If Everything's a Priority, Nothing Is
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Maintaining and improving residents’ quality of life is my ultimate priority on council. Read below to see what the Richardson City Council and Staff have done and are planning to do:
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Citizen’s Advocate at City Hall
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Anybody can say they will be available to you. I pledge to not just be available, but to also be your advocate. On every issue that comes through city hall, you will know where I stand. You will know the progress on our initiatives and what we have left to do. If we take a different approach, you will know why we’re deviating from the plan. I have one boss: you, the citizen. I look forward to my performance review.
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A Resident-Centered Approach to Neighborhood Traffic
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Whether it’s individuals driving recklessly in Clearwater Crossing late at night up north or a constant stream of vehicles cutting through Town House Lane down south, one common fear I have heard from residents is the danger posed by people speeding on our residential streets. Safety in your own neighborhood is a key component of what makes Richardson special, and we will make keeping you safe when you’re out and about our priority.
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Repairing our Streets
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Infrastructure issues have been mentioned as a priority in every election since 2011. It is imperative that you have a city council that is willing to get ahead of this issue. I’m proud to say that street and alley maintenance has been a focal point for this city administration in the 2021-2022 budget cycle.
Richardson is fully built out and therefore not building new streets. That said, I have constantly advocated for policies that promote a pedestrian lifestyle to reduce wear and tear on current streets. I am also fully in favor of spending what it takes to make sure our roads are in good shape. I will continue to push for fully funding the repairs we need while making sure that projects are completed on time and within budget. Something that didn’t happen in this budget that I would like to see in the next budget is an increase in city expenditures for quick concrete and asphalt repairs. The funding has remained between $200,000 – $300,000 each of the past five years. Short-term, this allows city staff the flexibility to fix small problem areas as they come up. In the long run, this plan reduces the frequency of massive street-wide overhauls. Completed:
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Protecting and Building our Small Businesses
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Small businesses make Richardson not just a house, but a home. Our 1,200 small businesses are the absolute lifeblood of this city. In Richardson, we are constantly looking for ways to make their lives easier and be proactive in their success. I will always be an advocate for their interests.
Nearly a quarter of Richardson was born outside of the United States. Our diversity is our competitive edge, so let’s embrace it. We must find ways to further embrace and enhance our culture of inclusion. Our city well-positioned to promote our incredibly diverse dining and shopping options. I’ll do everything I can to make Richardson known as the place to go for authentic foreign food and shopping. Completed:
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Development Policies that Serve Future Needs
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Current residents moving up in a career. Future residents wanting a stable place to move their families. Longtime residents on fixed incomes wanting to stay. All kinds of citizens need housing to make Richardson a place they can call home. Additionally, the city council should focus on reducing or keeping even fixed costs for homeowners and residents of Richardson.
When I was a child, Richardson still had scattered cornfields between neighborhoods. Now, developers are eyeing the last couple places of green earth and shifting towards redevelopment of old lots. I apply the principles of New Urbanism when casting my vote on these proposals. What will the concrete footprint be? Is it walkable? Mixed use? What is the traffic impact? How easy is it to repurpose a commercial building if the original tenant leaves? How many tax dollars are we spending to tear up an old road, and how much will it cost the city to maintain the new roads and pipes? These are the forward-thinking questions that I consider when zoning cases and city programs are presented to me. Completed:
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Investing in our First Responders
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Richardson has some of the finest first responders in North Texas, and time and time again I have heard of how proactive they are in meeting the needs of all residents in Richardson. We collaborated with neighboring cities to develop the most effective selection and training programs in the state. It is critical that once we finally have our first responders past that initial year, we ensure that we are competitive in pay and benefits with those same neighboring cities, or we risk losing our very best.
We should also continue to support full transparency, increased citizen input, and first responder engagement with our residents. The closer our first responders can be to our residents, the more we can promote innovative solutions to fit the needs of everyone in our city. Completed:
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Reducing Trash and Litter
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Our parks seem to have more litter with each passing year. When residents don't follow the trashbag codes it can lead to a host of unsightly sanitation issues, and when it storms, outside trash is washed into our alleys, parks, and greenbelts.
Let’s consider trash pickup options other than bags. Neighboring cities do this, and it’s time to get resident input again to see what they want. Whether it's smaller knee-high trash bins, modified code enforcement hours, or something else, I am confident that we can come up with a solution that satisfies most residents. Completed:
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Future Goal:
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