1. In light of a recent federal executive order on homelessness that incentivizes local policies to ban outdoor camping and to require mental health and substance use treatment, how would you assess Salem’s responses to people experiencing homelessness, and what would you plan to do if elected?
I believe that Salem is treating our unhoused population with compassion and care, and I want to listen to the policy experts in the housing field and help as best I can. If elected, I will be very supportive of the Lifebridge/Harborlight partnership expansion because I believe in increasing supportive services and having more permanent housing units for previously unhoused people.
2. Since the federal government has withdrawn its support for combating climate change, including eliminating tax credits for wind and solar energy and halting federal permits for wind power, what would you propose the city do to mitigate climate change and its effects locally?
In 2022, Salem passed the Green Building Ordinance, a great first step in green infrastructure. However, it only applies to municipal properties, and I would like to put in front of the council a revised Green Building Ordinance that would apply to EV charging and bike parking to non-municipal properties as well. Regarding mitigating the effects of climate change, there will be increased opportunities to pursue Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) funds from the state, as the proposed budget for MVP raises it from $100 million over five years to over $360 million over five years. I want to work with city staff to aggressively pursue these funds to improve on resilience structures and projects in the city.
3. With the loss of federal grants and funding for food pantries, and the closure of Daily Table, what ideas do you have for helping residents who are food insecure?
I have heard discussion from North Shore CDC folks, Salem Food Pantry staff and volunteers, and other stakeholders conversations about opening a community-owned grocery store at the old Daily Table site. The Daily Table was a critical component in the rotating cycle of food sources for people experiencing food insecurity, and it needs to be replaced. Additionally, I want to help our younger population - 50% of students in the district experience some level of food insecurity, and under COVID when they could not come to school many of them did not get the meal that they get which for many of these kids is the only meal that they get. The city lost a federal grant for $900,000 for food security, the summer meals program was taken away and the city is now footing the bill for this year. I want to get that money back from the state. Every study tells us that kids need to be healthy in order to learn and reach their full potential, but beyond that basic human decency tells us that no child should go hungry.
4. Do you support or oppose the plans to build a new high school inSalem and the debt exclusion proposal to allow Salem to fund its share of the cost of the new school? Why or why not? What points would you make to communicate with Salem voters about this project?
I support the plans to build a new high school. When it passes the City Council it will go to Salem voters on the ballot, and it is critical to communicate the consequences of what happens if the proposal is voted down. As it stands, if the proposal is approved, the state will pay for half of the $450 million the school is estimated to cost. However, if the proposal is voted down, the city will still need to build a new school for $350 million, except there will be no state funding. To increase the urgency, this $350 million will actually be closer to $1 billion after factoring in interest rates and inflation.
5. How do you plan to keep your constituents informed about policy issues before the City Council if you are elected?
If elected, I plan to continue actively posting on social media as well as having regular office hours and monthly town hall style meetings with the Ward 1 and Ward 7 Councillors to both keep residents informed and also hold ourselves accountable to them. Finally, I will have a Ward 5 newsletter that has current events and updates for both the ward and the city at large.