PLATFORM
LIST OF ISSUES
We can do better. There is always room for improvement, and I earnestly believe that we can rise above and progress as people and as a community. I am committed to the goal of doing and being a little bit better today than yesterday. Our city has a tremendous amount of potential, and we can thrive as we grow if we are willing to put in the hard hours and work together.
Government Constrained
Government powers tend to grow like weeds, not only at the national and state levels, but unfortunately, also at the municipal level. Naturally it at times takes a strong counterbalance to keep unscrupulous government officials in their respective lanes. I have become quite concerned about government officials acting outside of their limited roles within our city, undermining the proper functioning of our government, and stifling our ability to get the peoples' work done. We must get back to a proper balance so that our city can be managed efficiently and be about the work of its true masters: the citizens.
Under our form of government, which is the very common Council-Manager form, a Council of 7 must work together to run the city with an at-will City Manager of their choosing overseeing day to day operations. Changing our form of government would mean duplication of administration and the increased cost to the taxpayers that comes with duplication. The city would also still need a hired administrator to oversee the management of the city under the authority of a "strong" Mayor. Ultimately not much would change except the Executive Branch would have more power and costs would increase for the taxpayers. I am very much against changing our form of government to a "strong Mayor" form of government.
Housing
Simply put, I moved to the suburbs because I wanted to live in the suburbs.
High density and apartments are not a priority for me. I prefer single family homes, but I also can concede that there are areas of the city where high density or apartments can be appropriate. For example I do not mind high density developments near commercial areas or transit oriented zones, but I want to see them be the highest quality possible. Every proposal that comes before me for a vote is considered on its own merits according to the criteria set forth in the public-created General Plan and with a heavy emphasis on property rights. Overall I support the current Council's stand and the General Plan's assertion that we want to see lower densities and less apartments in West Jordan.
I look up at West Jordan's undeveloped foothills and I want to see them reflect what foothills can be: a desireable space with larger homes, trails and open space. The foothills around this valley are full except on this west side, and foothill property values tend to be high. I have seen that there is a growing willingness to elevate the quality of development against the foothills of this city, and I want to encourage that and see large high quality homes with attractive ammenities built on the west bench.
Public Safety
As the city develops out and the population increases we continually need more public safety staff, facilities, and equipment. We need to keep up with the demand for services by looking ahead, planning, and budgeting wisely. This is absolutely vital. Our current budget allows for 110 police officers. The city has seen tremendous population growth over the last 8 years, but barely a change in the size of the police department.
The Police Department and Fire Department need our continued support to be able to serve this city to the level the citizens demand. They need the staff and resources to be able to serve us the way they would like to, and they're doing an incredible job. I would hate to see the level of service decrease over time because of lack of Council support. We have some incredible public safety staff and we need to retain them and I very much appreciate them!
Public Works
Public Works is where the majority of the work we see around the city gets done. Parks, roads, sidewalks, lights, weeds, stromdrains, trees, trails... You name it, they probably do it. The appearance of the city is in large part determined by Public Works and whether they have the resources to keep weeds down, parks mowed, facilities maintained, roads passable, sewers operating, and stormwater controlled. I want to see our parks, sidewalks, mow strips, natural grass fields, trails, and roads reflect the pride of this community. Before my appointment to the Council I stated that the investment we make in the appearance of our community will determine the caliber of businesses and residents we attract in the future. We must not neglect Public Works.
Individual Rights
I am a believer in individual rights. What that means to me is that you should be able to live your life to your choosing with minimal government interference. But that also means that we must know where our individual rights end and the rights of others begin. It can be difficult to determine the line between our rights and the rights of others in a community where we have shared vistas, roads, open space, and sometimes live so close to one another. Property rights are very important to me, and treating people with humanity is very important to me. Ultimately, if I am serving my community properly then I must recognize that every action I take on the Council isn't so much about agenda numbers and meetings as it is about people, because every action taken by the Council has a tangible effect on people.
Economic Development and Housing
District 4 has some prime real estate with great economic potential. I want to make sure that we are encouraging economic development that will be pleasing for the citizens while increasing the tax base so that we can all enjoy the benefits of a robust local economy. Manufacturing, car dealerships, entertainment, businesses small and large should be encouraged. I want to see this city bring in types of industry that don't already have a home in West Jordan.
How many of us travel to other cities for restaurants, medical services, or entertainment? We need to take a hard look at what we consume elselwhere and bring our ideas to the table. Believe it or not developers ask for our input when looking to court businesses to come into their developments. I travel elsewhere for pizza, steak, art, water parks, to visit malls, and to buys cars. Where outside of West Jordan are you spending your money? I would like to know.
In 25 years the Mountain View Corridor will be a freeway. That is important to remember while we look at zoning and building. I do not want to see homes built in what will become the shadow of a freeway overpass. Development near the current intersections of the Corridor needs to be appropriate. The last thing I want to hear is 20 years is, "what were they thinking putting homes in prime commercial property?" Commercial businesses, office space, and manufacturing industry are the most appropriate designations for the land near Mountain View Corridor intersections. Freeways can be a tremendous boon to a local economy and I do not want to see us squander the opportunity.
WHY?
The question I get asked most often is, "why?"
Why did I choose city politics?
Why am I in government and not on the school board?
Why do I want to stay on the City Council?
Here is my story:
I went to a neighborhood meeting with high hopes. At the time I was involved in state and national politics, well informed, and a delegate. I was even running a political blog. But my neighborhood had some long-standing issues that needed to be addressed. My neighbors and I were tired and frustrated, many had become bitter and angry.
A meeting was scheduled wherein the City Council would listen to us, plan with us, and help us get our neighborhood back on track. I was optimistic. And then I was disappointed.
I left that meeting with an ache. I had heard a Councilmember basically say that there was nothing that he could do. In my heart of hearts I asked, if the City Council, our governing body, the people who have the power in this city feel that there is nothing that they can do then WHO CAN? It seemed so terribly wrong to me. How could the city have allowed this to happen to us? How could they have no power to stop it or fix it in the future? How could they walk away feeling powerless when they are the governing body? I didn't understand and it felt terribly wrong. I felt abandoned as I racked my mind. There must be a way to fix this! On the walk home with my husband he very calmly stated that one of us will need to run for office.
While on the Planning Commission I was able to protect another neighborhood from a similar situation.
And now, as a City Councilmember I have come to better understand the challenges the Council faced that caused them to feel so powerless to help my neighborhood, but there is much that the Council CAN do. I want to protect the citizens of this city from ever facing anything like that again. We are not powerless. I will not lay down in the face of adversity. More often than not we have options if we're willing to look to find them. Leadership means working with people, finding solutions, and being persistent.
We are not powerless!