Frequently Asked Questions

Where I stand on the issues that matter to Tempe.

  • Listening first is at the heart of how I lead. I hold office hours, attend neighborhood and HOA meetings, visit schools and small businesses, and spend a lot of time at community events so people can talk to me directly. When decisions affect residents who are often left out of the process, I work with neighborhood leaders, nonprofits, faith communities, and advocacy groups to bring their voices to the table early. Good policy in Tempe comes from collaboration, not from acting in a vacuum.

  • Description text goes heI take being accessible very seriously. Residents reach me by email, at community meetings, on neighborhood walks, and at events across the city, and I make a point to respond and follow up. My approach is simple: if you take the time to reach out, I owe you a thoughtful response and a clear explanation of what can be done. Whether the issue is a pothole on your street or a complicated policy question, you can always expect me to show up, listen, and follow through.

  • Tempe is at its best when more people are part of the conversation. I encourage residents to serve on boards and commissions, attend community meetings and forums, and participate in neighborhood associations so decisions reflect our whole community. As a councilmember, I do my best to explain how and when to plug into the process so people are not hearing about decisions after they are already made. When more Tempeans are involved, our solutions are stronger, and our city is more united.

How I Lead And Listen: Accessibility, transparency, and collaborative leadership

Priorities For Tempe’s Future: Responsible growth, safe communities, and long-term sustainability.

  • My top priorities are responsible growth, community safety, and sustainability. Tempe is growing, and we need to guide that growth in ways that protect our neighborhoods, support local businesses, and maintain the quality of life that makes this city special. Safety means both strong public safety departments and smart investments in programs like Care7 that help people in crisis before situations escalate. Sustainability is about using proven practices to lower costs for residents, attract good jobs, and protect our city for future generations.

  • If I could lead a focused effort on one issue, it would be my work as chair of the Mixed Use Space Council Subcommittee. This effort focuses on ensuring that Tempe’s mixed use developments function as intended with active and vibrant ground floor spaces that support small businesses and create walkable neighborhoods.

    Many mixed use properties include commercial spaces that remain vacant for long periods, limiting street activity and economic opportunity. Through the subcommittee, I work with city staff and stakeholders to examine the causes of these vacancies and identify policy solutions that encourage earlier activation and greater community benefit.

  • I am a graduate of Kyrene and Tempe Union public schools, as well as Arizona State University, so I know how important our schools are to the fabric of this community. While the City Council does not control school funding, we can support Tempe students and their families by ensuring safe routes to school, investing in after-school programs, and building partnerships that connect students with internships and workforce opportunities. I also see quality early childhood care and pre-K as part of the education pipeline, which is why I support expanding Tempe Pre and want to explore other ways to make child care and early learning more affordable for Tempe families. Strong schools and an educated workforce are key reasons businesses choose to invest here.

Housing, Homelessness, and Neighborhoods: Keeping Tempe livable, stable, and welcoming.

  • We still have a lot of work to do. We need a range of housing options in Tempe, including both affordable and social housing. Affordable housing helps working families, seniors, and young adults stay in the community they love. Social housing and supportive housing are critical for residents facing the most serious challenges and help reduce strain on emergency services over time. By using tools like inclusionary policies, strategic public investment, and strengthening partnerships with nonprofits that are open to being collaborative partners, community leaders, and responsible developers, we can improve housing stability while protecting neighborhood character.

  • I believe we have to be both safe and compassionate. Programs like Care7 show how we can connect people to shelter, food, behavioral health services, and job support while also responding to neighborhood concerns. I will continue to partner with willing nonprofits, faith communities, and service providers who are on the front lines so our policies reduce harm rather than simply move people from one corner to another. The goal should always be to help people move into stable and permanent housing while keeping our public spaces safe and welcoming.

  • I have spent a lot of time listening to Shalimar residents and take their concerns very seriously. The opinions from that neighborhood have been clear that the proposals they have seen so far are not acceptable, and that matters a great deal to me. At the same time, there is a legal process that any rezoning proposal must go through before it comes to Council, and I believe in allowing that process to play out. However, based on what I have heard to this point, it is very difficult for me to see a path forward for a project that does not have support from the surrounding community.

  • Every resident deserves to feel safe and welcome in their neighborhood. When a property, including a group home, repeatedly generates calls for service or code violations, the city has a responsibility to step in, enforce the rules, and protect both neighbors and vulnerable residents. I support working with staff, colleagues, and community partners on tools that hold those responsible accountable while not stigmatizing people who rely on group homes or other supportive settings. The focus should be on safety, quality care, and responsible ownership, not on punishing people for needing help.

Growth, Development, and Transportation: Balancing economic opportunity with neighborhood character.

  • Downtown Tempe and Mill Avenue are regional assets, and we have to understand how to maximize that reality to the benefit of the entire city. Refreshing Mill after decades without major updates is vital to building an environment that welcomes visitors, supports our local businesses, and generates sales and bed tax revenues that help fund parks, public safety, and services across the city. The current downtown Mill Avenue Refresh project is also about ensuring downtown is a place where residents feel comfortable bringing their families. Thoughtful design, good planning, and strong partnerships will help us keep downtown vibrant without losing some of the vital character of Mill that all of us know and love.

  • Reliable and affordable transit is important for students, workers, and visitors., Light rail expansion into Mesa strengthens our regional connections, supports local businesses, and makes it easier for Tempe residents and visitors to enjoy spring training and other attractions across the East Valley. I will ask hard questions about equity, ridership impacts, and possible discount programs or subsidies. Our goal should be a system that is financially sustainable and still serves the people who need it most.

    Consider: Reliable and affordable transit is essential for students, workers, and visitors. Expanding the streetcar into Mesa strengthens regional connections, supports local businesses, and makes it easier for Tempe residents and visitors to reach spring training games and other attractions across the East Valley. As expansion projects are proposed, I will ask hard questions about equity, ridership impacts, and opportunities for fare discounts or subsidies. Our goal should be a transit system that is financially sustainable while still serving the people who rely on it most.

  • Tempe residents get around in many different ways and, while we’ve made progress, our transportation system needs to continue evolving to better reflect that reality. I support a balanced approach that maintains good roads, expands safe bike and pedestrian connections, including dedicated paths like the Country Club Way Path that separate cyclists from vehicle traffic, and improves transit links between neighborhoods and key retail, entertainment, and job centers. When we design streets that work for people walking, biking, riding the bus, and driving, we improve safety. Smart transportation planning also supports economic development and reduces long-term infrastructure costs.

Parks, Quality Of Life, And Community Spaces: Strong neighborhoods and places where people connect.

  • A fun fact: Tempe has the most parks per capita in the state of Arizona! Our parks are part of what makes Tempe feel like a small community in a big metro area. I support continued investment in parks, playgrounds, shade, lighting, and amenities like dog parks so people of all ages have spaces to gather, play, and relax. As we plan improvements, I listen closely to neighbors about what works, what feels safe, and where upgrades are needed most, so investments are spread fairly throughout the city. Parks are not just extras; they are core pieces of our quality of life.

Inclusion, Democracy, and Good Government: Trust, fairness, and welcoming values.

  • At the end of the day, my responsibility is to the people who live and work here, and I expect to be judged on my record. I understand why people are concerned about money in politics, and I share the belief that decisions must always put residents first. My commitment is to transparency and integrity: complying with all disclosure laws, being clear about who supports my campaign, and making decisions that are in the best interest of Tempe, regardless of who donates. It’s why I published my Q3 campaign finance report despite not being required to. I welcome support from individuals and organizations that care about our city’s future, but my votes are not for sale.

  • Item dTempe is a welcoming and inclusive city. Given the tragic and disturbing events involving ICE officers over the past week and the rumors that the Phoenix is about to be their next area, I think it’s appropriate to reiterate that Tempe PD does not and will not participate in immigration enforcement. Our community is safest when residents feel secure reporting crimes, seeking care, and sending their children to school without fear. As the child of immigrants myself, I feel deeply that protecting the dignity and rights of every Tempe resident is fundamental to who we are and I will do all in my power to do that.

  • Democracy works best when more people take part. I support making it easier to register and stay informed through city partnerships with community groups, schools, and nonprofits that help residents register to vote and understand their options. Providing nonpartisan information about city issues, using multiple languages, and promoting early voting and vote by mail are all ways we can help more people execute their rights to participate in our democracy.

Workforce And Economic Opportunity: Connecting strong schools, good jobs, and a thriving local economy.

  • Strong schools and a strong economy go hand in hand. When businesses look at Tempe, they pay close attention to the quality of our K 12 system, our community colleges, and ASU, as well as the availability of early childhood care. By supporting safe neighborhoods, good infrastructure, and partnerships that give students real-world experience like the Tempe Career Ready Program, the city helps build the kind of educated workforce that attracts quality employers. In turn, those employers support our tax base, which funds the services and amenities residents rely on.