Key Issues

I’m running for an affordable, livable, and sustainable Longmont.

Longmont is a fantastic place to live, work, and play, but like all communities we have our challenges. The issues below are some that I feel strongly about.

You’ll notice this list is focused on specific actions and policies that Longmont City Council can take, not divisive national politics. My focus is on keeping Longmont strong and attending to local issues.

Affordability

• Housing
  • Create more affordable and attainable housing throughout the city.
  • Build more mixed density in the city to provide distinct types of housing that meet the needs of all residents.
  • Add new services for those experiencing housing insecurity and help connect individuals with public and nonprofit organizations.
  • Revisit rules around auxiliary dwelling unit (ADU) zoning to preserve neighborhood character while also making it easier to add more units.
• Healthcare
  • Seek grants to grow access to mental health services that are accessible and affordable.
  • Enhance access to health care through better transportation to reduce barriers to care.
  • Better publicize existing resources for underserved communities to better connect residents to services.
  • Advocate at the state and federal level for new programs and additional funding.
• Taxes
  • Look for creative ways to fund expansions to city services that do not raise taxes.
  • Work to reduce property tax mill levies with rising home values to maintain city services without increasing the tax burden on residents.

Livability

• Parks and recreation
  • Add more parks across the city and accelerate development of long-planned parks.
  • Maintain protections on open spaces and greenways to keep Longmont’s character for future generations.
  • Add better bike lanes,  trails, and greenways for easier and safer transportation throughout the city that connect well with other modes of transportation.
• Public Safety
  • Enhancing community policing to build connections with law enforcement and keep our city safe.
  • Build programs for responding to mental health crises that do not rely on armed police officers whenever possible.
  • Add programs such as gun buybacks to get firearms off the street.
• Transportation
  • Enhance pedestrian safety with more marked crosswalks, four-way stops, and crossing lights.
  • Re-think the Longmont bus network to create better coverage for all the city and access to key destinations, especially both hospitals and large shopping districts.
  • Advocate with RTD and the state for the long-promised rail connection to Boulder and Denver, including a bus rapid transit (BRT) option in the short-term along the re-envisioned Diagonal Highway.
  • Develop a micromobility program for the city to cover all neighborhoods and residents.
• Childcare and Early Childhood Education
  • Increase funding for programs that connect residents with early childhood education and childcare.
  • Advocate for a regional early childhood education district that helps provide high-quality, accessible, and affordable early childhood education for all Longmont residents.

Sustainability

• Environment/Climate
  • Continue on the path for carbon-zero power in a way that does not overly burden any city residents.
  • Enhance the City’s composting program to be accessible for all residents and to accept more types of compostable materials.
  • Look for ways to incentivize sustainable investments like solar, electric vehicles, e-bikes, and other green projects.
  • Update building codes to encourage electrification in new buildings and enhance access to grants for retrofitting existing dwellings at lower costs.
• Finances
  • Seek more grants to expand city services instead of increasing taxes.
  • Grow city staff dedicated to seeking, managing, and maintaining grant funding to maximize opportunities.
  • Ensure that Longmont can fund city services for the long-term without burdening residents with significantly higher taxes