Recognizing that it would be impossible for me to list every topic and issue that I care about and that I believe to be important to our community, I’ll share a few issues here.

A Vibrant Community: Affordable Housing, Water, Land Use, and Transportation

• The creation of affordable housing is one of my top priorities. Lack of affordable housing impacts employers’ ability to attract and retain employees and decreases our community’s diversity and resiliency.
• As Flagstaff continues to experience drought and catastrophic wildfires, the protection of ecologically important lands will play a key role in protecting water quality and availability as well as helping to mitigate flooding following wildfires.
• Water and clean air are critical resources that require protection and will be diminished by more frequent and prolonged drought and more frequent catastrophic wildfires.
• Population growth requires that we keep up with proactive land use planning, provide adequate parks and recreational opportunities, and increase our focus on multiple modes of transportation (transit, trails, sidewalks, bike facilities, and traffic calming measures).
• Implementation of Flagstaff’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan is critical and a top priority.

Job opportunities and a healthy economy

• We must work to maintain Flagstaff as an attractive place for existing businesses to remain and grow.
• Sales tax revenue is important to our economy and efforts to encourage spending locally must continue and new approaches developed.
• Flagstaff has many positive qualities, including successful innovators with a spirit of cooperation; a unique and growing arts and sciences sector, quality K-12 and higher education, local government and private sector partnerships committed to economic development.
  

Invest in and promote the Arts, Culture, and Science

• We’re missing an opportunity to leverage and fully realize the cultural and economic value of arts and sciences and their impact on the Flagstaff community.
• A 2017 study found that the arts and sciences have a $90 million economic impact on the Flagstaff economy.
• Countless studies demonstrate the developmental and educational benefits that both the arts and the sciences produce for engaged youth.
• We must recognize the arts and sciences as areas for economic and cultural growth, then prioritize resources and invest in them.

Of the community, for the community

Before becoming Flagstaff’s Vice Mayor, I had written countless letters to the editor and comments to the Flagstaff City Council. This is merely a snapsot of my speaking and writing…

• Op-ed coauthored with Councilmember Aslan in support of the Carbon Neutrality Plan.
• Speaking to City Council in support of declaring a Climate Emergency. I speak at 1:52 in this Work Session video.
• A majority of the City Council voted against reappointing the Sustainability Commission chair despite his having the support of members of the Sustainability Commission and the City Council liaison to the commission. I wrote this letter to the editor in response.
• Adding civil rights to the City’s code: “to eliminate prejudice and discrimination due to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, veteran’s status, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression, in places of public accommodation and in employment.” I voice support at minute 49 of this City Council meeting. Read the chapter on civil rights.
• Letter to the editor regarding the Outlaw Dirty Money campaign.