VOTE411 Voter Guide

I believe the most important issue facing Independence is access to affordable housing and I intend to address this by: commissioning a comprehensive rezoning study to examine areas where more houses can be built, working with nonprofit partners like Community Services League to build and provide support for new home ownership, work with homebuilders to examine bottlenecks that makes housing more difficult/expensive to build, and work with labor unions/private industry to hire Independence residents with higher wages making affordability obtainable.

I am running for office because I believe deeply in Servant Leadership and feel that as a council member, I can do more to help Independence tackle problems and set it up for future success. I served 6 years in the Army Reserves as a medic, have 8 years of public policy experience working for nonprofits, chair the Jackson County Animal Welfare Committee, sit on the Board of Adjustment, and hold a Masters Degree in Public Administration.

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Independence faces significant financial constraints in delivering essential services to its citizens. At the same time, the city is poised for substantial development that can expand our tax base and create new opportunities for residents. This growth will generate critical revenue for core city services and enable us to enhance the quality of services currently provided. Our challenge is to balance the needs of the entire community during this period of development and ensure that benefits are distributed equitably. My approach is to implement policies that direct new income toward reducing debt and prioritize initiatives that align with our strategic goals while delivering broad, measurable benefits across the community.

For the past four years, I have had the privilege of serving as a City Council member, working to advance initiatives that benefit the citizens of Independence. In this role, I have collaborated effectively with colleagues to move our city forward with integrity and a clear vision for progress. My experience is strengthened by a background in business, experience as a Certified Financial Planner Practitioner, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration. These qualifications uniquely position me to make informed, strategic decisions that promote growth and improve the quality of life for all residents. I remain committed to building on this foundation and ensuring that Independence continues to thrive.

Economics. Fiscal responsibility must be our primary focus. Our expenditures are outpacing our revenues, which is not a sustainable trend. We cannot continue to cut our way to prosperity. Our city requires a significant infusion of new revenues. Revenue growth alone will not eradicate the intergenerational poverty that plagues far too many citizens in our community. It is essential that these new revenue streams are tied to projects that provide living-wage jobs, ensuring that everyone in our community benefits from this growth.

I am a former Independence City Council At Large Member, serving 3 terms. I stepped down 2 years early to care for my mother in my home until she passed away. I wrote and sponsored the original Streets Sales Tax language that not only made our roadways smooth and greatly improved the appearance of our city. I was a strong advocate for code enforcement and developed a program that cleaned up our city but provided needed assistance to those that could not help themselves. It dramatically improved the appearance of our city. I also sponsored a Resolution to keep at least 3 Drug IPD Police Officers and their K-9s the height of our meth problem. I have spoken at more Council Meetings than any other Independence resident. Here is a link to a video where I addressed suppression of 1st Amendement Rights. https://www.facebook.com/reel/589933656666300