I’m a lifelong resident of Appleton, currently living in the Old Third Ward with my partner and elementary-aged son. Throughout my life, I’ve appreciated what Appleton offers—from its strong focus on education and career opportunities to its vibrant music scene and beautiful landscapes. However, much of what makes our city special has taken effort to create and sustain. I’m running for Alderperson because I believe in contributing to our city's continued growth through thoughtful planning, collaboration, and active involvement. I want to ensure that Appleton remains a place where future generations can enjoy the same opportunities and quality of life that I’ve experienced.

A top challenge for Appleton is the need for affordable, diverse housing. As alderperson, I would support policies to incentivize affordable housing development and ensure zoning regulations encourage a variety of housing options. Another challenge is sustainable growth that preserves our city’s landscapes and neighborhoods. I would work to ensure new development complements green spaces, respects existing neighborhoods, and protects public parks and waterways.

The city plays a vital role in promoting a variety of housing options to meet the diverse needs of citizens. Affordable housing is essential for attracting and retaining a strong workforce, which supports local businesses. With many Appleton businesses struggling to recruit workers, providing affordable housing near job opportunities is key. As alderperson, I would advocate for policies that encourage diverse housing types, ensuring Appleton remains an attractive place for all to live and work.

In my opinion, Appleton is a leader in creating a welcoming community in the Fox Valley. The city’s leadership has made significant strides, particularly with creating the Community, Culture & Belonging resource. While Appleton has made great progress, we can continue to improve by expanding outreach, incorporate formal ways to amplify the voices of our most marginalized, give power and dignity to all diverse experiences, and ensure all individuals feel empowered and valued in our community.

Balancing quality services with funding requires careful prioritization and efficiency. I would focus on reviewing programs to ensure they're cost-effective while prioritizing essential services like education and infrastructure. Additionally, exploring alternative revenue sources, such as state and federal grants, can help reduce the reliance on property taxes. By ensuring smart investments and seeking diverse funding, we can maintain high-quality services without overburdening taxpayers.

Hi! My name is Adrian and I am running for City of Appleton Alderperson. I chose to make this city my home because of its strong sense of community and growth, and I want to be a part of the initiatives and progress that push the city towards a more sustainable future. Residents across the district, especially younger residents, feel dissatisfied and disillusioned with local government, so I’m running to reaffirm the idea that political engagement is important because it allows residents, no matter the background, to have a shared voice in the decisions that impact their lives on a daily basis.

The top two challenges facing the city are access to mental health care and public transit. As an alderperson, I would prioritize listening to mental health professionals and those seeking care. I would advocate for more mental health hotlines and ensure that people know what resources are available. In regard to public transportation, I will push for more hours of service for buses to help residents get where they need to go. I will also work to provide more resources towards Valley Transit.

The city lacks enough housing, causing housing to be expensive. In order for the city to promote a variety of housing, multi-family homes should be prioritized. Finding ways to help finance the building of new homes via partnerships or grants from other public and private sources would be a way for the city to push for this needed change. Ultimately, if prices of housing are not affordable, it will push residents out of Appleton. Therefore, the city should make affordable housing a priority.

One thing I have heard time and time again is that people, especially younger people, have been catcalled or called slurs on College Avenue more times than they can count. In order to combat this, Appleton should be working to uplift and proudly support marginalized communities who may not feel safe walking downtown to better integrate them into who we are as a city. Something the city has been doing well has been offering educational programs to residents whose first language is not English.

Appleton has done a great job in the last few years of keeping the budget balanced and reducing the tax burden on residents. Most residents are paying less in property taxes than they were last year, and we as a city have a responsibility to provide the best services we can while dealing with the realities of decreasing state and federal aid. We have to advocate for what we need as a community by maintaining open lines of communication between city departments, elected officials, and residents.