Throughout this campaign, I’ve been asked what my motivations have been in running for city council. To be honest, there are many reasons that push me through the rigors of a campaign. Most importantly is the desire to be an asset to our community and help see it achieve positive and responsible growth so that my children, your family, and our neighbors have a better opportunity for success than we have right now.

Much of this motivation also comes from my experience working as a volunteer on campaigns to elect local leaders over the years. One of my first experiences was canvassing neighborhoods and speaking with voters in Jacobsville for Dr. Dan Adams city council campaign in 2007. During this time, I remember meeting and speaking with families who had lived in the neighborhood for many years if not their entire lives. Often, they were second or third generation families who had experienced great times in Jacobsville but felt as if the city and its leaders had abandoned them. And to me, that sentiment rang true as I too felt the neighborhood had been neglected. It was obvious in the conditions of the roads, its sidewalks, the high volume of empty commercial property, and the tremendous amount of blight in the area.

Despite the obvious detractors in the neighborhood, I could still see the tremendous amount of potential in Jacobsville. The history of hard-working families permeates throughout the neighborhood and the local businesses on N. Main St., near Bosse Field, and elsewhere continue to believe in Jacobsville. Because of this, I believe in Jacobsville, too.

Our recent redevelopment on N. Main St. is a great start in seeing Jacobsville move in the right direction. The annex has laid the foundation but more is needed to ensure that the state streets branching off see the investment and attention the neighborhood deserves. I will work with our city council and city administration to ensure that we are leveraging the Jacobsville TIF District and Jacobsville Redevelopment District financing and investments in a smart and strategic manner while also being sensitive to our families and businesses that reside in the neighborhood. We need new development, new investments, new housing options, but we also must maintain the rich history of Jacobsville and be mindful not to displace families and businesses as we push forward. Together, we can bring needed change to our largest city neighborhood.

Jacobsville Blight
We need to work harder to reduce the amount of blight in Jacobsville and improve the safety for its’ families.