democracy bridging space. This short video clip highlights Ron as a panelist at the National Governors Association <a href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/disagreebetter" target="" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">#DisagreeBetter</a> convening in New Hampshire. Ron spoke on the need for more civility in US politics. He asserted we must reach a tipping point as a nation where the public finally says Enough! to the toxic polarization tearing us apart. If we do that - rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior from our leaders - we can make a better nation.

Ron's remarks last fall to the National Governors Association meeting in New Hampshire, on the need for more civility in US politics. We need to see those on the other side not as enemies, but as fellow Americans and neighbors (even when we think they are terribly wrong or misguided). If we all start doing that - on both sides - it can make for a better nation.

Ron Gunzburger speaking at the National Governors Association #DisagreeBetter convening

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