ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
BALANCING THE TAX BASE
Recruitment of forward-thinking companies with desirable jobs to help balance our tax base
PRIORITIES
Economic Development
For businesses relocating to the DFW area, McKinney is a highly desirable location to establish roots. As a board member of the Economic Development Corporation. I strongly supported innovative deals that have secured over 1,700 new jobs and more than $466,000,000 in new business capital investments. As your next City Councilwoman, I will support the aggressive recruitment of forward-thinking companies in strategically targeted industries that will care for our community's professional needs while supporting education programs that prepare our future professionals for an abundant work ecosystem. To make that possible, there must be a collaborative and cohesive effort across all city departments. We must also focus on revitalizing a robust local economy in a post-pandemic era. Together we can nourish the growth of our small businesses who care about our city and have made McKinney unique.
Public Health
This past year's events have demonstrated how vital public health concerns are to our community, impacting not only the wellbeing of individuals and families but also our local economy's wellbeing. As a physician, I have seen first-hand the personal devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. I commend the efforts of my fellow health care professionals, members of the McKinney Fire Department, and volunteers, who have worked diligently to implement immunization programs for McKinney’s citizens. Advocating for the immediate and long-term allocation of coronavirus vaccines for our residents through federal and state agencies will be essential in providing means to keep us safe and healthy. As your next city councilwoman, I would like to utilize my clinical experience to help navigate McKinney through the next few years as we continue to battle this pandemic and any variants of COVID that arise. I will also collaborate with our public safety officials to find how to best address the growing mental health needs of our community.
Attainable Housing
McKinney is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. But like many other cities in the U.S, McKinney is facing an attainable housing crisis, lacking the inventory in a variety of housing options that meet the needs of its current and incoming residents As a matter of public policy, we need to encourage and plan for a broader range of housing options to include the renovation and expansion of existing properties. I will support residential developments that provide attainable housing for young professionals, first-time home buyers, new college graduates, retirees and “empty nesters” who desire to downsize. Multi-family housing must be a component of any comprehensive housing plan especially in a community growing as rapidly as ours. But when working with developers, we should encourage quality mixed-use developments where residents can live, work and play. As your City Councilwoman, I will be committed to the development of innovative solutions to the housing needs of our growing community.
Public Safety
We all know that McKinney is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. It is imperative that we focus on keeping McKinney the safest place for our children to flourish and for all of our residents to thrive. As a citizen of this community, I have welcomed opportunities to address and support public safety issues in our city by serving on the Advisory Council for McKinney’s Police Chief Greg Conley, and by serving on the Advisory Board for the Collin College Law Enforcement Academy. As a member of the Public Safety Bond Committee, I helped to secure funding for the expansion of our public safety infrastructure. And as your Councilwoman, I will be vigilant in ensuring that resources continue to be marshalled to support the staffing, training, and infrastructure needed by our Fire and Police Departments as our city continues to grow. I will also support the expansion of our Neighborhood Police Officer program which helps to foster positive relationships between law enforcement and members of our community.
Small Business Recovery
The effects of COVID-19 on our economy and everyday life have been devastating and the long term effects of this pandemic on our economy have yet to be seen. Among the most brutal hits were to small businesses, many of which are still in jeopardy of closing their doors forever. Evaluating the ongoing impact on small businesses by gaining feedback through surveys, conversations, online platforms and forums will help find solutions that are sustaining. Community wide programs such as the "Buy Local" program and "One Heart McKinney" have been a lifeline to so many. Expanding those programs by collaborating with our Community Development Corporation and the McKinney Chamber of Commerce to provide sustained financial support of those businesses will be my mission.
Citizen Engagement
Last year McKinney ranked #4 on the list of the fastest growing cities in Texas and #11 nationally according to the US Census Bureau. Clearly, our town is no longer the small town that it was 20 years ago, and some of us may think that the city has grown too large for our individual voice to be heard or to make a difference. As we witness the rapid growth in population numbers each year, we also recognize increases in other metrics as well. We are growing more economically, racially, religiously, and culturally diverse. But amidst our diversity, we all still share a common desire to maintain those small-town values and the sense of neighborly concern that have characterized McKinney for so long. If we hope to maintain those values in shaping the course of our community’s development, we must facilitate more citizen engagement with elected leaders and meaningful citizen participation in civic decision making. Democracy is only as good as the people who participate in it. That’s why I have chosen to run for City Council, because I believe that the voice and concerns of every member of our community should be heard as we plan McKinney’s future. As your Councilwoman, I will actively seek out your input, your civic engagement in envisioning and shaping the McKinney we all want for our families and neighbors.
