My goal on the City Council is to make sure that all the actions I take have a focus on our community – on the people who choose to live and work in Newport. Working together, we can improve the lives of all our residents; we can make it easier and more enjoyable to live here. I am focused on the equity of our community, neighborhoods that have historically been overlooked and under-served. We need to remove barriers and enhance access to City resources and services for everyone.
Education and Housing
Education and housing are the two most important needs for a community to be strong and successful. We can’t outsource the education of our children – it is our responsibility as a community and as a government to work to provide the best future for all our students. I want us to work with the School Committee to give them the resources they need to ensure our School Department is second to none. This includes passage of the School Construction Bond, so that our students can learn in an environment built for modern education.
The City of Newport must help to make housing available for anyone who wants to live here, including young families, retirees, and entrepreneurs. I believe that a homestead exemption for resident property can help alleviate the tax burden while still allowing Newport to provide services our community rely on. We must take more steps to address the short-term rentals that threaten our housing stock, while allowing residents to use their home as they wish in a responsible manner.
An Economy for Newporters
When I think about Newport’s economy, I think about the opportunities available to the people who live and work here. I want them to be able to succeed in our city in multiple industries; development must provide opportunities for all our residents. This includes training as well as job opportunities. I want to see the City and our local businesses work as partners in strengthening our community. For example, this year when COVID-19 changed how business operates, the City worked with local restaurants to expand outdoor seating by making the permit process simpler and replacing some parking areas with seating. This type of cooperation makes both the City and our local businesses successful.
Responsibly Building Newport’s Future
We need to understand how development affects our city and create actionable plans for the city to undertake, and when development is proposed, the City Council should support local community groups and neighborhood associations in negotiating to require benefits such as job training, living wages, open space, and more. We need to be considering impacts to our environment and making long term plans and changes that account for climate change. We need to be proactive to ensure the long-term viability and reliability of Newport’s utility infrastructure. We need to understand the impacts of potential development on our systems - utilities, traffic, housing, and more - before approving projects.
Newport is known for its natural beauty, and it must be protected. The Comprehensive Land Use Plan includes multiple recommendations for zoning changes to reflect our community values – we need to act to ensure that our zoning code is updated to include these changes. I would like to see the City work with businesses to reduce waste, move to sustainable energy sources, and pursue other ecofriendly ideas. As a City government, we can initiate the use of broadly sustainable energy sources within our own buildings. We need to manage development with an eye on resiliency, in terms of sea level rise, building materials, open space, and other matters. We need to prioritize resiliency and sustainability in our planning as a City. I am in favor of an expanded Planning and Economic Development department within City Hall - one that can take on large challenges and help Newport continue to move forward into the 21st Century.
Government for the People
Good governance is our duty as public officials to build and maintain our residents’ trust. The votes we cast and the reasoning behind them, both as individual Councilors and as a body, should be clear to our residents. In all our actions as a Council, I have pushed for greater transparency and public inclusion. I am proud of discussions and debate that have taken place on the dais during my term, between Councilors and between the Council and the public. When there is expansive discussion and explanation by the Council, it makes our government more open and approachable.
The City’s actions must be guided by resident participation and reflect the values of our community. For example, we need to include specific provisions for required public engagement in contracts, similar to what we have done in the North End Urban Plan and are working to do in the Transportation Master Plan. The Council recently approved Implicit Bias training for all employees in this City – a strong step forward to helping all residents feel confident when interfacing with local government. Another way to increase transparency and resident participation is to revamp the budget process. I want the City Council to start working with City staff on the budget much earlier in the year; this will allow the Council to have a stronger say in how funding is prioritized and allow for more community engagement and feedback.