Why are you running for Councilor and what particular skills can you bring to the position?
I believe that we deserve a city council that fights for marginalized communities and has the moral courage to address the big challenges that are holding working class people and families back. My work in community organizing and coalition building for progressive values taught me how to bring amazing people from all walks of life together towards a common goal. Working on the campaigns of other candidates and being a part of teams that have lobbied for legislation and passed ballot initiatives has left me with a deep understanding of policy and more importantly an understanding of how make that policy a reality.
Residents are facing housing instability and displacement. Do you have specific plans that would protect renters in the city?
As someone who would be the only renter on the council if elected, I am ready to face this issue with a sense of urgency. I am very supportive of the mayor’s plans around inclusionary zoning which would mandate that a certain percentage of new developments would go for an affordable rate as well as the condo conversion ordinance. Additionally, we should be looking at other examples of stronger renter protections such as Boston’s plan for rent stabilization and join 17 cities across the country in right to counsel for tenants. I’d like to see Salem increase it’s public housing stock through the purchasing of existing buildings as well as the development of new buildings; by cutting out the middle man for these projects, we can create 100% affordability for all units.
Salem is already seeing the effects of the climate crisis, including flooding during storms and high tides. Focusing on what you would do, what are your top priorities to mitigate the climate crisis?
Every municipal building that can use solar panels, should be and homeowners should be provided stronger incentives for making the transition as well. If elected, I would push for a ban on new fossil fuels and strict energy efficiency standards for new development. Improving our public transportation system is a huge piece of the puzzle as well which is why creating a less car dependent city is a top priority for me. That means that everything from zoning to street design to parking minimums needs to be reimagined in the face of this crisis. We are now facing this crisis on two fronts; how do we lead the way in a transition to clean energy and minimizing our carbon footprint, and how do we prepare for the effects of political leaders denying this crisis for decades? We must think seriously about our master plan for mitigating rising sea levels and emergency planning around extreme weather events.
Salem strives to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive city. What have you done to lead on these ideals and how will you support work in this area?
I moved to Salem in part because as a gay man with two moms, inclusivity is a deal-breaker. I’ve always felt that championing these ideals doesn’t just happen at the ballot box, it’s about actively engaging at every opportunity. That’s why I marched at the women’s march, and took part in the Black Lives Matter rallies, including organizing one right here in Salem and used it as an opportunity to demand that the city thinks hard about the role that police play in perpetuating an unjust system. The history of racism and discrimination created inequities across issues - affordable housing, education and economic inequality are all also racial justice issues. We need to protect beautiful, diverse neighborhoods like The Point from gentrification, uplift BIPOC small businesses and stand up for worker’s who are being victimized by wage theft and who are disproportionately people of color. We must have a no tolerance policy for gender pay gay practices. Everything from bigoted dog whistles to targeted bigoted attacks must be met with swift and strong condemnation from all of Salem’s leaders.
On average, 30% of Salem residents voted in the past municipal elections. Please outline some ideas you have that can enhance voter engagement and elections.
The work that organizations like the ones that created this questionnaire is crucial, in part because the city does not do a good enough job getting voting information to residents. It’s no secret that the website needs a lot of work! We should also be promoting our local elections to people on the platforms where they are; for younger generations that means via text and social media, for older generations it means mail and robocalls. Far too often, candidates for office are the ones informing the public that there is an election happening, when it is, where they can vote etc… and the public feels like they need a Salem News subscription to see the list of candidates who will appear on the ballot. Adopting ranked choice voting needs to be a priority as well as it has been proven to increase voter participation, among other positive outcomes. I also think that apathy among young voters is partially driven by a lack of youth representation in government; it is difficult for some to be excited about the political process when those driving the conversations are perceived to be unrelatable/out of touch. Youth representation is something the city should consider when hiring and appointing to boards and committees to help to curtail that dynamic.
Learn more
Campaign Website: www.kyleforsalem.com
Campaign Email: kyle@kyleforsalem.com
Social Media: @kyleforsalem for all social media