Downtown is coming alive with small businesses. We're investing in safer streets for bikes and pedestrians. This is a city where neighbors know each other by name and show up for each other. That’s a strong foundation worth building upon!

But many of us who live here couldn't afford to move here today. Our roads are rough and sidewalks are missing. Most neighborhoods still don’t have walking access to shops, just new development replacing trees and green space. And if we don't act, we're headed for a $6.7 million budget hole by 2029.

But responding to these challenges requires a government that's willing to act. I ran for mayor because the progress we’re seeing in Milwaukie is on the line. And while I respect Mayor Lisa Batey’s years of service and dedication to this community, her policy vision is wrong for Milwaukie.

Mayor Batey has opposed many recent efforts to make housing in Milwaukie more affordable. She voted against incentivizing affordable housing, legalizing walkable neighborhoods, and legalizing starter homes. We are pricing people out of Milwaukie, and we need a mayor with a plan to address that.

Local government moves slowly. Much of the progress we’re enjoying today is the product of past work, largely during Mark Gamba’s time as mayor. Mayor Batey served on that council, but as the self-described “voice of moderation,” she often voted against the policies that got us here. Today she’s stepping on the brakes even harder. Just this fall, she called for a 300% fee increase for new businesses, which could cripple the growth we’re seeing downtown.

A better future is possible. Milwaukie should be a city where you can walk out your front door and stroll to a local shop. Where kids play in the street without a second thought. Where residents can finally connect with the Willamette at the newly built Milwaukie Bay Park. A city where growth has added to our neighborhoods rather than diminished them, and where the people who make Milwaukie special can actually afford to stay.