1. As the City Budget tightens in response to the economic downturn, and in response to a projected long-term revenue gap, which programs and services should receive the highest priority?
I would put police and fire departments at the top of the list, they provide vital services to all of our community members and deserve financial stability and support. The budget is a tricky thing, to see so much of it decrease calls for the City Council to trim not only some large pieces, but to streamline all of the departments as well. It calls for the next council to be not only pragmatic, but also creative and willing to take bold actions if needed. From consolidating our city vehicles into a shared fleet to freezing all extraneous purchases, each action could help tilt us towards the positive. I'm generally against firing employees during times of economic hardships, it's often a quick fix that can have long term effects in the community. That being said, every department's budget should be revisited regularly and with open dialogue between the council, the city staff and the community about ongoing projects and services. These kinds of conversations are what pinpoint the holes and wastes in any budget.
2. The current City Council has identified as one of its priorities creating a welcoming, inclusive and safe community for all. How can our police department best support this vision?
Our police department can help by supporting continuing education classes that focus on tolerance and mediation. We could also build better bridges between our officers and our civilians by promoting more social interaction between the two groups. When I was a little girl we used to attend a 'policeman VS fireman' themed fair once a summer, we had a chance to see our officers in a setting that wasn't connected to the law and they were able to see the support that the community has for them ( there was always a cake and quilt raffle to raise money for them ). Support back from their community is something they might not see as much as we think, and something that would benefit them when trying to promote a safe and welcoming environment to Boulder's citizens. Plus it would bring a fun, annual, low key event to Boulder.
3. The City has made many fine efforts to solicit input from underrepresented communities, such as the “Meetings-in-a-Box” component of the last community survey. Participants often feel, however, that they do not know what happens as a result. How can the City do a better job of following up with those underrepresented communities on their input?
I think we can improve upon our internet networking for the city, find a way to blog online what City Council finds as they investigate and discuss citizen feedback, it's an easy way to build a connection and offer transparent communication. I've read about 4% of Boulder is without access to the internet, so the numbers are in favor of more online exchanges. This would be a quick, easy, cheap way to reach back out to our citizens after they've contributed. I think this is a huge problem with council right now, there are lots of people in the middle who don't feel motivated or welcome to share their thoughts on current issues. Without a feeling of accessibility and worth, most citizens simply avoid getting involved, this does not foster a healthy and balanced community.
4. What is your position relative to the City’s diversity initiative and what more can or should the City do to support expanded leadership representation for underrepresented communities on Boards and Commissions and on City staff? Would you, for example, support a City Charter amendment to allow resident non-citizens to serve on Boards and Commissions?
I'm always in favor of finding ways to get more people involved in their local government, especially the underrepresented. I'm running in hopes of bringing a voice to council that reflects the real struggles of Boulder's working class. I think it's crucial Boulder maintain a diverse panel of citizens on its Boards and Commissions, this is the only way we can truly get a feel for our community's needs and evolution. I would promote a feeling of inclusiveness when dealing with city staffing, reaching out into our community more with employment opportunities and finding new avenues to network through. As for allowing resident non-citizens on Boards and Commissions, I would have to hear the arguments and decide if there's merit to the idea.
5. Mobile homes provide some of the most affordable housing in Boulder, but mobile home residents are quite vulnerable because landlords control pad rent and park management. What should the City's role be in preserving this form of housing and protecting mobile home residents?
The city needs to take action to retain these mobile home parks. I think the affordable housing program in Boulder could be expanded to include future purchases of mobile home parks as they come up for sale in the city. We talk about the affordable housing program as if it's actually affordable to the working class, but the reality of it is that Boulder's working class lives in our mobile parks and rental units. I think the city could be more aggressive in making decisions now that protect the future of our mobile homes, we have already lost vital housing in Boulder due to this issue, we shouldn't sacrifice any more neighborhoods. Boulder's true affordable housing is its rentals and mobile home parks and this part of the population needs a voice on City Council to help with these decisions.
6. Many in the community feel that the contamination issue at Valmont Butte, a sacred Arapaho site and home to an historic settler’s cemetery, remains unresolved. How would you propose to address this issue?
From what I can gather we would need to prove the seller of the property did not disclose the full extent to which the land had been contaminated and then we could pursue legal action to make them help fund the clean up of the site. I feel that no matter what, we need to continue with monitoring and sampling the area and with future clean up plans. I full heartedly support any efforts to clean up Valmont Butte, it's a piece of land that should be returned to its historical roots.
7. Would you consider ensuring access to recreational and sports activities for children and youth of all backgrounds a priority? If so, how would you accomplish this?
I know we're lucky enough to already have an organization in place in Boulder right now that does this exact thing for children in low income housing, the Youth Services Initiative. I think it's very important we continue to support programs like this, it benefits the future generations of Boulder residents to protect and invest in our youth programs today. Children of low income families struggle enough with the extra burdens that come with their family's financial difficulties, to give them this opportunity gives them hope and a sense of acceptance. I would like to see more children included in this program if possible, I understand the guidelines, but I think there are more children that could be involved if they we encouraged to apply. Their parents could either pay a sliding scale fee or trade volunteer hours for their child's participation fee, either way there is a need for these kinds of programs geared towards low income families and I bet if there was a way to include more kids stuck in the fringe, they would come. Linking these programs up with rental properties and government agencies could help spread the word about the program, too.
