Priority Issues

Community-centered priorities

The beauty and safety our city is built through inclusive community, respect for each other and care for the environment. Our policies should prioritize programs benefitting all residents of RSM. When we support our neighbors, we help our entire neighborhood. On city council, I will prioritize support for

  • our children and youth

  • core services to care for all residents, recognizing public safety is more than just providing a budget for police and fire services

  • affordable programs that support opportunities for people and businesses to thrive

  • our firefighters and emergency preparedness for wildfires and earthquakes

  • environmental, climate, and water-sensitive infrastructure

  • smart investments into our future

Transparency and Clear Communication

It should be easy to know what’s going on in our city. City council members should be incorporating public input into their decisions and their agenda, even if we disagree. Residents should be able to clearly understand what city council is doing. Better decisions come from more information. As a city council member, I will

  • host regular town halls in the city outside of meetings

  • revitalize the city newsletter and communication systems

  • create more opportunities for people in the city to make their concerns known to the city council through polls, surveys, and town halls

  • promote civic education for a better informed community

  • collect lists of activities, services, and events that is easily accessible on the city website and other spaces

Smart, Accountable Spending

City budgets are a sign of the values of a city. Accountability should not a scary word; it’s an essential part of city council. It is becoming increasingly more expensive to live in RSM, which means how we spend our money is important now more than ever. Investments into the beauty, infrastructure, and safety of the city should be thoughtfully managed. It should not be difficult to figure out what’s going on in our city and to make your voice heard in the decision making process. As a city council member, I would

  • solicit community feedback about budget priorities

  • dig deeper into line items to ensure due diligence

  • fund essential services, projects, and programs that support the well-being of the community

Collaborative Leadership

Good leadership begins with listening to the community and knowing how to invite others to lead. Our city council is one of the minority of cities in Orange County without term limits. This needs to change. Without term limits, our city’s position and priorities becomes stagnant. We are better with fresh perspectives and innovative thinking. Leadership also doesn’t begin and end with city council. We should be encouraging leadership and civic engagement in all spaces of our city. We as a city have the opportunity to be a leader in innovation among other cities. We limit our city when only a few voices hold the power. As a city council member, I would

  • lead humbly by listening first and making decisions guided by community input

  • commit to setting and honoring term limits for city council

  • encourage and celebrate diverse leadership throughout our city

  • create nonpartisan resident task forces to address specific issues