On Wednesday, March 18th, I attended the Baltimore County Budget Town Hall, where I had the opportunity to speak directly with the County Executive and the Department of Public Works. I used that moment to elevate what many of you have already made clear through your support of the petition — our community is frustrated, and rightfully so, with the continued vacancy of the former Giant grocery store at New Town Center. This is more than an empty building. It represents: • Lost access to fresh food for residents • Missed economic activity and job opportunities • A key anchor that once supported the stability of our entire corridor I made it clear that this issue is not just about convenience — it is about economic development, quality of life, and restoring the vision of a walkable, thriving New Town community. I have attached my full remarks so you can see exactly how I presented our concerns and why this remains a top priority. Thank you to everyone who signed, shared, and continues to stand behind this effort. This is how we push for real results — together. – Tyrod Haynes Candidate for Baltimore County Council, District 3 Copy of speech: Good evening. My name is Tyrod Haynes I’m here tonight as a neighbor, not as a candidate, but as a resident of the Owings Mills/New Town community who cares deeply about where we live and what our community deserves. On August 6, 2025, I started a petition calling attention to the vacant former Giant location in New Town Center. Since then, that petition has gained 1,102 signatures, been shared 578 times, and viewed by 12,660 residents. That tells me one thing clearly: our community cares, and our community is paying attention. For more than six years, the former Giant location in New Town Center has sat vacant. What was once a walkable food source at the heart of this community is now an empty anchor site. And that vacancy is not neutral. It has consequences. Real economic consequences. Some have said, “We don’t need another grocery store. There’s Weis at Lakeside or Wegmans at Foundry Row.” But those developments were intentionally built around strong commercial anchors. That was also the original vision for New Town: a walkable, mixed-use center designed to create activity, stability, convenience, and local investment. Today, instead of economic growth, we are seeing stagnation. Instead of a productive commercial corridor generating jobs, sales tax revenue, and support for surrounding small businesses, we have underperformance and visible disinvestment. This is not simply about groceries. This is about economic development. This is about strengthening the local tax base. This is about restoring a commercial anchor that helps drive surrounding investment. When grocery dollars leave our community, jobs and revenue leave with them. When anchor properties remain vacant, nearby businesses struggle. And when disinvestment becomes visible and prolonged, property values and community confidence begin to feel that pressure as well. We have also seen the secondary effects of neglect. On the Fourth of July, more than 100 young people gathered in that vacant lot. Law enforcement had to respond, and when the crowd dispersed, it moved into nearby residential areas. That is not sustainable community planning. And it is certainly not acceptable economic development. We are asking the County Executive to treat this site as a priority economic development opportunity. We need active grocery recruitment, intentional reinvestment strategies, and a real plan to restore this corridor to productivity. And beyond food access, we are also calling for a Community Resource Center in Owings Mills/New Town — a visible civic hub where residents can connect with workforce support, benefits assistance, youth resources, and public services. That kind of investment strengthens families and creates long-term stability. We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for intentional reinvestment. For restoration of vitality. For restoration of safety. And for restoration of the walkable, economically sound vision New Town was built on. Our community deserves to be whole. Our community deserves to be competitive. And our community deserves to thrive. Thank you.