VOTE411 Voter Guide

City of Flint Councilpersons are elected to: 1) represent constituents' interests and effectively respond to their concerns; 2) engage with colleagues, the public, and others with civility and proper consideration; and 3) responsibly handle legislative duties including, but not limited to, enacting resolutions and ordinances, and monitoring the City budget. My background with providing administrative support within the university and corporate environments have afforded me unique experiences addressing the varied interests of a diverse demographic, in addition to performing research, analysis, and budgetary responsibilities. Skills acquired are transferable and will contribute well to serving effectively on City Council.

Top concerns expressed by residents with whom I have spoken refer consistently to blight and infrastructure issues, as well as public safety. Residents are overwhelmed by the increasing presence of graffiti, neglected properties, abandoned vehicles, unsafe sidewalks, streets in serious disrepair, and ongoing concerns about water safety. These issues not only diminish the quality of life that residents expect and deserve, but threaten their safety and adversely impact neighborhood stability. These and other concerns may be addressed with the intentional development of strategic code enforcement policies and practices dedicated to the restoration and maintenance of healthy neighborhoods, happy residents, and opportunities for growth.

Countless residents have expressed discontent with the tone of the current Council. They are dissatisfied with the unacceptable behavior and disrespect shown toward colleagues and the residents attending Council meetings. Constituents expect their representatives to act like the professionals the position of Councilperson suggests them to be. I understand the residents, and I agree with them wholeheartedly. As elected representative of the 7th Ward and the citizens of Flint, it is my pledge and my duty to represent all with the respectability expected and to handle the sworn duties of the office entrusted to me with the attention and responsibility deserved.

As the current city councilwoman for the 7th Ward, my primary responsibility is to manage city finances and ensure a balanced budget. I prioritize civility and teamwork, which has enabled us to clear a significant portion of the city's backlog in my year of service. The city council is tasked with introducing legislation, setting city policies, and enacting ordinances. With the most government experience on the council, I contributed to the only successful legislation in a bill package addressing the Flint water crisis during my tenure at the MI House of Representatives. A vital role of a councilperson is to provide timely responses to resident concerns. I use my position to cut through bureaucracy and I respond within 48 hrs

Blight is a concern across the entire 7th ward. I work with the blight department and residents to identify and address gaps in our current blight ordinance. The blight department also needs to have more staff and more authority. An issue that has arisen is that blight violations are hard to enforce in many cases. I am working with many other agencies to try to find solutions to the blight problems that have plagued Flint for decades. Public Safety is another issue raised by my 7th Ward constituents. By attracting more police officers and firefighters through competitive wages, the city will be able to properly address the uptick in fires, solve more crime, and answer emergency calls. I work closely with the police and fire departments

Residents care about their homes and neighborhoods, and want to live in a community that is safe, healthy and beautiful. By addressing the blight aggravated by decades of disinvestment, we demonstrate that we value our environment and recognize how much it affects us. The long-term goal is to become an economically attractive city for outside employers, which will draw families to enrich our community and enhance our tax base.

As Flint is recovering from its 10-year public health crisis, I will introduce legislation to address all remaining lead and galvanized steel pipes, so anyone living in Flint can be sure their home is lead-free and safe.