Vancouver, Washington is a beautiful, vibrant, and growing city. I will work to make sure our city develops into a modern, vibrant community that we can all be proud of.
I welcome you to read my stances on key positions, such as transit, and send me any of your questions. You may leave a message or live chat with me on Facebook Messenger.
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way many residents live and work, and Covid recovery will not be successful without a holistic look at the structural changes needed to help our community flourish again. My experience as a long-time community leader will give me the background knowledge needed to assist the mayor and the city council in leading Covid recovery in the state of Washington.
City of Vancouver | COVID-19 Response
Clark County | COVID-19 data
Jobs & Economy
The main driving factor behind creating jobs and economic growth is business. Council's duty is to provide a community that attracts new and innovative businesses. There should be a strong effort to create a favorable environment for business owners and entrepreneurs to do business in Vancouver.
Working with the Columbia River Economic Development Council (CREDC) and Workforce Boards we can court potential businesses to locate here, thereby taking advantage of the amenities of our community including parks and trails, exceptional education options, proximity to PDX airport, and our stellar quality of life.
The city is experiencing rapid growth and development, such as the waterfront. We need to have consistent levels of investment in utilities and infrastructure as we move across the city to further projects like Tower Mall, Area 30, and the 192nd Gateway; all while keeping a steady eye on our annexation plan, and collaborating with Clark County to build up wealth and opportunity within the Urban Growth Area.
Vancouver residents deserve access to career paths that set their families and themselves up for success. Partnering with Cascadia Technical Academy, Clark College, and Washington State University Vancouver to provide training for skills that equip students to seek employment in the high-tech, high-wage, and technical trades, we can develop a local “silicon forest” sector.
Additionally, the council needs to continue supporting apprenticeships, union labor, prevailing wage, and collective bargaining rights of workers.
Infrastructure
Replacing the I-5 bridge is the number one issue in Vancouver and all of Southwest Washington. Over seventy-five thousand residents cross one of two bridges into Portland every day for work, with congestion only getting worse.
The city must continue to lobby both Washington and Oregon State Legislatures, as well as Federal Representatives for project funding solutions. All the while maintaining a seat at the table for the mass transit component discussion, where all options are seriously considered and studied, including light rail.
Other corridors such as SR 14 and 500 need continuous funding for maintenance and infrastructure development, which will improve east-west mobility within the city.
C-Tran buses need to continue being frequent, reliable, and expand service areas. We must keep our core bus system financially viable and available to everyone who needs or prefers the bus for transportation, especially our elderly or disabled population. Our Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line, “The Vine,” on the Fourth Plain corridor has been such a success, we must continue that momentum by investing in BRT on the Mill Plain corridor, thus spurring on further economic development and investment.
Vancouver needs to establish a complete streets policy to support all modes of transportation to improve mobility right in our neighborhoods, encouraging smart, sustainable, walk-able communities. As we have seen with the “Westside Bike Mobility Project,” outreach and feedback is imperative to implementation. Parking will be an issue, especially as development and revitalization continues in the downtown core, innovative solutions must be developed.
Finally, as annexation of the Urban Growth Area (UGA) continues, service levels of utilities, water, and sewer are vitally important, as well as looking to the future with innovative technologies such as ”Dark Fiber” and municipal broadband.
Safety
Sufficient funding for Police and Fire is a top priority, to provide the level of resources our citizens expect, we must find sustainable funding in order to ensure safety standards.
More investment is needed in housing options of all shapes and sizes for working families of varying income levels. A housing first approach must be taken for our most vulnerable residents requiring secure shelter.
Vancouver's neighborhoods are the heart of our community, and neighborhood associations advocate for livability issues for a diverse population, they need our support and participation.
Current parks need to be maintained, and further investment is needed to continually develop and add new parks, trails, and urban tree canopies.
Vancouver must lead the way and collaborate with Clark County and our neighboring municipalities in the development of a Sustainability and Climate Action Plan. We can protect residents and mitigate the impacts of climate change, maintain air and water quality standards, reduce greenhouse emissions, and place a moratorium on further fossil fuel infrastructure, all while investing in new green economy jobs.
Additionally, with the “Big One” looming over us, we must work with partner agencies and nonprofits to ensure our residents are equipped with the emergency preparedness training, resources, and tools to survive such a large and devastating earthquake that will affect everyones lives.
