Stewardship
Defined, “stewardship” is the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.
The City of Phoenix has a $3 billion budget. As a Phoenix resident and taxpayer, you should be confident that your representative at City Hall will spend your tax dollars with discretion and discipline. As a homeowner, I understand the value of protecting assets. As a professional with years of management experience in both the business and nonprofit communities, I am comfortable making decisions that affect both individual under a company’s employ and that organization’s bottom line simultaneously. Said another way, I have the skill sets necessary to carefully and responsibly steward your tax dollars.
A conversation about stewardship would be lacking if thoughts about transparency and accountability were not closely behind. In the words of former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” and you will find no argument from me. In addition to making my thoughts, decisions and actions as transparent as legally possible, I will work to ensure that all lines and channels of communication are open, so that you can hold me accountable to the standards I have set for myself and the standards that we both set for Phoenix.
Equality
Equality is a word that can take on different levels of meaning depending upon the situation. There is the equality of treatment under the law, equal opportunity in employment and housing, and the equal outcomes that many desire of our high school graduates – every student college- or career-ready.
No matter the situation, as your representative at City Hall, I will work to provide the equality and fairness every individual deserves. Equality matters in the classroom, in the workplace, in the courtroom – everywhere. A city focused on equality is a city focused on prosperity, as President Kennedy remarked, “A rising tide lifts all boats.”
Justice
Public safety is one of the primary concerns and responsibilities of your City Council, which means that one of your primary concerns as a voter should be what your representative at City Hall thinks about public safety. As an active member in my neighborhood association’s block watch program, I know the value of engaged neighbors in the fight against robbery and property crime. And as our violent crime rates continue to drop, it is important to maintain the level of funding the City of Phoenix Police Department is currently afforded.
I also believe that the Parks & Recreation Department, working in concert with direct public safety efforts, is vital. A city filled with shared spaces and shared experiences is a city with a shared interest in keeping our communities safe.
Beyond public safety, justice means access. Access to the programs, resources and services available to you as a Phoenician – made possible by your own tax dollars. Access also means having your voice heard at City Council. Whether that means you are a business owner with a complicated zoning issue, a young professional looking to plant roots in a safe neighborhood, or a parent ensuring that your children are getting the best education possible, I will work to provide a space where your voice can be heard by the relevant decision-makers.