Candidate for
Council Member; City of Santa Rosa

Economy: As your City Council member, I will initiate innovative measures to grow Santa Rosa's economy by working collaboratively to find ways to make Santa Rosa a destination City. One idea would be to implement a marketing plan that establishes Santa Rosa as the Gateway to the Wine Country. Santa Rosa should be the place tourist wish to visit when they come to visit Northern California.

I will work to help strengthen existing small business while welcoming new job- creating small and medium sized local businesses. We need to ensure that existing local businesses are supported by listening to their needs and implementing policies that will help to make them sustainable. At the same time we must implement policies that will welcome job creating small and medium sized businesses to Santa Rosa in order to help rebuild our economy.

Environment: I believe we can vigorously encourage smart growth and transit oriented walkable and bikeable neighborhoods without compromising our neighborhood integrity. As a planning commissioner I have tirelessly advocated for "Complete Streets." This is the concept that we design our streets so that they are available to everyone; whether you are a pedestrian, a cyclist, a motorist, a parent pushing a stroller, in a wheelchair or scooter. I have advocated for a better transit system. We must do a better job of planning more convenient routes, running longer hours and prove to users that using public transit is safe for everyone.

It's time to work to insist the connector bridge from the SRJC to the SMART Train and Coddingtown Center is built on time and on budget. Thus far, with respect to the bridge, funding has been approved for preliminary steps which include the Project Initiation Document, environmental review, right away acquisition, bridge design plans, etc. As your council member, I will continue to advocate for the acquisition of funding; so that this project can come to fruition.

Community Involvement and Empowerment:

I will fight for policies that invite participation by all residents in decisions affecting their neighborhoods. It's vitally important that residents play a role in policies and projects that directly affect them and that their opinions are heard and respected.

I strongly support putting the question of District Elections on the ballot for the voters of Santa Rosa to decide. Our neighborhoods and diverse communities deserve no less. I have worked on this issue for more than 10 years because I firmly believe that the people of Santa Rosa will be better represented and heard if we implement district elections. I am working now to ensure that the current Council put this issue on the ballot so that the voters can ultimately decide how they should be governed.

Public Safety: We must do all we can toward gang violence prevention and intervention programs. As your council member I will work hard to ensure that Measure O Funding is utilized to bring about real decreases in gangs and that the results are quantified in a transparent and realistic manner.

I will work closely with law enforcement, City employees and our residents to ensure our streets are made safer for pedestrians and cyclists of all ages. Our streets should be safe for everyone.