WORKING
toward a Chesapeake that represents all of us
I've been advocating for fairness in Chesapeake for over twenty years. What began as concerns about student educational opportunities soon extended past school buildings into our communities.
After fighting for workers' and students' rights in Chesapeake, I realized a major obstacle to progress is a lack of information - specifically financial information - from our city government.
As your Commissioner of Revenue, I will bring services into our communities and propose policies that will provide financial relief to our taxpayers and our small businesses. I will also provide citizens information about the types & totals of revenue the city collects and how that revenue is spent via social media and a dedicated website.
Workers' Rights
Fire fighters, police officers, teachers, and other city workers devote their careers serving the citizens of Chesapeake. It is past time for City Council to acknowledge our city's working professionals understand their needs better than the Council does.
Allowing employee representatives to enter into contract negotiation on employee behalf will improve workers' quality of life through improved benefits, trainings, and other opportunities.
I was advocating for teachers to earn collective bargaining rights before the Virginia House and Senate passed HB 582 allowing contract negotiation in 2021. I will support the right for city workers to collectively bargain until they have secured that right.
Citizen Access
After studying the numerous obstacles to representation some folks face, I came to understand that Chesapeake's at-large voting system must be changed to a ward system.
Otherwise, not all of our citizens will ever have a consistent voice in City Council's decisions.
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Chesapeake's at-large voting system has worked for years to disenfranchise voters, especially voters who live in our northern boroughs. By establishing a single-member district system for voting, citizens will gain the ability to elect a representative who represents their community specifically.
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It's time for all of us to be heard, not just folks who live among the huge voting blocks in our city's southern boroughs.