PLATFORM
"I come from a very diverse family. Diverse racially, religiously and socio- economically. That has allowed me to live in this world in a more understanding way. I always want to listen and understand where someone is coming from even if I don’t agree with them. I truly believe we are all one community. I want to work for you. We need to create more living wage jobs, focus on housing, improve our schools, and make public safety a top priority. I know what it takes to find solutions, navigate the complicated governmental agencies, and get things done. "
LIST OF ISSUES
Small Businesses
There needs to be more of a symbiotic relationship between our foundational businesses and our small businesses. We learned a lesson from Covid when the larger businesses were closed down we did not have the influx of people shopping and eating at our restaurants daily. Burbank is a city that doubles in size Monday through Friday. And the loss of revenue needs to be made up. We can only do that by being innovative and saying yes to great new ideas. Creating space for innovation to thrive here in Burbank.
You wouldn’t want your house to look like everyone else’s in the U.S. So why would you want your community to look that way? We should fill these empty stores with someone’s dream.
We need to create a division in our city staff that streamlines starting a business in Burbank. This department will help entrepreneurs cut through the red tape. And be responsible for Burbank applying for federal grant money for our small businesses. Our Congressman Adam Schiff helped secure $1 million in federal funding for the Thai Town Marketplace in East Hollywood It will serve as a small-business incubator for 12 vendors, who will have time to test out their restaurant concepts for three to five years. That should be Burbank as well.
Diversity
When I think of DEI. I believe it means “Yes, And”. This means that we are not leaving anyone out nor are we “kicking” people out. This country was founded by white cis-gendered Christian males. Now we need to say “Yes” to white cis-gendered Christian males “ And” add everyone else into the mix. Burbank was not created for Diversity Equity and Inclusion. But I always want to remind people that there is a huge difference between Fault and Responsibility. It is not our fault that Burbank was a Sundown Town but it is our responsibility to welcome in and create a community of diverse individuals.
There is no DEI without disability. I was just like most people. Taking for granted my ability to walk and be “normal”. In 2009 I was diagnosed with a chronic/terminal illness. I was wheelchair-bound and needed help to do the most basic of things. Fortunately, it’s under control with minimal flare-ups. But for over 10 years my life and my family’s lives were changed. Our city needs to make sure our disabled community members have the same quality of life as everyone else. “And” we need to include our Senior community members. Even though we are moving our city forward our seniors need to be taken care of and be part of our community as much as possible.
Housing
Housing is a basic need. There are people who work in Burbank and can not afford to live here. Burbank can and should offer subsidized housing for our teachers, police, fire, and other government officials. Burbank is looking to build a new central library. As a Board of Library Trustee, I see firsthand the time and care we are taking to get this right. I think that this is the perfect opportunity for Burbank to ensure that this state-of-the-art building includes a certain amount of subsidized housing for the heroes of our community.
Burbank has lost most of its local control. Instead of being reactive toward state laws such as California Senate Bill 35 (SB 35). We need to take proactive action. One way is to develop Burbank-owned land. And use that land to create new housing developments. These developments will create more opportunities for homeownership changing renters into homeowners.
Education Partnership and Funding
Burbank schools have always been considered some of the best schools around. Recently our schools have seen declining enrollment. Our children are not receiving a modern education. Burbank Unified Schools needs the funding, leadership, and community support for a massive update.
As community members, we should demand more of a partnership between the city and the board of education. We can not allow our government officials to sit back and not work together. Thanks to Senator Portantino who suggested that the city and the board work together, the council and the board formed a joint committee.
But we cannot stop there. We the people must ensure that city and school leaders continue to work together to improve our schools. All of our city boards and commissions should work with schools to create a district-wide dual immersion program. Students should have the option to graduate with an AA degree. Access to an AA program would save students and families 50% on their college education. Our schools should be made safer without making them resemble prisons. We need to implement high-quality technology to upgrade school safety.
Environment
"We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors we borrow it from our children” Chief Seattle.
Burbank is a leader in a lot of ways. We should be leaders in the environment. Burbank is a beautiful city. We have a bike path, mountains to hike on, and walkable streets. I am dedicated to ensuring that all of our community members enjoy clean air and clean water. California has a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 or sooner. The plan is to transition to a clean energy economy, and drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels. Again we need to be proactive to ensure that Burbank works towards this goal in a way that works for us financially.
Sustainability needs to be in everything we do not just recycling and we have to educate the community on the new composting laws and the best ways to implement them. Since we have been doing things a certain way for years there has to be information and education on how to implement it safely and inclusively. We need a plan from Burbank’s government officials to move our city forward.