ON THE ISSUES

Average rent in Lexington has increased 47% since 2019, and home ownership has become the stuff of lottery-winning dreams.

Even with record-high spending in cost-abatement, there has been no sign of prices decreasing for working families. This is a problem that cannot be solved by subsidizing demand but must be addressed at building supply.

Our zoning laws and regulations are an outdated relic of the 1960s, and prevent the construction of affordable OWNABLE housing, locking Lexingtonians into two camps- working renter or wealthy owner. We must allow more pathways for people to build the kinds of houses they can afford, letting them and their families build up wealth and reducing the pressure on our renting market, bringing down prices for them.

Traffic has gotten worse, and the number of fatal accidents has increased. It is time to be creative with how we address this growing crisis.

Decreasing sightlines (the distance from either side of the road to any structure or thing that obstructs view) naturally decreases speeding without the need for annoying speed bumps, additional stop signs, or anything that may impede the general flow of traffic. Through something as simple as planting trees along roads, or rethinking walkability, we can reduce traffic, reduce speeding, and create a more pleasant environment for existing in your community.

Lexington levies more in taxes than many cities around us, including a municipal income tax. It is absolutely the Council’s duty to make sure every dime is being utilized efficiently and effectively.

I am absolutely committed to reducing outdated bureaucracy and cutting waste to ensure that we can use our tax dollars to investment in our community without having to increase taxes for working people and retirees who are already surviving paycheck-to-paycheck.

For every dollar spent at a nationally scaled business, only 43% remains in Lexington. For our crucial small businesses, it is 68%. Encouraging small businesses to open, expand, and employ is crucial to our local government, our community, and our future.

Kentucky has had success with allowing for tax rebates for businesses that bring investment/tourism dollars. I would like to work to create a local version, that would allow any entrepreneur to keep a portion of their city taxes to offset the many costs associated with opening a new business, thus allowing for new opportunities which create growth, employment, and community for all.

Lexington currently has 70 Community Boards and Commissions which are the frontline for Lexingtonians getting their say on matters they’re passionate about. Tragically, roles remain unclearly defined, vacancies are rampant, and many meet during common working hours, making them hard to access for working class Lexingtonians.

I would like to conduct an overarching review to merge duplicative committees, create requirements that judge based on passion and involvement and not a college degree and closeness with current elected officials, and allow for the easy creation/abolition of ad hoc committees for timely issues, allowing citizens to prioritize what is timely, and not Council.

With a simplified, more inclusive system we can ensure that more Lexingtonians have a chance to use their passions to improve our community.

We are in the throes of a loneliness and a mental health epidemic. It is crucial for our mental AND our physical health to be plugged into our communities.

I would work to establish a first-in-kind Third Space Commission of passionate Lexingtonians to create a coherent list and map of everywhere in Lexington that can count as a third space, and grant recognition to those businesses and spaces that provide this crucial engine for community and mental health. With this information, we can better plan for future development of the city outside of the simple notion of where we live and where we work.