I am running for Mayor because Takoma Park is my home. I want to protect what makes it possible for families like yours and mine to thrive. I have followed the City Council for many years and understand the challenges we face, especially the growing pressure of rising costs on all of us particularly those on fixed incomes or who work paycheck to paycheck. The rapidly rising cost of housing, healthcare, child care, food, and gas is why now more than ever property taxes and spending need to be kept in line with what we truly need and can realistically afford.

Takoma Park thrives when elected officials listen, involve the community, and act with transparency and accountability. As Mayor, I will open up our process, make space for residents to be heard, and ensure our government responds candidly and honestly. We need straightforward, robust conversations about prioritizing our needs and recognizing our limits.

My goal is what we all want: a Takoma Park where people can build a good life. A place where you can stay in your home and your family can grow, and where the City government contributes to making that just a little easier. That is the Takoma Park I believe in, and the one I want to work with you to build.

I have been engaged with the City government. I was the Takoma Park City Attorney and served on several committees, including the first and current Commission on Landlord Tenant Affairs (COLTA). I volunteered with "One City/One County", and other groups of Takoma Park residents who successfully lobbied the Maryland General Assembly to pass legislation to unify the City in Montgomery County. 

One way I engage with the community today is as a volunteer driver for the Village of Takoma Park, supporting our older neighbors. Most Sundays I drive two and sometimes three of our neighbors to their churches.

I make my living as an employment and civil rights lawyer, and I love the work I do. Working for people who have been treated unfairly has been deeply meaningful to me. It is an honor and a privilege to do this work, and I am grateful for the trust my clients place in me. I have also been recognized by my peers, including being named Lawyer of the Year by the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association and serving as president of the Maryland Employment Lawyers Association and chair of the Maryland State Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Executive Council.

Currently, I am "of counsel" to Gilbert Employment Law, P.C. in Silver Spring. In the last four years I have represented plaintiffs in four federal jury trials involving sex and age discrimination and breach of an employment contract, all with successful outcomes. I currently represent five Takoma Park residents who have sued the current Mayor and Council to tell the public more about a sexual harassment lawsuit against the City that was settled for $1 million. I believe this situation has left a dark mark on our city. We need to get to the bottom of it, and it should not take a lawsuit to do so.

I have followed the City Council for many years and understand the issues our community faces. I bring experience and a steady focus on moving us forward. As Mayor, I will work to keep our government open, accountable, and transparent, and to create space for residents to be heard and involved. I also believe we need honest conversations about priorities, including what we can realistically afford, so we can make thoughtful choices together. 

I came here as a renter looking to build a life in a politically committed community. This is where I got married and was fortunate to buy a home. This is where I raised my two daughters. 

Takoma Park is where I made friends with whom I have both laughed and cried, attended school and community meetings, stood on the sidelines at Takoma Soccer on the weekend, watching as if the kids were in the FIFA World Cup. Those afternoons, cheering for our kids and our community, remain fond memories. Recently I watched two of my grand-friends march in the Takoma Park Elementary School "word parade." It was a joy.

Takoma Park is also where I've built lasting friendships. I worked with and celebrated with my neighbors, knocked on doors for many city campaigns, and volunteered my time. I have given to this community, but that pales in comparison to what the people I know here have given to me.

During the pandemic, my younger daughter, Laura, moved into her own apartment in my house. She's now a Montgomery County Public Schools special ed teacher, having previously been a paraeducator at Takoma Elementary. And she is an MCEA union representative at Cresthaven Elementary. My older daughter Katie, is a veterinarian, who practices emergency medicine and helps run a small animal rescue. She and her wife Megan, live just outside the city  limits. I am proud of and love all three of them.

Work with me. There is much to do.

Tom