Jermaine Jones hopes to bring more jobs to Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A lifelong Baltimorean and labor leader, Jermaine Jones is no stranger to the 12th district where he lives right across the street from his grandmother.

For the past eight years Robert Stokes Sr. has served the district.

Jones beat him by 369 votes and is the presumptive winner come November.

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He tells us his number one priority is jobs.

“I’ve watched what a job does for someone. You know, the confidence it instills in someone,” he said. “Just leveraging every opportunity we have as a city, not just giving tax breaks every chance we have. We need a plan that is going to invest in the people of Baltimore. It’s going to be just plain and simple, putting the residents of Baltimore first.”

Jones thinks jobs are a way to reach young people committing crime in the city.

“They don’t have a North star, they don’t have that direction, they don’t have something that they’re risking. If someone knew I’m about to get into this apprenticeship program and you know I can’t afford to be locked up because it starts next month, you’re going to be a little more conscious of the decisions you’re making and not necessarily risking it,” he said. “I think it’s our responsibility not only as council people, but as citizens of Baltimore.”

Another issue he’d like to address are dirt bikes.

“It’s an issue throughout the entire city and it’s going to take an entire city approach in order to fix it,” he said.

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He says he would like to see them off the streets.

“I think it’s not only dangerous for pedestrians, but it’s dangerous for them as well. It’s unrealistic to just be like you’re not going to do it and try to lock people up,” he said. “It’s coming up with alternatives and figuring out how we can build a better Baltimore.”