ISSUES

We need to make Orlando more walkable, bikeable and transit-friendly by operating SunRail on weekends and expanding up the 441 corridor, while increasing the frequency, dependability and appeal of Lynx. Strengthening our city’s transit system will alleviate traffic congestion, make our community safer, create thriving Main Streets and strengthen our economy while preserving our environment for future generations.

We have an affordable housing crisis in Orlando. The increase in homelessness is directly related to the increasing cost of housing. Making sure that housing is safe, available, and affordable needs to be a top priority for our future. We can improve housing affordability through land use decisions that review parking requirements and minimum lot sizes and that encourage transit-oriented development. I am interested in finding new ways to increase housing development, such as through land recycling and creative financing for accessory dwelling units.

Our city needs evidence based programs that reduce gun violence and keep our schools and communities safe. I want to invest in the community violence intervention program, mentoring programs like My Brother’s Keeper and our community response teams, all of which have shown positive results in increasing public safety and improving the school climate while providing constructive alternatives to violence for young people.

I want to strengthen our social fabric through community engagement and support of the arts, which can help bring people together.

Under Mayor Dyer’s leadership our city has set ambitious climate goals but we have more work to do in order to achieve these goals, particularly when it comes to reducing transportation emissions. Supporting public transit, expanding SunRail, increasing commutes by bike and on foot, and investing in short-term car sharing rentals can make our communities healthier, save our residents money and reduce traffic congestion. As a Lynx rider and walker, I will lead by example.

We must prepare for more frequent and higher intensity storms by expanding flood mitigation practices through traditional “grey” infrastructure as well as by employing nature-based solutions. As the major inland city on our peninsula, we need to be prepared for a large influx of people displaced by hurricanes by creating a strong network of nonprofit and faith-based organizations that can provide shelter, food and basic necessities.   

I support the Sunshine Corridor which will provide train service from the airport to our world class theme parks, with an eventual connection to Tampa. By investing in transit, we will be able to attract events like the World Cup, which Orlando lost out on in part because our transportation system didn’t measure up. To pay for these initiatives, I support efforts to change our state law to allow local governments to invest tourist development dollars into transportation. I support registered apprenticeship programs to provide a pathway to solid, local government jobs for those with nontraditional backgrounds. Public investment in the arts and in our Main Street districts generates not only culturally vibrant communities, but supports economic growth. Having served in the City of Orlando’s Office of Business and Financial Services, my experience will serve me well in ensuring that the city is on solid financial footing.