Our families come first, no matter what that family may look like. Tucson’s strength as a city derives from our diverse families, our diverse cultures, and our overarching generosity and inclusiveness. As your next city council person, I want to shape Tucson into a city where all of our families have the resources, support, opportunities, and desire to live, work, and build a family in our city.

Unhoused

Tucson's most pressing and immediate need: our unhoused citizens. All levels of government have devoted a massive amount of resources to this, but the problems are worsening and the results are not as significant as we need them to be. A 2024 study found that Arizona is spending approximately $1 billion each year attempting to improve the situation [1]. That equates to $72,000.00 per unhoused person. Yet, the homeless population has increased more than 50% in the past five years. Alongside these government efforts are the dozens of non-profits and faith-based organizations that devote significant resources to the unhoused. 

The unhoused are Tucson’s family too. We must and will do a better job integrating the most vulnerable people of Tucson back into a safer, healthier, and more productive environment by using the resources we already have in a more efficient way. The solutions to these problems are within our reach, but we must prioritize a more dedicated allocation of resources to address the immediate need of low-barrier housing. 

Safe Streets

Tucson’s streets are known for being unsafe. In 2023, Tucson had the third highest pedestrian fatality rate in the country [2]. As a personal injury attorney, I see firsthand the devastation that our unsafe streets wreak upon Tucson’s families. We must do a better job prioritizing our projects on pedestrian infrastructure and road maintenance. We need more sidewalks in our neighborhoods, more lighting at intersections, and more dedicated bike infrastructure that takes cyclists out of the dangerous high-traffic corridors.

High-Quality Jobs

When considering the economic viability of our city, Tucson needs to look to our future. Only with a more stable tax base can we have the revenue needed to build the city that our future generations deserve. This means giving businesses the tools they need to grow and thrive and bringing more employers into Tucson. Our tourism industry is a testament to Tucson’s desirability, and we must use the lessons learned in the tourism sector to encourage employers to add jobs to our community. People want to live here, but the lack of high-quality jobs means that Tucson’s talented professionals are forced to relocate. 

I love my hometown Tucson. Our home is naturally beautiful and culturally diverse, and we deserve an economy that matches it. We can be the city that has it all, but it takes a lot of hard work and new perspectives. As your next city council member, I am the person with the skills, focus, and passion to take us there.

[1] Common Sense Institute of Arizona: Reforming Arizona’s Homeless System, September, 2024. https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/arizona/research/housing-and-our-community/reforming-arizonas-homeless-service-ecosystem

[2] Smart Growth America Dangerous by Design 2024 https://smartgrowthamerica.org/dangerous-by-design/