The City faces a number of challenging issues in the near future.  I am very interested in hearing from you and any ideas or thoughts you have on the future of our City.

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Homelessness

Mitigating the homeless crisis in our community has become one of the most pressing issues facing our community and and negatively affecting our quality of life.  It's time to take back our parks and neighborhoods. It’s time to re-focus on solutions and support programs that provide solutions.  Homelessness is not a police issue,  it's a national issue and needs to be addressed nationally but in the meantime we need to take steps to keep our parks safe for our children.   

Investing in Our Youth:

 I believe we should invest in our youth before they become involved in unhealthy activities like smoking, drugs and gangs.  PAL, ProYouth, HEAL initiative, and the Boys & Girls Clubs provide positive alternatives and influences for our youth before they end up as adults on the street or in prison.  The City needs a strong working partnership with the school district to encourage collaboration on placement of new schools,  shared recreational facilities and parks and coordinating youth recreational opportunities.

Dispensaries

The use of cannabis, whether medicinal or recreational, is legal in California. The State is moving closer to taking away our local authority on this issue. I have been part of a proactive council that will present a sales tax measure and zoning change that allows Visalia to have control over the sales and placement of cannabis activities . We have polled citizens and are now poised to make responsible decisions that represent Visalia residents.  I will continue to support the need for public input into this process.

Economic strength:

We need to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the victories in our industrial park and businesses.  Visalia has become the destination hub for west coast distribution centers. Look at Amazon. Many valley cities were offering millions in tax incentives to secure this large employer yet Visalia was best prepared and able to secure several new distribution centers and hundreds of jobs without giving away the farm. New retail development has been a lifeline for our local economy in spite of record inflation. 

Our downtown continues to attract new business and housing opportunities while overcoming challenges.  At the same time, we need to do everything we can to make sure that Mooney Blvd isn’t ignored. I support the growth and will work with city staff and support viable solutions to keep our major retail corridor healthy and diverse. 

Housing and Planning for the future:

The Visalia General Plan provides us with a plan for concentric planned development that balances residential, commercial, retail and industrial growth for the anticipated population through 2030.   We will begin the process of updating the general plan for the next 20 years to keep our community healthy and thriving for all.  Our community needs to be an integral part of this process.  You can look to me to keep you informed and encourage public participation from every resident in my district.  

Water:

I have spent the last year and countless hours serving as Visalia's representative on the Mid-Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency.  I recognize the impact that continued fallowing of agricultural lands will have not only on the local economy but food supply worldwide.  Within the City we are going to be required to conserve as never before.  This will be a hard change for our community but it is essential to keep our way of life in the San Joaquin Valley.  I am proud that Visalia has the foresight to build extensive ponding basins throughout the city to send precious rain back into the groundwater basins.  

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