The Issues
Stewardship
Property Taxes, Economy & Cost of Living
I am dedicated to stewarding Arapahoe County's future with a focus on the budget and fiscal responsibility. My CPA background is essential for making sound financial decisions, ensuring residents can keep their TABOR refunds and have a voice in any proposed tax increases. In a challenging budgetary environment, compounded by years of high inflation and rising living costs, I will leverage my accounting and financial expertise to improve the county's economic policies, fostering economic development and better wages for our working community.
The Great Outdoors
I am devoted to preserving our open spaces and expanding recreational opportunities, ensuring that our community remains vibrant and enjoyable for all residents. By promoting responsible land use and enhancing our parks and trails, we can create spaces where families and individuals can connect with nature and each other. I am committed to building a fiscally responsible and environmentally sustainable future for Arapahoe County, balancing growth with the need to protect our natural resources. Together, we can foster a strong, healthy community that prioritizes both economic stability and environmental stewardship, ensuring a high quality of life for current and future generations.
Wellness
Public Safety
As your Commissioner, I will work closely with Sheriff Brown and our newly elected District Attorney to ensure our law enforcement officers have the tools, equipment, and resources they need to keep our citizens safe. Promoting public safety through effective and compassionate approaches to solving homelessness and substance abuse issues is a top priority for me. By investing in mental health and anti-substance abuse initiatives, we can address the root causes of these challenges, create safer communities, and provide the support individuals need to lead healthy, productive lives.
Homelessness
I will adjust our approach to homelessness by using the Springs Rescue Mission in Colorado Springs as a model. Constructing adequate spaces to temporarily shelter the homeless will keep them off the streets and provide a safe environment where they can receive essential services. These shelters will address their underlying problems and equip individuals with the tools and skills needed to support themselves and transition into permanent, sustainable, long-term housing.
Mental Health
Investing in mental health is crucial to addressing homelessness and substance abuse. As Commissioner, I will collaborate with our new Public Health Department Director and Board, along with private sector and non-profit stakeholders, to expand mental health resources. Partnerships with local non-profits and private organizations will help reduce the county's resource burden and provide accessible and tailored mental health services.
We will prioritize funding for effective programs and invest in preventive care to reduce long-term costs. Integrating mental health services with primary health care at county facilities and expanding telehealth will ensure holistic care. Finally, we will launch public awareness campaigns to reduce stigma and work with Littleton Public Schools to integrate mental health education, fostering early intervention among youth.
Infrastructure
Transportation
I am committed to addressing the critical backlog of outdated infrastructure and alleviating the severe traffic congestion affecting our residents. The county faces an infrastructure deficit exceeding $316 million, necessitating the rehabilitation of 41% of county roads that were identified last year as being in "poor" or "very poor" condition. Previous commissioners have often postponed infrastructure projects to balance the budget, instead of managing financial resources responsibly to prevent such a backlog. Addressing congestion is also vital to support our growing population. This can be achieved by improving roadways, expanding and enhancing mass transit options, and adopting more effective land use and development codes. As your next Commissioner, I will work tirelessly to ensure that every dollar spent on infrastructure is maximized for the benefit of our community.
Water
Water is the lifeblood of our community. I will advocate for a robust, actionable water plan in Arapahoe County to ensure high-quality, renewable water sources for all citizens. We must reduce reliance on the declining Denver Basin Aquifers and collaborate with county water providers. Understanding water's crucial role in development, I am committed to preventing the drainage of rural aquifers by municipal needs while supporting local water districts and towns. With the county's population projected to exceed 900,000 by 2050, I will work with partners like South Metro Water Supply Authority (SMWSA) and their WISE project to enhance water efficiency. Additionally, we will promote water-wise landscaping and expand water reuse infrastructure, inspired by initiatives like the Sky Ranch community.
Energy
As your candidate for county commissioner, I am committed to ensuring a balanced and affordable all-the-above energy future for our county. This means leveraging a mix of resources, including wind and solar energy, while responsibly utilizing our oil and gas reserves in the eastern part of our county. We will also explore innovative energy solutions like nuclear power. In any development that will occur we will maintain strict health and safety standards.
By streamlining permitting processes and cutting red tape, we can encourage local energy production and investment. Responsible oil and gas production is key to providing affordable energy, and we will support this by ensuring regulatory certainty and fostering private sector investment. Additionally, reducing reliance on foreign solar panel manufacturing through domestic investments will enhance our energy independence and drive economic growth. Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient community with a forward-thinking energy policy.