After 36 years in public safety, I know that the work done before an emergency can matter just as much as the response when one occurs. I have responded to major disasters including the Oakland Hills and Tubbs fires and served for ten years on a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force, with deployments to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. I also helped introduce neighborhood emergency response training in Corte Madera. Fairfax faces real risks from wildfire, severe storms, earthquakes and other emergencies. We need to make sure our Town, our public safety agencies and our neighborhoods are prepared.

• Make emergency preparedness a core Town priority, not something addressed only after a disaster.

• Strengthen neighborhood preparedness and training so residents know what to do when an emergency occurs.

• Support our fire, police and other public safety partners and ensure strong coordination among agencies.

• Improve evacuation and emergency communication planning, particularly for wildfire.

• Make resiliency part of infrastructure planning, recognizing that roads, utilities and public facilities are critical during an emergency.

Fairfax residents deserve to know that their tax dollars are being spent carefully and on the services our community needs most. I fundamentally believe in maintaining a balanced budget, and taking a hard look at where our money goes before asking residents to pay more. Just as importantly, Town finances should be understandable and transparent. Residents should know what we are spending, why we are spending it, and what results they are getting in return.

• Make Town finances more transparent so residents can easily understand where their tax dollars go.

• Demand value for every tax dollar by regularly reviewing spending and looking for opportunities to operate more efficiently.

• Prioritize essential services before discretionary spending.

• Connect spending to results so residents can see what Town investments are actually accomplishing.

• Protect Fairfax's 25% reserve policy and plan responsibly for long-term financial needs.

Taking care of our roads, public facilities and other basic infrastructure is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of local government. Fairfax has deferred too much of that work for too long. I want to make infrastructure a consistent budget priority rather than waiting until problems become emergencies, and clearly show how existing revenues are being used, what additional funding is needed and exactly what residents will receive in return.

• Make repairing Fairfax's roads a top priority in the Town budget.

• Develop a clear, long-term infrastructure plan for streets, public buildings and other essential assets.

• Explore all available funding sources, including grants and regional partnerships, before placing additional burdens on taxpayers.

• Plan ahead for maintenance so we spend less reacting to preventable problems later.

Fairfax should be a welcoming community to our educators, restaurant and retail employees, healthcare workers, public safety personnel and others who serve our community. At the same time, simply building more large-scale market-rate housing does not guarantee that Fairfax becomes more affordable. We need solutions that fit our community and recognize the capacity of our roads, water systems and other infrastructure. I support expanding workforce and affordable housing through practical approaches such as ADUs and exploring creative housing opportunities that distribute new homes throughout Fairfax rather than relying solely on large developments.Revisit the housing plan to find alternative solutions that fit our community instead of high rise development

• Put greater emphasis on workforce housing for the people who teach, serve and care for our community.

• Support ADUs and other distributed housing options that add homes while fitting the character of Fairfax.

• Revisit creative housing ideas that may deserve another look as circumstances and needs change.

• Plan housing and infrastructure together, accounting for roads, water, emergency access and other essential services.

• Work with Marin County and community organizations on affordability, including helping residents connect with healthcare and other available resources.

As I’ve had the opportunity to walk our neighborhoods and speak to people in town, I’ve consistently heard that residents and businesses feel like their voices have not been heard lately.  They want someone who will listen to them and treat them with respect.  It is critical we restore the trust in our Town government and focus less on political battles and more on solving the everyday problems that affect our community.Listen first and seek input from diverse voices, including residents who may disagree with me.

• Treat people with respect and encourage a Council culture that does the same.

• Put Fairfax residents and local businesses at the center of Town decisions.

• Make Town government more transparent and accountable to rebuild public trust.

• Encourage civic engagement through volunteer programs and community sourced projects.

• Focus on practical solutions and common ground rather than ideology.

• Bring calm, collaborative leadership to the Council and work constructively with fellow Councilmembers, Town staff and the community.