Priorities

Core Services

In response to a slower economy, the City has become more efficient, but some service cuts went too far. As the economy improves, we must be judicious about restoring services. First and foremost, we need to focus on basic services, infrastructure, and safety.
On Council, I will:

Leadership and Inclusivity

Inclusion is paramount to my work and my ethics.
I pledge to:

Through my work with the City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation Department and the Huron River Watershed Council, as a member of the city’s Environmental Commission, and on the Malletts, Millers, and Fleming Creekshed Coordinating Committees, I have spent nearly all my adult life helping to shape our neighborhoods and parks through inclusive civic engagement. I helped found and lead the HomeGrown Food Festival and Local Food Summit to improve local food access and equity. I believe that inclusivity and collaboration create stronger and better decisions and results. I deeply understand the hard work it takes to bring people together to make good decisions. I pledge to hear all voices from the First Ward and represent each equally.

Economic Stewardship

The City’s role is to balance the citizens’ needs and ensure healthy growth, while holding a long-term vision for financial stability and success.
I will improve our city by:

By identifying diversified fund sources and careful planning, I have developed and stayed within budgets for all of the programs I’ve created and helped manage. My professional work leverages non-traditional resources for organizational success. While at the City, I helped create numerous programs, including Adopt-a-Park and Citizen Pruner, while greatly increasing the participation in city-wide volunteer projects and citizen-led initiatives. Bringing this outside-the-box thinking to Council will help us improve services without increasing costs.

Community Transit and Walkability

The need for increased walkability, bikeability, and accessible well thought through transit systems is increasingly obvious.
I will work to:

As first-ward residents, we regularly demonstrate that alternative methods of transportation do not have to slow you down. Within our Detroit and Michigan car-centric society, the residents of our amazing city greatly appreciate, desire, and need accessible non-motorized and mass-transit alternatives to owner-occupied automobiles. While we have not, as a community, come up with a complete solution, we’ve made a start. I will strongly support investments that increase walkability and bikeability. I will also support transit collaborations with regional partners and the University of Michigan that are sound in vision and execution while keeping the safety of our residents paramount. Similarly, I am a strong proponent of walkable neighborhoods, including our parks and neighborhood business districts.

Sustainability

I see a unique moment ahead of us, where Ann Arbor can once again take strong leadership in environmental issues.
Ann Arbor needs to:

Ann Arbor has a history of being on the vanguard of environmental and sustainability initiatives. These efforts protect and enhance our livable neighborhoods and undergird our economy. My profession and my personal habits demonstrate my belief and investment in community stewardship. On the Ann Arbor Environmental Commission, I have initiated innovative issues such as toxic coal tar sealants as well as light and noise pollution, while promoting our long-term commitments to the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. I am a proponent of partnerships, and I believe we can work more closely with neighboring communities, schools, and property owners to build from our past successes, deepen our environmental stewardship, and continue to make Ann Arbor a leading community.

Parks, Nature, and Open Spaces

Ann Arbor is deeply connected to our green places – the trees and flowers are essential to our way of life and our community vitality.
On Council I will continue to ensure:

While the greenbelt, parks acquisition, and maintenance millages have done amazing work, along with our numerous governmental and nonprofit partners, much more needs to be accomplished. We need to minimize suburban sprawl and increase density in thoughtful ways that enhance our communities aesthetically and materially. Making sure all residents continue to have direct access to parks and protecting critical ecosystems will always be my passion.

Affordability and Equity

Housing and transportation are the largest examples of Ann Arbor’s growing segregation and disenfranchisement.
I will work to ensure:

Art and Culture

I believe the City has abdicated its responsibility to support our cultural activities and heritages.
On Council I will: