Goals for Policy
Official Platform
Restore Trust
My goal is to restore trust in the community, as well as within the local government itself. Government should be accessible, transparent, and without pressure for conformity.
● Establish a culture within the local government of high performance: integrity, results-oriented, and
reinforce the customer service nature of public service.
● Commit to a balanced, nonpartisan leadership with evidence-based governance
● Facilitate sufficient preparation time for policy makers to be fully informed before decision-making
● Overhaul government websites for easy navigation and up-to-date information, with imminent
attention to combat media bias and limited discussions. Foster exchanges of ideas for innovation.
Economic Development and Job Creation
Infrastructure
Prompt improvements are essential for quality of life and safety. Prioritize and fully resource
TSPLOST projects without delays.
● Address the overarching 30 million dollar upkeep deficit, which includes water, sewer,
stormwater and roads, where capital is not meeting repair demands
● Advance transportation initiatives like investing in sidewalk extensions and intersection
upgrades.
● Build a strong relationship with the Georgia Department of Transportation and apply for
funding on eligible road and projects
I will be drawing on my successful entrepreneurship experiences to create and help bring in good-paying jobs to Athens, and actively extend support to small business over corporate dominance downtown.
● Promote the hiring of Athens residents in lieu of outsourcing jobs, including fostering job opportunities for
CCSD youth after graduating.
● Establish Small Business Districts with tailored regulations to boost local economy and create jobs
● Reduce bureaucratic hurdles and regulatory restrictions to foster entrepreneurship.
● Support Athens' robust tourism industry, which facilitates economic growth to existing local businesses
● Support the fruition of commercial flights at Ben Epps Airport or railway transport from Atlanta to Athens
Safety for Everyone in Athens
With $1B in drugs flowing through Clarke County, 2,600-2,800 gang members, we must address impact from poverty and drug-use in vulnerable groups, and update the underreported stats to include comprehensive data from the Sheriff departments, ACCPD, and UGA combined.
● Ensure adequate resources for law enforcement/corrections for officer safety while they protect our community
● Address Athens' opioid deaths, which are higher than state average, by having the right conversations with insightful
local non-profits with years of experience and positive impact
● Respond to inmate deaths and staffing shortages within the Sheriff's Department
● Reduce roadway fatalities through implementing safety plans for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists and continue to
advocate for ACC's Vision Zero Action Plan.
● Unyielding position against sex-trafficking and organized crime
Housing Affordability and Homelessness
Athens faces a severe affordability crisis. Costs are rising, and locals are displaced by unmanaged growth despite millions invested in recent years.
● Distinction between "Affordable Housing" and "Housing Affordability" in order to prioritize
higher wages to mitigate housing costs.
● Boost incomes through economic development rather than focusing solely on building units
that outsiders could inflate.
● Build the “A Roadmap to Homeownership” Campaign and team up with institutions and
organizations to rally available resources, talent, and capabilities to educate, counsel, and
prepare Athenians to access sustainable homeownership.
● Permanent housing with managed care plans for those struggling with addiction and mental
health problems, prioritizing facilities over tent cities
● Create coalitions to help fund existing non-profits, effective within the community, to
establish and maintain affordable housing units to those with imminent needs.
Budgetary Management and Oversight
ACCGov has a spending problem, not a budget problem. It is time to prioritize essential needs.
● Verify performance metrics for all expenditures. Require spending accountability from
nonprofits receiving government funds.Eliminate what hasn't worked, while rewarding what has.
● Rein in spending as federal funds dry up, focusing on government responsibilities.
● Provide overdue transparency and answerability for taxpayer money
Ecological Responsibility
Athens is an official Tree City, and has been so for the past 18 years. We will continue to foster this grand accomplishment by public tree protections, urban forestry, and enhancing Athens' culture of environmental stewardship.
● Provide and maintain "Green Spaces and Clean Spaces"
● Promote environmental stewardship and clean energy plans aligning with efforts from
the ACC Sustainability Office.
● Expand resources for urban beekeeping and butterfly sanctuaries