VOTE411 Voter Guide

One of our biggest challenges is making sure our infrastructure keeps up with our growth instead of constantly trying to catch up. We need to be more intentional about when and where we approve development, and we need to hold developers accountable for delivering the roads and infrastructure they've committed to. Growth should make our community stronger, not leave residents sitting in traffic wondering why we weren't better prepared. The second challenge is rebuilding trust in local government. People deserve to know how decisions are being made and feel like they have a voice before those decisions are finalized. I believe county government works best when it's transparent, accessible, and willing to listen. My goal is to bring thoughtful leadership, ask tough questions, and always keep the people of Pasco at the center of every decision.

I’ll push for a housing strategy that creates homes people can actually afford. That means encouraging a mix of housing types, supporting responsible workforce housing near jobs and transportation, and using county-owned land where appropriate for affordable housing partnerships. I'll also insist that growth pays for growth. New development should contribute to the infrastructure and services our communities need, rather than shifting those costs onto existing residents. We also need to protect the housing people already have. I'll support programs that help seniors stay in their homes, strengthen renter protections where the county has authority, and advocate for policies that reduce overall household costs, including transportation and disaster resilience. Most importantly, I'll make sure housing decisions are made with residents at the table, not just developers. Affordable housing isn't about lowering standards. It's about making sure the people who teach our children, care for our families, protect our neighborhoods, and keep our local economy running can actually afford to call Pasco home.

We have access to data that tells us where crashes happen most often, and we should be using that information to guide our investments. Whether it's improving dangerous intersections, adding sidewalks and crosswalks, upgrading traffic signals, or improving lighting, our funding decisions should focus on making the biggest difference where it's needed most. We also have to stop treating transportation as an afterthought. As new communities are built, the roads and safety improvements need to be part of the conversation from day one, not years later after problems have already developed.

As County Commissioner, I'll prioritize investments in modern stormwater infrastructure, drainage improvements, and flood mitigation in the neighborhoods that need it most. Every major development should be required to demonstrate it will not increase flooding for existing residents, and we need to look at the cumulative impact of growth, not just each project in isolation. Protecting wetlands, floodplains, and natural areas must also be part of our strategy. These areas aren't just environmentally important. They're some of our best natural defenses against flooding. We also need to improve evacuation planning. That means making sure evacuation routes can actually handle the population we've added, improving coordination between local governments and emergency services, expanding public education before storms arrive, and ensuring vulnerable residents, including seniors and people with disabilities, have clear evacuation plans and access to transportation when needed. Finally, resilience has to be considered in every decision we make, not treated as an afterthought. Whether we're approving new developments, widening roads, or investing in infrastructure, we should be asking one simple question: will this leave Pasco better prepared for the next storm?

Over the next 5 to 10 years, we need to stop treating road improvements as something that happen after development. Infrastructure has to keep pace with growth. I'll push to ensure new development contributes its fair share toward roads, intersections, and transportation improvements, while prioritizing upgrades in the areas already experiencing congestion. We also need to make smarter transportation investments. That means synchronizing traffic signals, improving dangerous intersections, expanding connected road networks, and ensuring sidewalks and bike paths are built where people actually need them. Every trip doesn't have to start with getting in a car. Public transit also has an important role to play, but it has to be practical. We should explore expanding reliable transit options that connect people to major employment centers, schools, and medical facilities while working with our regional partners. Transit isn't a replacement for roads in Pasco County, but it should be part of a balanced transportation system that gives people more choices and reduces pressure on our busiest corridors. Most importantly, we need long-term planning instead of constantly playing catch-up. Before approving major developments, we should be asking whether our roads, intersections, and transportation network can actually support the additional traffic. If the answer is no, then we need a plan to address those impacts before residents are left sitting in gridlock.

As County Commissioner, I'll work closely with the Pasco County School District, county staff, FDOT, municipalities, and neighborhoods so we're planning together, not in silos. We need transportation infrastructure to keep pace with school growth by prioritizing sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic flow, and regular safety assessments. As Pasco grows, school capacity, road capacity, and neighborhood connectivity must all be considered together so families have safe access to schools.