ISSUES

Top-notch police and fire departments

San Jose is a big city with a small-town feel. We’re one of the safest urban areas in the country, and we need to keep it that way.

At City Hall, I will stand up to prevent cuts to our police and fire departments and to increase funding for gang prevention and neighborhood watch programs. We need to invest in public safety to ensure we have adequate resources for a growing city. The safety of our children, families and neighborhoods is a top priority and should not be compromised.

Reducing traffic congestion

The traffic situation in San Jose and District 8 is unacceptable. When we’re trapped in a traffic jam, we spend less time working, relaxing and being with our families. And gridlock is bad for the health of our region. It increases air pollution and hurts our local economy.

We must take immediate steps to invest in public transportation and modernize our highways, including fixing the Yerba Buena/Capitol Expressway interchange to reduce congestion around Evergreen. I believe this is a regional problem with a regional solution. As councilmember, I will work with state and local government to find a lasting solution that keeps us moving.

In addition, I am a strong supporter of intelligent solutions to calm traffic in our District and our neighborhoods. These include measures such as improved traffic light timing on major arterial roads such as Aborn, Quimby, Tully and White roads, and (when necessary) local solutions to calm traffic in residential neighborhoods, such as added stop signs or speed humps.

Smart growth that protects our neighborhoods

Growth is important for our economy, but we need to grow in the right way. We must consider how new development will affect our existing schools, environment and traffic patterns.

I believe in smart growth that protects our neighborhoods and enhances our quality of life. On the city council, I will stand up for Evergreen by making sure that development enhances the strength and vitality of our community and benefits everyone!

Economic Development in Evergreen and San Jose

I am a firm believer in intelligent and well-planned business development in Evergreen and throughout the entire city. We need to find ways to attract good companies and high-quality jobs to Evergreen and fulfill the promise of local employment for our residents so that we can spend less time commuting and more time in our community! As an experienced small-business owner and former CEO of my own technology startup, I firmly believe that we can attract companies to our district that will develop new technologies and bring new jobs to our district, and as your representative on the City Council I will fight to keep those jobs here where the technology is invented!

Quality retail and restaurants for Evergreen

As the founder of Involved Evergreen, I am passionate about revitalizing the Evergreen Village Square. I led the successful efforts to bring a farmer’s market to the Square and formed the first-ever Evergreen Village Square Business Owner’s Association. But we must keep working to make the Square a gathering place full of great retail and restaurants, where people can come together to shop and share a sense of community. Our most immediate need is for a grocery store to replace Lunardi’s.

Evergreen residents should not have to drive thirty minutes to go out to dinner or buy groceries. We need to bring high-quality retail and restaurants to all of Evergreen, not just the Square. As a strong advocate for our community, I’ll make sure the city council works to bring new businesses to Evergreen.

Common-sense solutions for our budget problems

As a businesswoman, I’ll make sure city government is run efficiently and effectively. I founded a software company and grew it into a ten million dollar business. Running a city calls for the same skills as running a business; you need common sense and an ability to set priorities and say “no”.

To solve our budget problems, we need a lean and efficient government that does not waste public money. This means cutting unnecessary and ineffective programs wherever possible, while preserving essential services like public safety and programs for young people and seniors.

We also need to find ways to increase revenue without raising taxes. We can do this by making San Jose a more business-friendly city; supporting local small businesses and providing further incentives for large companies looking to move to this region.

The residents of Evergreen have spoken loudly and clearly on what our priorities are for the city budget- Police, Potholes and Parks. As your councilmember I will fight to keep those high priority items at the top of the list and to ensure that the city budget will keep our city safe, our streets drivable and our parks beautiful and well-maintained.

Ethics and open government at City Hall

I believe that every councilmember must uphold the highest ethical standards. If our government is not trustworthy, we cannot make progress on any of the issues that matter to us.

I also believe that San Jose can be the most transparent and accountable city in the nation. As a councilmember, I’ll be in frequent touch so that you know what I’m working on and whether I’m delivering results. And I’ll fight to make sure that all council decisions are made in an open manner, with wide input from our community.

A healthy, vibrant community

Our next councilmember must be a strong advocate for Evergreen. I’ll make sure that we have access to good libraries and community centers, quality programs for youth and seniors, and great schools for our kids. I’ll work to bring new businesses and jobs to Evergreen. And I’ll stand up for you – my neighbors and constituents – each and every day.