What I want for Grass Valley

I want Grass Valley to be an inviting and inclusive place to live, work, and play. This means it must be appealing to families, retirees, business owners, and others. It must be safe, have good jobs, have available housing, and provide basic community infrastructure like transportation options, public spaces, clean water, and safe wastewater treatment. 

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These are the basics of what city government should provide and these are things I want us to maintain and improve. All of this must be done while maintaining the city's fiscal integrity.

 

While each of the above items is a topic in itself, here are a few comments on my priorities. 

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Public Safety

We have a highly respected, community focused Police Department. I want to maintain effective staffing levels and provide up to date technology that is both effective and cost-effective.

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Our Fire Department continues to protect us from both wildfires and structural fires, as well as providing emergency medical services (currently being upgraded from Advanced Life Support to Paramedic). I want our Measure B monies to be used effectively by working with the Measure B Oversight Committee and our Firewise Communities within the city.

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Jobs​

Living wage jobs are necessary for young families to thrive here. I will continue to work to broaden our economic base with more technology and small manufacturing companies. For such companies to succeed, and for local residents, high-speed Internet is also needed. 

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Housing

California has a severe housing shortage and Grass Valley is no exception. We have approved numerous housing developments, but market conditions make it risky to build. I will advocate for reducing local permitting costs, as well as to work with the League of California Cities to reduce costly State regulations.

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Affordable housing essentially means subsidized housing. I will continue to seek ways to fund lower-cost housing that suits the income levels of many in our community. 

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Infrastructure

I will continue to support the basic services that Grass Valley offers:

 

• Safe streets for driving, as well as pedestrian and bicycle options

• Public spaces for everyone to enjoy living here, like the Mill Street Plaza and parks with many recreational opportunities

• Clean drinking water and safe wastewater treatment

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I also recognize that modern times require access to high-speed Internet. I believe the best approach to this is treat Internet access as a public utility. Communities that do this are thriving.

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Bigger issues

There are other forces beyond Grass Valley that we cannot ignore, because they affect us as well. So, my vision includes addressing these larger issues:

• Fairness for everyone, achieved by working with our community to ensure city practices treat everyone fairly and respectfully, regardless of their race, religion, gender, or age. In short, I support the American ideal, which is still a work in progress.

• Climate change mitigation, achieved by reducing Grass Valley's carbon footprint, addressing the local impacts and costs of climate change, and supporting Federal climate legislation.