We need to attract better paying jobs, so everyone can benefit from the best Sioux Falls has to offer - we shouldn’t have a divided ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ class, but a strong middle class, and we will do that by keeping our young people here, offering job/skills training, diversifying workforce opportunities and ensuring adequate housing is available. We need to have a long-term vision for community planning. We need to break the cycle of crime, poverty and addiction through intervention and support. We need to target development at addressing specific community needs. We need to balance our outward growth with vital investments into our city core, through infrastructural improvements and neighborhood revitalization. The central district captures our city’s excitement through art, entertainment and more - but it’s also where our community has some of the most vulnerable populations and most pressing needs - such as housing and safety. The central district is by far the most diverse and rich with history and culture. We have to build off the remarkable progress we've made downtown while focusing on the needs of the many other unique neighborhoods in central Sioux Falls, including Pettigrew, Whitter, All Saints, Spellerberg, Cathedral, Covell Lake, Beadle, Axtell Park, Garfield, McKennan etc., and by our main hospitals and colleges. Our transit system should allow for anyone to be able to easily use it without a smartphone. The routes are convoluted and confusing, the schedule doesn't allow for use without significant planning. However, the current attempts to make our transit better have not met the needs of those who use it. Our transit system is broken and needs an overhaul. We need a mix of housing types to meet the needs of our growing population in central Sioux Falls pushing projects further from our core increases reliance on expensive road projects. The current zoning makes it hard for anyone other than big developers to build anything that isn't a large apartment building or a single family home. We need a variety of housing options to manage current and future needs. More: Need a ride to vote early in the April 12 election? Sioux Area Metro will give you one until April 11 We can do better to ensure our core neighborhoods have the opportunity to grow and improve by altering our restrictive zoning and allowing for organic growth. Right now, we are investing heavily in downtown and the periphery, but our core neighborhoods are often overlooked. As our city grows, we need to think critically about how we provide for our residents. The three biggest things that we need to work on as a city are walkability, smart growth, and public transit. What are some of the main challenges facing Sioux Falls that you hope to be able to address over the next four years? If we expand quality childcare, build affordable housing, and grow the labor force, we’ll supercharge the economy so workers and business-owners prosper. I’m committed to protect nature and public health, which requires clean drinking water and pure, breathable air. I detest traffic jams! Not only does traffic waste our time, pollute our air, and threaten our safety, it magnifies psychic friction, leaving commuters fatigued and frustrated. Let’s prioritize walkable neighborhoods and pet-friendly spaces, especially dog parks, where animals and humans socialize. Let’s nurture thoughtful proposals to invigorate our downtown. I’m excited about projects that bring families together. As a city grows, it risks losing its sense of community. Examples include the Tuthill House, the Japanese Garden, the South Dakota Battleship Memorial, and the Washington Pavilion. More: Here's what voters should know before the April 12 election in Sioux FallsĪlthough Sioux Falls is blessed with many beautiful attractions, some need restoration, and some would benefit from expansions and upgrades. And I’m pro-student, backing programs that let kids thrive academically, athletically, and artistically. Working alongside Sioux Falls’ medical community and in cooperation with local churches, we’ll expand and empower mental health resources, emphasizing suicide prevention. Health matters! We can do much more for hospitals, clinics, doctors, nurses, and the great staffers who cure us.

Sioux city journal