Keeping Auburn Safe

We’re facing really tough issues affecting all of us. Substance abuse, homelessness, violent crime, and property crime continue to threaten our neighborhoods and reveal gaps in service. We have seen the pendulum swing too far in both directions. This has created an environment of inaction.

Police are limited in what they are able to manage and we have seen how some people have chosen to take advantage of this. I want to see our city realize its potential and I believe there is a middle ground that will restore peace and instill trust with both sides. The answers are ‘both/and’, not ‘either/or’. On a recent police ride-along, I got to see first hand how much we need police and how much we can benefit from leveraging additional services to address and solve the root cause issues that are perpetuating crime.

As a councilmember, I will work to strengthen the city’s public safety response times and response rates to ensure Auburn families feel safe and those who commit crimes are held accountable. I’ll work to ensure the city provides the support and resources law enforcement need, and vote for investments in proven strategies for reducing crime and breaking cycles of violence. I’ll make informed decisions while ensuring our dollars are being spent in the most impactful areas.

I want to build connections and healthy relationships between local law enforcement and Auburn residents, and ensure we have an effective and compassionate approach to those in a crisis, often experiencing mental health and substance abuse challenges in their lives. And as a friend of several law enforcement officers, I want our police to love the job they signed up for and to feel supported. I want to help restore the pride of being an officer that cares and protects and serves their community.

We absolutely do need accountability for officers that abuse their positions and tarnish the reputation of their colleagues and trust from the community.  By continuing to work on rigorous screening, training, and enforceable behavior expectations and accountability measures, we can continue to bring about a culture of leadership, compassion, and accountability in our local police department.

I’ll be a leader that brings people together by collaborating with the community, the council, staff, our police department, and the police unions to support healthy community policing practices, which allow our good officers to do their jobs and creates a culture in Auburn where residents care about being a good participant.

Supporting Programs

While I eventually pursued a higher education, I did not take the traditional path to college. As a teenage mom, I struggled, a lot, and my only focus was putting food on the table and keeping the power turned on, eventually turning that hard work in to a career so I could build a better future for my daughter. Growing up, I wasn’t taught the importance of voting locally, or how much impact local governments have in their communities. Heck, some years I couldn’t afford to take time off of work to go stand in line to vote. It was difficult for me to navigate programs and services that could have helped me along my path.

I was led to believe that it was shameful to ask for help—and that to seek assistance would be to admit failure. Now, I see local government as a positive force for good, with a responsibility to help those in the community that need it. My experiences have given me empathy and a deep conviction for being a strong voice for the betterment of others. I’m deeply committed to being a light in others’ lives by using my lived experiences to be a force of positive change.

After spending the last six years leaning in and teaching myself everything I could learn about the government branches, I now know how much change we can drive right here in our back yard through city government. I know how important the services and programs that local government provides are, and the opportunities they can bring which can truly change peoples lives. Things like supportive housing, access to food, childcare, legal services, youth programs, language assistance, substance abuse and mental health treatment, and more.

Our city has incredible programs and services available. We must do a better job of connecting these resources to the people that need them, and we have to create a culture in our city where the citizens of Auburn have pride and are held accountable to being a positive contributor.

Growing Our Economy

I’ll work to increase support for business owners in Auburn, making Auburn an easy and attractive place to own and run a business. I’ve talked with business owners and residents who have dealt with property crime that impacts their bottom line and desire to continue doing business in Auburn. They’re frustrated at what feels like a lack of support from the city, and I intend to be an advocate for these businesses that make up the backbone of our local economy.

Businesses must see where their tax dollars are going and they deserve a positive return on their investment through safe storefronts and easy access to city resources. I’ll work to develop strategic partnerships with the city and developers to ensure commercial real estate is attractive for both the land lord and the tenant. I will collaborate with, and challenge, city council to think outside of the box when it comes to surveying and prioritizing our vacant residential real estate. I have a detailed strategy that will categorize and prioritize the people experiencing homelessness in Auburn to ensure everyone who can be housed is housed, creating a mutual value exchange for both the landlord and tenant.