Emeryville is currently operating under a $10 million structural deficit—meaning the city spends more than it takes in, regardless of how well the economy is doing. City staff projects this shortfall will grow to $14.5 million by 2030. Without smart, sustainable revenue solutions, Emeryville will eventually be forced to cut essential public services.

To protect our neighborhood services without placing new burdens on residents or struggling small businesses, I support a common-sense approach to fiscal management.

Emeryville is a small city that punches far above its weight. We are a regional biotech hub, a major commercial center, and a vibrant place to live. But we operate within a hard boundary: we only have 1.2 square miles of land, and sea level rise is challenging that.

Because space is our most precious resource, we have zero margin for error. Once a building goes up, we don’t get a do-over. Every square foot of new development must be intentional, evaluated against our General Plan, and held to the highest standard of public accountability.

If you’ve heard of me before you got to this site, you probably know that I have been very outspoken about the proposed Sutter Health medical campus project in Emeryville since the day it was announced. I did not see enough tangible benefits in the initial proposal to Emeryville residents, and, frankly, after a handful of small revisions, I still don’t. However, there are a lot of rumors and speculation swirling online about my views on the proposal. I want to clear up my views on the project, so click here to take a little quiz.

In a city as compact as ours, residents shouldn’t have to rely on cars to run all of their errands or seek out attractive public spaces. Emeryville should be the most walkable and bikeable community in the East Bay. I applaud strides the city has made during the past few years to install raised bike lanes and traffic diverters, narrow streets to lower traffic speeds, and enhance connections along the Emeryville Greenway. We need to continue to invest in bike and pedestrian infrastructure and preserve critical regional active transportation routes.

Every Emeryville resident deserves to feel secure walking our greenways, shopping locally, and parking outside their home. Burglary and theft are constant concerns for residents, and violent crime is up year-over-year, but keeping our community safe doesn’t mean turning it into a surveillance state. 

We need sensible, equitable, community-focused, law-enforcement-approved policies that protect public safety without eroding civil liberties, with a focus on crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED). 

Emeryville needs housing at all income levels so service workers, teachers, artists, young families, and seniors can afford to live here. However, expanding our housing stock requires pragmatic leadership that protects taxpayers and holds builders accountable.

The uncomfortable reality is that developers won’t build affordable housing without government subsidies, tax credits, or zoning incentives. As a councilmember, I’ll ensure developers don’t treat the city budget as a blank check.