Public Policy Priorities
Four years ago, I campaigned on addressing global climate change at the local level, stewardship of Tucson’s water supply, and advocating for and assisting Ward 3 neighborhoods. I will continue working in these areas, with an emphasis on housing and the unsheltered. Moving ahead, I will be involved in shaping Tucson’s water policy as we navigate the shrinking Colorado River. I will work to balance new development and growth while not losing sight of the City’s climate goals in the face of extreme heat and record-breaking temperatures. Our City, like many cities, has a homelessness crisis that overlaps with an opioid epidemic. On a more specific basis I plan to help with a new contract for the City’s recycling services, making sure the City utilizes or markets methane gas produced at the landfill (rather than let it burn), working to make city services more efficient, and advocating for Ward 3 neighborhoods, parks, and pools.
Qualifications and Experience
My qualification for this position is that I was elected and have served for the past three and a half years, building relationships with constituents, non-profits, the business community, City staff, my colleagues on the Council, and Mayor Romero. I know it takes relationships and respect to get things done. I have an excellent and responsive staff who are out in the community. I am proud of what my team and I have accomplished. Previously, I had a career in leadership of conservation groups, including executive director of Tucson Audubon Society (now Tucson Bird Alliance) and Native Seeds/SEARCH.
Memberships & Affiliations
Member, Tucson Verde Rotary Club
Endorsements
Unions and Organizations: Tucson Firefighters Association Local 479, Tucson Police Officers Association, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 99, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 570, Ironworkers Local 75, Keep Arizona Blue Student Coalition. Elected and former Elected Officials: Tucson Mayor Regina Romero; Council Member Paul Cunningham, City of Tucson; Council Member Nikki Lee, City of Tucson; Supervisor Jennifer Allen, Pima County; Supervisor Rex Scott; Pima County Attorney Laura Conover; Pima County Treasurer Brian Johnson; Arizona Senator Priya Sundareshan; Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela, City of South Tucson; Council Member Brian Flagg, City of South Tucson; Governing Board Clerk Jennifer Eckstrom; Tucson Unified School District; Governing Board President Natalie Luna Rose, Tucson Unified School District; Governing Board Member Ravi Shah, Tucson Unified School District; Governing Board Member Matt Kopec, Amphitheater Public Schools; and more.
Community Service
Served on numerous boards including my neighborhood association, Mission Gardens, Native Seeds/SEARCH, Friends of Saguaro National Park, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, and Sky Island Alliance. I am on the advisory board of Watershed Management Group and Friends of Ward 3.
Education
I studied economics at ASU, journalism at UA, and graduated with a degree in ethnobotany from Prescott College.
Housing for the unsheltered population (along with mitigating the impacts to neighborhoods and businesses); our region’s water supply and the effects of increased heat; and the ability of people to pay their rent, mortgage, utilities, and daily expenses. Calls and emails to my office include helping the unsheltered, wanting a camp removed, concerns about safety and crime, or problems affecting quality of life (potholes, noisy neighbors, needing help with large utility bills, etc.). At Ward 3 we work to improve the city’s response to homelessness (and we have a good start on this with social workers helping the unsheltered navigate to shelters and eventual housing, setting up low-barrier shelters and affordable housing, improving police response to increasing crime associated with the plague of Fentanyl, and timely cleanup of illegal camps that have been closed down). I advocate to get Tucson Police the staffing and resources they need.
I actively fight climate change and work to help the most vulnerable facing its impacts. I voted for the City’s climate plan, attend meetings of our climate team, and work with my colleagues and City staff to implement important projects. I championed a program to provide grants and low interest loans so low-income residents can get solar energy. This is the third summer my office hosted an afternoon cooling center that primarily serves the unsheltered. I support fare-free transit and very specific water conservation programs (rainwater harvesting for landscaping on transportation projects and new commercial buildings, for example).
Mayor and Council need to be thoughtful about what that growth looks like and what it prioritizes for our community. I have and will continue to champion water-wise development, expanding transit and bicycle infrastructure to reduce congestion, and continuing fare-free service while making improvements to our transit infrastructure and overall safety. People will only use our transit infrastructure if they feel safe doing so. I’ve backed zoning reforms and public-private partnerships to add affordable housing units to our inventory and repurpose underused buildings when possible. Tucson’s influence in the areas of health care and daycare is limited, as Pima County oversees health and we provide limited afterschool programs and summer/school break camps called Kid Care through our Parks and Recreation Department.
I am proud to run for re-election on my record of transparency. We publish an informative and well-respected weekly email newsletter that lets constituents know about what we are working on, how they can get help, and what events are coming up that they might find interesting. We also use social media to push out the same sort of information. I maintain a busy schedule, meeting with individuals, neighborhood associations, businesses, and non-profit groups. Every week I am out in the community at all sorts of events, some of which my office sponsors including resource fairs, ribbon-cuttings, groundbreakings, graduations, tours of projects, and more. I am always available to newspaper, radio, and television reporters, and am regularly quoted on city issues. I am a monthly guest on the Bill Buckmaster talk show. Occasionally, I will write a guest editorial to explain in more detail a vote I am working on, such as the recent “My Vote on the Wash Ordinance" in the Arizona Daily Star.
Public Policy Priorities
I’m focused on expanding affordable housing, building climate resilience, improving public infrastructure, and shifting power to the people most impacted by city decisions. I want to increase housing options across the income spectrum, support walkable and transit-connected neighborhoods, and fast-track development that meets affordability, climate, and community goals. I support water-smart growth, shade equity, and stronger protections for neighborhoods facing displacement. I believe in co-governance, where residents shape policy and budgets. I will fight for humane, community-driven responses to houselessness, addiction, and mental health. Our solutions must be rooted in care, not criminalization, because we deserve a city that works for all of us.
Qualifications and Experience
I have served five years on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board, where I have prioritized equity, transparency, and community involvement. I am also a lifelong community organizer, founder of the Sugarhill Community Land Trust, and an advocate for public health, housing, and working-class families. I have led public art programs, facilitated community engagement efforts, and built coalitions across neighborhoods, schools, and political ideologies.
Memberships & Affiliations
TUSD Governing Board, Tucson Juneteenth Board, Sugar Hill Neighborhood Association Vice President, and League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson
Endorsements
AFSCME, CWA Local 7000, Tucson DSA, Working Families Party
Community Service
President and founder of Sugar Hill Community Land Trust, Service to the People, and The Arts Foundation Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee
Education
BFA, Art and Visual Culture Education, University of Arizona
This question is at the heart of my campaign, what I’ve heard from the community, and conversations we’ve had at doors across Ward 3. The answers are clear: people are worried about housing, safety, rising costs, climate change, and neglected infrastructure. Many want safer streets and also want unhoused neighbors to be safe in extreme heat. They are asking for real solutions to addiction, mental health, and poverty. I will bring in people with lived experience such as renters, frontline workers, neighborhood leaders, and unhoused residents to help shape city investments. Our solutions must be informed by data, grounded in lived experience, and inspired by what’s working in other cities. I’m proud to be endorsed by AFSCME and CWA Local 7000, the white and blue collar city workers who keep Tucson running. They know I’ll listen, and with their support, I’ll be ready to govern collaboratively and deliver results that truly serve the people of Tucson.
Tucson already has strong climate coalitions, but the work ahead is complex and intersectional. We need to assess what is working, who is represented, and especially who is missing. That includes consulting with mutual aid groups and frontline organizations doing climate justice work outside traditional institutions. I’ve built coalitions across public health, education, the arts, and neighborhood associations. I will listen first, then help align efforts across sectors to reflect the lived realities of Tucsonans facing extreme heat, unsafe housing, poor transit, and rising costs. My approach to coalition-building is rooted in accountability and shared purpose, grounded in the belief that those most affected by policy must help shape it. I oppose Project Blue and other developments that threaten our water and bypass public input. I’m in conversation with groups organizing for public power and development justice, and I’m proud to be endorsed by DSA and WFP for my support of this work.
As a single mother and longtime renter, I know how urgent Tucson’s housing crisis is. That’s why I helped start the Sugar Hill Community Land Trust to protect long-term housing access and fight displacement. I support proven approaches like mixed-income infill, tenant protections, home repair programs, and zoning changes that serve working families and community character instead of corporate developers. I believe growth should strengthen communities. I will push for public land to be used for affordable housing, expand access to city financing tools for neighborhood-scale development, and prioritize city contracts and incentives for local businesses. I believe in an economy where care work is valued, wealth stays local, and people have real ownership in where they live. Tucson’s future depends on how we treat each other now. If we center people over profit, we can grow in a way that lets everyone thrive.
Transparency means more than just sharing information. It’s about shifting power into the hands of the people. Right now, Tucson deletes city emails after 90 days, which makes it nearly impossible for the public to access records or understand how decisions are made. I will push to end that policy and make it easier for residents to track votes, budgets, and city communications. I also plan to expand Ward 3 office hours and make constituent services more accessible. But real transparency means creating opportunities for people to participate meaningfully and see how their input shapes decisions. I will work to give our boards and commissions more influence in city decisions and make sure they reflect the people most impacted. I believe in co-governance, where residents are part of the process from the start and have the power to shape what comes next.
Qualifications and Experience
Accomplished Senior Contracts Administrator at a Fortune 500 Defense Contractor, I bring a blend of expertise to my work. Previously, I was employed by the Tucson City Manager’s Office, wherein I became well- versed of the City Charter and the roles of the Mayor and six-member Council. My career is a broad blend of experience across aerospace defense, government, healthcare, higher education, and commercial industries. I excel in high-impact roles, from executive administration and contract management to navigating complex code and compliance regulations, human resources, and risk management, consistently driving success with precision and enthusiasm.
Community Service
Volunteer Tucson Breakfast Lion's Club, Hearts of Gold - Gold Star Family
Education
Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law Master of Legal Studies and College of Liberal Arts and Science Bachelor of Science Professional experience:
As a conservative with a practical, community-focused mindset, I understand that Tucson residents care deeply about issues that affect their daily lives, safety, and prosperity. Based on recent discussions and local sentiment, the top concerns for Tucsonans in 2025 include homelessness, public safety, housing affordability, water management, and economic growth. Homelessness: Partner with nonprofits for shelters and mental health services, enforcing laws to reclaim public spaces. Public Safety: Boost police funding and community policing to address crime. Housing Affordability: Streamline zoning to increase housing supply, incentivizing private development. Water Management: Support UA partnerships for water recycling and voluntary conservation rebates. Economic Growth: Cut red tape and back infrastructure funding to attract jobs. I’ll build coalitions with businesses and residents for practical, cost-effective solutions that respect individual freedoms and taxpayer dollars.
Tucson’s desert ecology naturally brings extreme heat, which our environment depends on and limits our ability to control. Instead, I’d build a coalition of businesses, residents, nonprofits, and local institutions to address Tucson’s Climate Action Plan through cost-effective, voluntary solutions, focusing on clean energy, sustainable transportation, and water resources while prioritizing economic growth and individual choice. Clean Energy: Partner with utilities and innovators to expand solar via streamlined permitting and tax incentives. Work with the Tucson Metro Chamber to ensure affordability, balancing green goals with family budgets. Sustainable Transportation: Collaborate with private providers to enhance bus routes and bike infrastructure in underserved areas. Promote voluntary carpool and telecommuting incentives, respecting commuter freedom. Water Resources: Promote voluntary conservation incentives for residents and businesses rather than top-down restrictions.
I will balance Tucson’s growth with quality-of-life concerns through market-driven solutions respecting individual freedoms.
Water: Fund infrastructure and conservation. Offer rebates for low-flow appliances and partner with UA for recycling tech, ensuring sustainability without overregulation.
Traffic: Back road upgrades and smart traffic systems. Prioritize high-impact projects with private partnerships to cut congestion cost-effectively.
Housing: Streamline zoning to boost workforce housing. Incentivize private partnerships near job centers, lowering costs without taxpayer burdens.
Medical Services: Provide tax breaks for clinics and telemedicine. Partner with UA to train healthcare workers, improving access while preserving choice.
Daycare: Ease provider regulations and offer business tax credits. Support nonprofit daycare to expand affordable options, empowering families.
I will demonstrate transparency by prioritizing open communication and accountability while respecting legal constraints. I will host regular public forums and virtual town halls to share updates on council decisions, budgets, and projects, ensuring residents’ voices are heard. I will publish clear summaries of my votes and rationales, using available data like 2025 budget reports to explain priorities. I will advocate for streamlined public access to non-restricted records through the city’s website, balancing privacy and openness. By collaborating with constituents and businesses, I will ensure policies reflect community needs without overpromising beyond my access. This approach upholds trust, fiscal responsibility, and individual freedoms while working within record limitations.
