Issues

Note: Come back soon as more issues are added to this page.

Housing

Over the last twenty years, 70,000 people have moved to Madison. There’s no wonder why — Madison is a beautiful city with abundant jobs, recreation, music & arts and other amenities. We desperately need more housing to accommodate growth, prevent displacement, and ensure the city is affordable for longtime residents and new neighbors. New housing needs to be located in parts of the city, not just where land is the cheapest. We have an especially dire need for affordable housing right here in District 6.

As alder, I will:

  • Aim to increase the city’s Affordable Housing Fund to pave the way for new developments, as well as look for help from federal programs.
  • Work closely with neighborhoods and developers to support and improve good proposals that fit into zoning and are compatible with their surroundings. Look for ways to get to “yes” instead of defaulting to “no.”
  • Support Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) to create a gentle increase in density in areas predominantly made up of single-family homes.
  • Support ideas like the recently-passed Transit-Oriented Development ordinance to proportionally increase density near our bus lines.
  • Support conversion of abundant vacant office space to residential or mixed-use. 
  • Work to prevent discrimination against renters with roommates by expanding the city’s family definition.
  • Think creatively about helping people build equity and work toward home ownership through support for co-ops, down payment assistance, financial education and more. 

Madison has a rigorous approval process that ensures proposals are thoroughly vetted, and that’s a good thing. But we can continue to refine our approval process so that it’s not burdensome and an impediment to good proposals.

Transportation

D6 is lucky to be home to some of the most walk, bike, and bus-friendly neighborhoods in Madison. As someone who has never owned a car, I know the importance of ensuring safe, accessible, equitable and abundant transportation options. Residents should not need to invest thousands of dollars into cars in order to easily commute to work, visit their friends, and complete their errands. I support efforts to make transportation alternatives into viable primary transportation solutions for more people.

As alder, I will:

  • Support Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) initiatives and ensure residents have access to frequent bus service through our cities main transit corridors.
  • Advocate for investments that prioritize bus, bike and pedestrian infrastructure to reduce reliance on cars, decrease pollution and minimize traffic.
  • Prioritize transit equity and accessibility as we continue monitoring impacts and making tweaks to the Metro redesign.
  • Support ideas like the recently-passed Transit-Oriented Development ordinance to increase housing near our bus lines, allowing more residents to live car-free or car-light.
  • Ensure access to mixed-method transportation by advocating for expansion of Madison BCycle stations, especially in areas with limited bus service.
  • Support Complete Green Streets and Vision Zero initiatives to ensure safe pedestrian and bike infrastructure is available.
  • Support the potential Amtrak line and advocate for station locations that maximize access to mixed-mode transportation and downtown amenities for train riders.
  • Advocate for fare-free transit for children, teens and seniors, making the bus a more economical option for families and young people.
  • Balance the continued need for on-street parking with the desire to make our neighborhoods more walkable by maintaining sidewalks, improving pedestrian crossings and prioritizing planting of canopy trees.

Public Safety & Policing

I believe in a public health approach to keep Madison safe. By prioritizing investments in resources like housing, transportation, good jobs, and mental health supports, we can prevent violence and crime at its root causes. Wisconsin incarcerates Black residents at the highest rate in the nation. We must listen to the lived experiences of our BIPOC neighbors to create a justice system that keeps all members of our community safe.

  • Advocate for expanded access to the CARES team, preventing police interactions for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.
  • Support freezing the police budget. MPD receives more of the city’s operating budget than any other department. We must invest more in community care, housing and other resources that prevent crime before it happens.
  • Support bans on tear gas use by police officers. Chemical weapons have no place on our streets.
  • Support investments in harm reduction tools like naloxone and syringe exchange services to prevent drug-related injuries and death.
  • Support efforts to end the use of cash bail. An individual’s ability to pay should have no bearing on whether or not they are incarcerated before trial.
  • Look for additional opportunities to reduce unnecessary police encounters. Going right through the center of our district is an overbuilt, dangerous highway in East Washington. Instead of relying on police to enforce speeds, we should reimagine this road as a people-centered boulevard and change the infrastructure to reduce dangerous driving.