Campaign Phone
480-854-2300
Public Policy Priorities
Mesa needs honest, fair, and responsible leadership. Residents deserve transparency, thoughtful decisions, and city services that remain affordable for families and businesses. Leadership is stewardship, and my focus is making sure Mesa works for the who live here.
Qualifications and Experience
Attorney at Law in Mesa for nearly 30 years, Mesa small business owner, Mesa restaurant owner, Mesa commercial developer
Memberships & Affiliations
Mesa Chamber of Commerce, National Rifle Association, Boy Scouts of America
Endorsements
Mesa Police Association, Arizona Fraternal Order of Police
Community Service
17+ years in Mesa community service as volunteer religious leader
Education
J.D. in Law - Rutgers University School of Law, B.S. in Sociology + B.A. in Spanish - Brigham Young University
Supporting economic opportunity starts with protecting our home and preserving the quality of life that makes Mesa a great place to live, work, and raise a family. As Mesa grows, we must ensure that economic development aligns with our long-term water resources, infrastructure capacity, and commitment to sustainability.
I believe in building an affordable Mesa for all by supporting policies that help keep utility rates low, strengthen our local economy, and create opportunities for residents and businesses to thrive. Partnering with small businesses, supporting a thriving downtown and restaurant scene, and attracting world-class sports, events and concerts can generate jobs, increase revenues, and enhance our community without compromising our future.
My budget priorities are protecting our home, keeping Mesa affordable for all, and creating opportunity and prosperity for every resident. Public safety comes first because safe neighborhoods and reliable police, fire, and emergency services are essential to our quality of life. I will prioritize infrastructure, including roads, water systems, and parks that serve our community today and for future generations.
Keeping utility rates affordable and operating city govt efficiently are key to helping families manage rising costs. I support partnering with small businesses, grow a thriving downtown and restaurant scene, attracting world-class events, and a focus on education that strengthens our economy and expands our tax base.
Every budget decision should reflect Mesa's values, strengthen our community, and build a brighter future.
Good government starts with transparency, accountability, and public trust. Residents deserve to know how decisions are made, how tax dollars are spent, and how those decisions affect their neighborhoods and quality of life.
As a Councilmember, I will support open communication, accessible public meetings, and opportunities for residents to provide meaningful input before major decisions are made. Whether the issue is public safety, infrastructure, development, parks, or utility rates, community voices should be heard and respected.
I believe elected officials should be ethical stewards of the public's trust, making decisions based on facts, fiscal responsibility, and what is best for Mesa's long-term future. By engaging residents, partnering with schools, businesses, and community organizations, and maintaining transparency in city operations, we can protect our home, strengthen public confidence, and build a brighter future with opportunity and prosperity for all.
Mesa's greatest challenges—public safety, water sustainability, infrastructure, economic growth, and affordability—cannot be solved by city government alone. I believe in building strong partnerships with residents, local businesses, Mesa schools, neighboring communities, and state and federal leaders to find practical solutions that benefit our city.
I will actively engage residents and community organizations to ensure local voices help shape decisions that affect their neighborhoods. I will also work collaboratively with regional partners to protect our water resources, improve transportation and infrastructure, and support economic development that creates opportunity and prosperity for all.
By partnering with small businesses, supporting a vibrant downtown, and investing in safe neighborhoods and communities, we can strengthen Mesa's quality of life while preparing for future growth. I will work together with transparency, respect, and a shared commitment to our community.
The most important issues facing Mesa are affordability, public safety, responsible growth, water sustainability, and creating opportunities for future generations. Residents want safe neighborhoods, reliable city services, affordable utility rates, and confidence that Mesa's growth is being managed responsibly.
Mesa’s electric utility covers 5.5 square miles, and about 4.1 of those are in District 4. Our district takes the largest hit when the utilities transfer 30% of their gross revenue to the General Fund, which covers the whole city. We need to find better ways to fund the city that impact all 6 council districts.
As a Councilmember, I will prioritize public safety and support investments in infrastructure, water security, and parks that serve residents while planning for long-term sustainability. To keep Mesa affordable, I will focus on efficient government, fiscal responsibility, and economic development that expands our tax base without increasing the burden on families.
Public Policy Priorities
Affordability and housing access for working families and retiring seniors; supporting local and small business growth through streamlined permitting and city responsiveness; investing in education and workforce development through Mesa Public Schools, Mesa Community College, ASU, and apprenticeship partnerships; heat mitigation and climate resilience with a focus on tree canopy and shade infrastructure in older West Mesa neighborhoods; safer and more walkable neighborhoods with improved bike lanes, pedestrian crossings, and transit connectivity; transparent and community-centered public safety policies.
Qualifications and Experience
I have served six years on Mesa's Museum and Cultural Advisory Board, including two years as chair. For the past 9 years, I have volunteered as an advisor in the YMCA Youth & Government program and also support Mesa's We the People program. Currently, I serve on the board of the Mesa Preservation Foundation and the Arizona Museum of Natural History Foundation, where I lead the governance committee. I have worked in the emergency room at HonorHealth, at the Arizona State Senate, and in the private sector doing multistate strategic policy work. I hold a bachelor's in Global Health and master's degree in Political Psychology from ASU. Finally, I am fluent in Spanish.
Memberships & Affiliations
Mesa Museum & Cultural Advisory Board; Mesa Preservation Foundation Board; Arizona Museum of Natural History Foundation Board; JustServe 9/11 Day of Service organizing team; YMCA Youth and Government program mentor and Steering Committee Members; We the People civics program mentor.
Endorsements
Organizations: Mesa Chamber of Commerce, United Mesa Fire Fighters, UFCW Local 99, Equality Arizona, CWA Arizona State Council, Run for Something, Arizona Building Trades. Individuals: Jenn Duff (outgoing District 4 Councilmember and Former Vice Mayor), Francisco Heredia (District 3 Councilmember and Former Vice Mayor), John and Dawn Giles (Former Mesa Mayor and community leaders), Chris Glover (Former District 4 Councilmember and Vice Mayor), Dennis Kavanaugh (Former Councilmember and Vice Mayor), Claudia Walters (Former Councilmember), David Luna (Former Councilmember), Lacy Chaffee (Mesa Public Schools Governing Board), Courtney Davis (Mesa Public Schools Governing Board), Marcie Hutchinson (Mesa Public Schools Governing Board, 2026 Mesa Woman of the Year), Jenny Richardson (2024 Mesa Woman of the Year).
Community Service
Six years on Mesa's Museum and Cultural Advisory Board, including two years as chair; Nine years as a volunteer advisor in the YMCA Youth and Government program; Mentor and supporter of Mesa's We the People civics program; Board member, Mesa Preservation Foundation; Board member and governance committee chair, Arizona Museum of Natural History Foundation; Organizer, JustServe 9/11 Day of Service supporting A New Leaf, Helen's Hope Chest, Downtown Mesa Association, Millet House, Arizona Museum of Natural History, and idea Museum; Two years of missionary service in Mexico City.
Education
Bachelor's in Global Health, Arizona State University; Master's in Political Psychology,
Mesa's economic growth has to work for the people who already live here, not just the next big employer looking for incentives. That means supporting local and small businesses by reducing barriers that makes it harder to start and grow something here than it should be. It also means investing in workforce development through Mesa Community College, apprenticeship programs, and union trades so residents have pathways to good-paying careers without leaving town. And, it means being honest about water. Any large-scale development or economic recruitment effort needs to account for long-term water availability. We cannot chase growth that we cannot sustain. Mesa has lead on smart, water-conscious decisions in the past, and we need to keep leading the pack moving forward.
Mesa is facing real fiscal pressure right now, largely due to the state eliminating ongoing revenue. My budget priorities are public safety, infrastructure maintenance, and services that help working families stay stable. I believe in fully funding our first responders. I also believe the city needs to audit where it is spending and make sure we are not cutting front-line services while maintaining overhead that does not serve residents. Growth should pay for growth, and we should not be passing today's costs onto the next generation through debt. But fiscal responsibility is not just about cutting. The budget is how we deliver a high quality of life that we as residents should demand. Every dollar should be spent with intention, because a city people genuinely enjoy living in is also a city that attracts residents, retains businesses, and grows its tax base sustainably. Those goals are not in conflict. In fact, they depend on each other.
Transparency is not just posting documents online and hoping people show up to a city building. Real public participation means going to where people already are. We have to be better at holding community meetings in neighborhood parks, churches, community centers, and local businesses, not just city hall or city buildings. Mesa has dedicated staff who spend months balancing budgets or launching a new project, but we have to be sure the public knows and feels involved in those major decisions. I will hold regular office hours throughout the district, not just in one location. I will also push for earlier and more meaningful community input in the development review and budget processes so residents are shaping decisions, not just reacting to them after the fact.
The challenges facing Mesa District 4 do not stop at city limits. Housing costs, employment, heat, water, and transportation are regional issues that require regional solutions. I will work with Maricopa County, Valley Metro, neighboring cities, and our state legislative delegation to make sure Mesa is at the table and advocating for our residents. I also believe the most important partnership is with the people who actually live here. I started campaigning over a year ago to make sure I could adequately spend time at doors, community events, and one on one conversations because that is how you build the trust needed to govern well. The serious challenges facing District 4 will not be solved by any one person or any one level of government. They require neighbors, nonprofits, cities, and states all pulling in the same direction. My job is to make sure Mesa is making sure we are doing out part.
Affordability is the defining issue, and will be for years to come. As industries cut jobs and housing prices continue to rise, working families need real pathways to own things: their homes, their businesses, their futures. People with equity have stability that no layoff can (immediately) take away. I will push to audit permitting costs and timelines for small businesses and housing development because reducing those barriers creates more local ownership and more jobs. Beyond affordability, extreme heat is a growing public health crisis in older parts of West Mesa where tree canopy is thin and residents work outdoors or cannot afford to run air conditioning all day. I will fight to continue our climate action goals, which were selected as ways to meaningfully conserve water and combat. A city that is unaffordable and unbearable in the summer is a city that loses the people it needs most.
