Introduction

PUBLIC SAFETY

As a Seismic Engineer that worked on California's Earthquake Early Warning system at UC Berkeley – I learned that every second counts in emergency response! During a Marina facilities tour, I was shocked to see the intricate maze and multiple flights of stairs that firefighters need to take to get to their protective equipment, jump in their vehicles, and respond to emergencies. These conditions lead to delays, and delays of even one second could be the difference between life or death in an emergency.

We need new facilities for Police and Fire Departments because Marina’s Public Safety building does not adequately support our emergency workers performing safety duties. The City Council proposes to address facility shortcomings with a Utilities Users Tax (UUT), but the proposal also includes building a new City Hall, which is not a good use of public funds when City Hall operations can move to our existing Public Safety building after it has been vacated by our Police and Fire Departments when they move into their new facilities.

I do not support the UUT as written. However, if it passes, I will advocate for reducing the tax rate to the lowest required under proposed bond obligations. My approach would have been to seek more stakeholder input (Marina residents & businesses) and explore more fiscally conservative options such as a special bond measure that only raises funds for new police and fire department buildings, not the bundled approach City Council favors that is out of touch with the economic realities facing our community - particularly for residents with fixed incomes. If the UUT doesn’t pass, I will work with City Council to identify alternative sources of funding to build and complete these critical infrastructure projects as soon as possible. 

I'll also note that City Council should have done a better job of balancing our budget to not have to resort to raising money from Marina residents. But I do understand the urgency of our current situation, which is why I think City Council should have taken a more fiscally conservative approach and only asked for the bare minimum to address the most critical needs, creating a more viable path to gaining the community support needed to pass the measure.

WORKFORCE HOUSING

There’s a big gap between affording a million-dollar home and qualifying for low-income housing. Many people caught in that unaffordability gap include our teachers, nurses, fire fighters, police officers, people in the trades, and service staff. They take care of us and our families, yet so many of them commute here for long hours or face high rents to live in the area, making their homeownership dreams an almost impossible reality. That’s what we’re up against, and it’s our duty to address this issue with the urgency and consideration it deserves.

So far Marina has identified Cypress Knolls as a possible location for workforce housing. However, it requires cleanup before site work can begin. We can apply for potential grants to help fund the cleanup, but that shouldn’t stop us from exploring other financing options and alternative locations to start this work. As well as working with developers to design site plans that increase density and reduce costs (such as townhomes) to make it financially viable for them to do the job and for us to achieve our goal. Let's roll up our sleeves and make it happen!

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Marina businesses invest in our community and provide jobs for our neighbors. Some have been around for many years; others have come and gone due to the economic realities of running a business, particularly on tight margins and ever-increasing financial challenges. I’ve had the privilege of coaching entrepreneurs and advising small business owners over the years, from startup to growth. I’ve seen firsthand the challenges that small businesses face, and I’m here to help remove roadblocks where possible.

Our city has the opportunity to showcase our businesses better, and to show out-of-town visitors and neighboring towns residents that there's an incredible amount of things to see, locations to shop at, and places to eat at while in the city or passing through. My approach has always been about working the fiscally responsible, 'low-hanging fruit' options we can work with to get the ball rolling. To start, I propose to have rotating tabling opportunities for businesses to showcase their products at our most engaging community spaces (such as our beautifully revamped Glorya Jean Tate Park) during specific weekend hours and at community events. Another option to explore is a visitor center and various shopping mall style mini directories around town where people can learn about the businesses we have under each category (shopping, dining, etc). We have lots of potential to work with, and I’m here to listen to your ideas as well.