VOTE411 Voter Guide

1. Budget and Growth Management Excessive taxation and spending must stop. We need an independent, third-party audit to restore public trust and show residents if their hard-earned money is being responsibly spent or not. I commit to analyzing every proposed tax increase and city budget. I will not rubber stamp any policy proposals placed before me, like the 52% city property tax increase that one of my opponents, Ms. Escamilla, voted for.

2. Trust and Transparency We must revise the City of Lynnwood’s Code of Ethics to enforce accountability of elected officials to adhere to the upmost ethical standards that you deserve.

3. Public Safety I commit to investing in our Lynnwood Municipal Courts, Lynnwood Police, and regional public safety partnerships. I’ll advocate for after-school and vocational programs, and the return of School Resource Officers.

4. Fostering the Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Let's make Lynnwood a live, work, play environment, a destination city in South County

I commit to investing in our Lynnwood Police Department and the Lynnwood Municipal Courts. The LPD and the courts must be fully funded to keep our community safe.

Next, I will not be a rubber stamp for any new tax increases. I'm not anti-tax, but I want to ensure that the audit is done so residents can be assured that the City is spending our money effectively and efficiently. I would not have voted for the 52% city property tax increase that Ms. Escamilla voted for. I want to see if and / or how we can streamline the City budget and processes so then we can, with the full faith and trust of Lynnwood residents behind us, address finance and budgeting decisions. I will be a steward for Lynnwood residents' hard-earned tax money. I refuse to implement irresponsible tax and spend policies that hurt Lynnwood families. As a union worker, excessive taxation hurt the working class and the economically vulnurable the most.

Residents don't want to be overtaxed, pushed out of their homes, and leave the city they've called home for years. Votes, like the 52% city property tax increase that Ms. Escamilla voted for, are making it more difficult for working class people and seniors to continue living in Lynnwood.

The change I want to see is a commitment to maintaining Lynnwood's affordability for all residents by supporting policies that help all residents-working families, seniors, etc.- to live and thrive in the the city we all call home. I make that commitment to Lynnwood residents.

I also want to see increased communication from the City to the people. Residents have shared with me that they feel that they are not heard by the City, that their opinions don't matter. I know that the City does much in communication already, but the City must work to change the perception that communication is absent. I want to work to ensure all residents feel that they can meaningfully engage with their city government.

Here are few ways we do that. Respectfully, unlike Ms. Escamilla, I will not vote to raise city property taxes by 52% as she did. My policies will help prevent Lynnwood's economic backbone and our tax base--small businesses and residents, respectively--from fleeing the city in favor of greener tax pastures.

I propose working with the Economic Alliance of Snohomish County to create a second economic opportunity zone within the city that could attract new businesses to Lynnwood. This zone would be along Highway 99 and the City would offer a temporary sales tax deferral to allow businesses to delay paying taxes associated with new construction. This would apply to new businesses and new housing.

Overall, I commit to crafting policies that permit businesses and residents to keep as much of their money as they can without sacrificing services, ensuring that Lynnwood stays affordable. I want those who are intercity or working class to be able to afford to live and to shop in our city.

We do that by fostering the arts, culture, and entertainment in Lynnwood. I'm a singer-songwriter/guitarist and I know how art can bring people together. The arts by its very nature, bring diverse people together. Through the arts is how we understand each other and how everyone can feel included and grow community.

A few years ago, I performed at the very first Edmonds Porchfest. I observed that the live music brought all kinds of people to stop by, have fun, and enjoy watching the performances. When I drove home, I thought, what a fun experience it was for everyone to enjoy live art and how much of a community-building experience it was. Unfortunately, we do not have anything artsy like that in our city. I want to bring the arts and thus more community to Lynnwood. It's time that we become a premier entertainment destination in Snohomish County, defining our distinctive cultural identity within the Puget Sound. I want to work with community stakeholders to accomplish that dream.

Safety, Compassion and Authenticity. Everyone deserves to feel safe, whether they’re walking to school, shopping for clothes, or heading home after work. Real safety doesn’t start with fear; it starts with smart investments in the basics that keep our neighborhoods strong. It takes a lot of communication, understanding, and collaboration to address the issues that come with being at the end of the light rail line and having a large shopping district. By working together with our first responders, retail community, and transit partners, we can tackle these concerns and shape a city that leads with both safety and compassion. When we’re transparent, we build stronger communities. I don’t believe in performative leadership. I believe in accountability, clarity, and being in a relationship with the people I serve. Care and compassion means meeting people where they are; expanding transit, improving public health, and building systems that work for everyone.

Research, Feedback, Comments, and having sustainable revenue streams and no financial cliffs.

Transparency. It does not always seem to be apparent or clear what direction the city is taking on various matters, despite public meetings and comments. Also, additional public involvement and outreach on issues that are polarized and/or will affect the pocketbook and underserved communities would go a long way in helping and understanding our community. Sometimes just waiting to see if our constituents will come to public comment is not enough. Most people are not paying attention on that level and do not appear in council meetings until they are already upset. Let's try a more proactive community-focused, community-led, organic approach instead.

1. Continue to support all things small business and looking into future ways to infuse local business into our economy via local business set aside goals on our projects by procuring and utilizing small, disadvantaged, and/or local businesses to do the work in our City. 2. Continue to support public private partnerships for future economic development and growth. 3. Continue to promote MFTE and TIFs to attract developers to Lynnwood.

We have a lot of work to do. Lynnwood, as a fast-growing, increasingly diverse city at the heart of south Snohomish County, has both a responsibility and an opportunity to lead on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The city has taken some steps already (like adopting a Community Equity Statement and supporting the Human Services Coordinator and Commission), but more can and should be done to make DEI a core part of governance.

We can start by creating pathways for underrepresented communities to access public service careers (e.g. internships, mentorship, apprenticeships in City Hall). Host multilingual town halls and community conversations. Ensure accessibility for people with disabilities in all public spaces and events. Expanding behavioral health crisis response alternatives to traditional policing. Reviewing racial disparities in arrests, stops, and use of force. Create a community oversight body with real authority, transparency, and accountability.

Candidate has not yet responded.

Candidate has not yet responded.

Candidate has not yet responded.

Candidate has not yet responded.

Candidate has not yet responded.