Leadership

Orlando has always been my home. For the past ten years, I have been blessed to serve as the Executive Director for the Christian Service Center for Central Florida, Inc. In this position, I have worked with city and community leaders to find solutions for the many challenges facing our community. Over the past few years I have become increasingly disappointed that some of our elected officials have lost sight of the need to seek positive solutions, to bring our neighborhoods together and to push for a common vision for Orlando's future. I believe that my experience in finding solutions will benefit not just District 3 but our entire community.


Growth Management

One of the top priorities in Orlando and all of Central Florida is how to manage unprecedented growth. For years, we have tried to stop it or control it with unrealistic ambitions. Orlando too, has struggled. With vision and strong leadership, I believe there is a solution that balances the needs of our communities and the burdens placed on each neighborhood. Orlando must revisit the existing Growth Management Plan and set practical goals for the next 20, 30 and 40 years. However, the City's Planning Department has been reduced through budget cuts over the past six years. Lets put the emphasis on Growth Management that allows the City to lead this process and require that each community be integrally involved in the solution.


Traffic

Orlando is at the center of every issue surrounding traffic. If we do not have aggressive leadership, how can we ever expect to travel across our great region? Traffic solutions begin at home with neighborhoods involved in meeting their needs for safety and security. Cut-thru traffic will always be an issue on our streets and more emphasis should to be placed on creating sound, easy-flowing arterial roads that will lessen this crowding. We need to support the current efforts of the Regional Commuter Rail System, understanding its limitations and temporary restrictions. LYNX needs to be the immediate focus, creating local hubs that will allow riders to move quickly through the community and bypass the Central Terminal for time-consuming transfers. Interstate 4 will begin a major re-construction within a few months and the City needs to support these efforts by leading all of our regions cities to understand the integration of our future transportation needs.


Commercial & Residential Development

Without the investment of local real estate investors, Orlando would be without the resources it needs to grow. However, development must be consistent with existing neighborhoods and the future needs of our communities. I believe we need leaders who will work to meet the needs of our community and create an environment where commercial and residential construction can be successful.


Safety and Security

This is the most basic of city services. We need to create a safe and secure community in which to live, work and raise a family. Orlando's Police Department is doing wonderful work on a very limited budget and Orlando's Fire Department is second to none. Both Police Chief Mike McCoy and Fire Chief Bob Bowman have challenging tasks to keep us safe and secure. If we are to become a World Class City, I believe we need to give the police and fire departments every resource to do their job. We need additional funding from our Downtown Community to address the growing urban issues of police protection and fire safety. And we need more emphasis on local watch programs in our neighborhoods to ensure that our residents are involved and work with our police and fire services. I want Orlando to continue to be a safe place to live, to work and to raise a family.


Quality of Life

Many of our neighbors move to Orlando because of the close proximity to the great outdoors...beautiful parks, lakes, rivers, and a nearby ocean. If we don't take care of these valuable assets, they will be lost forever. A sound plan for our future includes the environment as a top priority. We need leadership that understands the importance of these assets and will everything in their power to protect them.