Priorities
Making Housing More Affordable & Adding Workforce Housing
Housing is a fundamental human right and foundational to our health and happiness. The cost of owning or renting a home has skyrocketed across the state and Corvallis is no exception. We are consistently ranked as the most rent-burdened community in Oregon by the Department of Land Conservation & Development. We must create more housing at all income levels to meet our needs, while also protecting what makes Corvallis and Oregon a special place to live.
Addressing Our Homelessness Crisis
Wages have not kept up with the rising costs of housing and other expenses, driving an increase in homelessness in our communities. This has been exacerbated by the disruption of services during the pandemic and rising rates of addiction and mental health challenges. Addressing this crisis requires an “all of the above” strategy to expand humane alternatives to help get people off the streets and into stable housing, addiction treatment, job placement, and other services to get their lives back on track.
Helping Those with Mental Health and Addiction Challenges
For years, Oregon has lacked the mental health and addiction treatment services needed to take care of our residents. The strain of the pandemic and the rise in drug abuse have only made things worse. We must expand access to care and treatment to ensure everyone can get the help they need.
Combating The Existential Threat of Climate Change
Climate change is a reality we see all around us – increased wildfires, heat and drought, extreme weather events, and more have started impacting our daily lives. It will cause major disruption to agriculture and forestry. It is critical we move quickly to cut carbon emissions and help vulnerable communities adapt to a warming world. We must also accelerate our transition to a clean energy economy and transform our transportation sector. There is no time to wait.
Ensuring Oregon’s Commitment to Abortion Access and Reproductive Rights
As more and more people across our nation lose the right to abortion, it is all the more critical that we protect that right here in Oregon. We must also provide the support to ensure that every person who can become pregnant has the resources and services to make the right reproductive choices for themselves.
Defending Our Civil Rights
We are seeing rights and freedoms we have taken for granted under attack and if we don’t stand up, we run the risk of losing them. We must protect the right to participate in our political process, the right to be free from discrimination, and the right to express yourself.
Supporting Student Success
It was a great honor as a school board member to help pass the historic Student Success Act, but there is more to do. Students are still struggling, and we must help them make up for time lost during the pandemic. We must also expand pathways to workforce training, so students have the skills to secure good, well-paying jobs.
Securing Economic Vitality
Oregon has a vibrant and diverse economy, but we must ensure it is serving all our residents. We can and should do more to expand economic opportunity, create good jobs, and build shared prosperity in our communities.
