Question 1: Why are you running for Councilor and what particular skills can you bring to the position?
My civic engagement and activist leadership in the areas of education, the environment, green initiatives, preservation, and place-making led me to take on a political run. We need to put divisive politics aside and employ civic leadership that values constituents, focuses on quality-of-life issues, and genuinely embraces our diversity. The issues confronting us at this time call for out-of-the-box solutions. Together, we need to put our local government back in the hands of the people. We are a socially and economically diverse community that should have balanced representation on all boards and committees. Let's empower these wonderfully diverse voices to direct the agenda and create the best outcomes for the residents of Salem. The moment for action is now.
Question 2: What are some of your proposed solutions towards resolving the housing crisis in Salem?
The term "Affordable Housing" has been exploited to push development agendas. The reality is that despite all the recent construction in Salem, very little of the housing is affordable to Salem residents. We must change our development processes to benefit Salem and its residents, not just out of town investors and developers.
Pass an Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance with an increased affordable housing percentage
Encourage first-time home buyers’ programs and income-based tax abatements for home improvements
Housing is a public health issue. We need to coordinate community partnerships to provide people experiencing homelessness with mental health care, treatment for substance abuse disorders, and other social services
Question 3: How do you see Salem impacted by the climate crisis and what new initiatives would you take to lead Salem's resiliency efforts?
Due to Salem's coastal location and density, residents are more likely to experience environmental hazards and face exposure to pollution from high traffic, flooding, and other impacts of climate change.
We must amend our Floodplains & Wetlands Ordinance. Residential development on flood zones and in wetlands contradicts the reality of achieving coastal resiliency.
We must oversee and mitigate the levels of pollution coming from the Footprint power station.
Encourage the solar and wind power industries in Salem.
Plant and maintain more trees in high traffic areas, which will mitigate pollution, urban heat and encourage pedestrian activity.
We must encourage and support local businesses throughout the city that serve our neighborhoods with necessary products and services. Local walkable businesses are essential to keeping Salem pedestrian friendly.
Invest in a cross-town electric bus or trolley service that runs regularly east to west and north to south. This program would benefit residents, students, tourists and local businesses.
Connect off-road bike paths to schools and parks.
Advocate for increased MBTA bus service.
Question 4: Please outline some ideas you have that can enhance civic engagement at the city level.
Citizen engagement should be encouraged. Transparency is foundational to building trust & community. If we want a Salem for all, we need to remove barriers to participation.
Our city website must become user friendly with additional outreach to connect residents without computers, internet access and language accommodations.
Budgets need to become easier to access and read especially the public school budget.
City boards and committees must have disparate voices represented if we want a Salem for all.
We need oversight into how our elected officials conduct themselves on all varieties of social media platforms. This is new terrain that needs review and legal parameters.
Question 5: How do you think Salem should continue working on issues of race equity, now that the City's first Race Equity Task Force has submitted its report?
Salem has a rich history of immigrants and varied socio-economic households living in community together; it is one of the reasons that many of us former urban dwellers, minorities and LGBTQ families have moved here. Therefore, it is a city culture that is worth protecting and expanding with the Race Equity Task Force. I look forward to participating with my experience living in various neighborhoods and years of having children in the public schools. Our schools, churches, university and other non-profits are established spaces that are in a natural position to engage, integrate and celebrate Salem’s diversity.