Vision
“We can preserve the things we love about Brookfield today while adapting to change and investing in our future. A better Brookfield is always possible.”
Responsible and Sustainable Budgets
Brookfield is a great community to raise a family, start a business, and retire, but as the City has grown and is now built-out, we need to define what a modern & financially sustainable suburban City looks like. I believe in a approach that finds a balance between preserving the character and things we love about Brookfield today without sacrificing the future and keeping an eye towards what Brookfield needs to become. The City is entering a new phase of opportunity where we can define ourselves, adapt to change, and ensure Brookfield is a ‘drive-to’, and not a ‘drive-thru’ City.
Financially the City needs to confront the harsh revenue raising limitations it faces and get on a more sustainable path with its service delivery. We can’t build the future on a foundation of financial doubt and uncertainty with our operations. Solving these challenges will require hard work, creativity, sacrifice, and above all, honest and transparent communication & discussions throughout the process. This is a multi-year and City-wide challenge, but by working together we can tackle it as a community.
Smart Economic Development
I believe in common sense economic development. Brookfield needs to attract investment and development interest, but in a manner that is fiscally responsible and measured. There has to be a balance between encouraging economic growth and development without providing publicly-funded handouts. By focusing and maximizing development in our Target Investment Areas (TIA) we can create amenities, retail, services, and experiences our residents crave without interrupting the charming and peaceful life we all enjoy in Brookfield.
New commercial development can breath life into the City’s aging building stock while also expanding our property tax base. Without new development, an increasingly higher percentage of property taxes will fall on single-family home owners.
Good Governance
As a member of the Common Council, I championed a new and all accessible & inclusive playground at Wirth Park, expanded the fire Department with 3 years of 100% federal funding, created an ethics ordinance so employees and elected officials are held to the highest standards, increased the micro-surfacing budget to extend the life of our local roads, greatly expanded our parks through increased pathway funding & park square footage, and fixed multiple ordinances to improve service delivery and give residents greater flexibility. To learn more about my accomplishments, click here
Improved Accessibility & Housing
While Brookfield is a great community, it does not service all of our residents equally. I believe in making the city much more accessible by improving our housing options to accommodate a wider range of incomes so more folks can live in the community they work in. Better housing options would also provide residents an opportunity to downsize or snow-bird.
Additionally, we have an immediate need to make our community more accessible for people with disabilities. We need to evaluate and upgrade our facilities, services, and programming to be more accommodating. Brookfield can lead the way and set the example. We CAN and MUST do better to serve all of our residents.
Creating Community
Great parks, schools, public spaces, and a thriving library are the backbone of a vibrant and prosperous community. Not only do they dramatically increase property values, but they enhance the quality of life for all Brookfield residents. We need to continue to create spaces for our community to grow and flourish while supporting multi-modal transportation & recreation. That includes preserving our green spaces, protecting our environment, freshwater, landscaping, and full-grown mature trees. Brookfield has some of the finest public and natural amenities, and I plan to build on that foundation.
We need a strategy and a plan to invest in and maintain our public facilities. They are aging, and it shows. We have officers putting on damp vests from the night before because of locker room moisture, detectives crammed in warm server rooms, and a literal crumbling foundation in the garage. The current facility conditions that our police department works in are unacceptable and need to improve.
Transparency and Communication
Local government must be transparent and open. It's not about me. It's about what we build together, and that’s not possible unless everyone has an outlet to voice their perspective on the direction of our community.
Information and outcomes should be shared in a manner that is accessible and legible so our residents are informed and understand the issues being discussed.
Clear and honest communication is critical, and as an Alderman I have consistently communicated to our residents so they were aware of the decisions being made at City Hall.
While reasonable people may disagree and have different perspectives, those discussions and deliberations are an important fabric of our community. Our residents have a right to be heard, ask questions, expect answers, and have dialogue with the City.
