A Vision for Berkley: Thoughtful Growth. Transparent Spending. People First.
When I first announced my candidacy for Berkley City Council, I did so with a commitment to transparency, accountability, and public service, not politics. I’ve lived in this city as a student, a renter, and now a homeowner. I’ve served as a volunteer, digging holes for trees and planting perennials in public spaces. And like many of you, I’ve watched with concern as key infrastructure, our roads, our library, and our shared spaces, have lagged behind the needs of our residents.
As I’ve talked to neighbors and listened at public meetings, the message is clear: Berkley residents want responsible investment, better communication, and a more thoughtful path forward.
Here’s how I believe we get there.
Smart Spending, Transparent Planning
As a fiscally responsible candidate, I believe we owe it to our residents to treat every tax dollar with care. That starts with ending budget guesswork and bringing more daylight into our long-term financial planning. I support creating a structured Citizens Financial Oversight Committee, similar to models used in other cities of our size, to publicly review large expenditures and capital planning priorities. Our budget process should be more accessible, more understandable, and more accountable. Because trust starts with transparency.
Fixing What Matters
Our roads need improvement, and the answer is smarter planning, not just more funding. I support a data-driven approach to road maintenance, where we prioritize projects based on actual usage and long-term return. I’ll advocate for leveraging grants and state resources when available and for balancing aesthetics with durability. Residents deserve to see visible progress, not just line items in a budget.
Reimagining Our Public Spaces
Berkley’s library and community center have served us well, but they weren’t built for the future we’re stepping into. I support a phased, fiscally conscious plan to modernize these spaces, with a firm commitment to resident input every step of the way. Our public facilities should reflect the diversity, creativity, and accessibility that Berkley is known for and we can get there without putting undue strain on our budget.
Density with Purpose
I’ve proposed increasing housing density, not in our core neighborhoods, but along underused commercial corridors like Coolidge and 12 Mile. Why? Because it’s a practical, forward-looking way to combat blight, increase our walkability, and strengthen our local businesses. With more residents living near shops and restaurants, we reduce the need for cars, increase foot traffic, and unlock new tax revenue, without changing the character of our single-family blocks. This is how cities grow smartly, not by sprawling, but by reinvesting where it counts.
People First, Always
At the heart of it, I’m a social liberal and fiscal conservative, someone who believes government should treat people with dignity while also treating taxpayer funds with discipline. I don’t bring an agenda tied to national headlines. I bring a grounded perspective rooted in community service and practical problem-solving.
My pledge is simple: I’ll ask the right questions, I’ll listen to people who know more than I do, and I’ll never make you wonder whose interests I’m serving. I’m not running to pass a litmus test. I’m running to make Berkley work, for everyone who calls it home
Berkley can do more—together.
Too often, the City, the School District, and community groups work in silos. That means projects stall, communication misfires, and families lose access to the very spaces we care about.
I’m running for City Council to change the default from “why we can’t” to “how we can.”
Here’s my proposal:
A shared game plan for any joint project: clear roles, funding, and timelines.
Smart budgeting: protect city facilities and roads, and use the right long-term structures so school funds can maintain fields and courts while keeping resident access.
Transparent tradeoffs: plain-English options and costs before any big decision.
Berkley is small enough to know each other and big enough to do great things. If you’re ready for cooperation that sticks, and fewer last-minute surprises, I’d be honored to earn your vote.