ISSUES

DEVELOPMENT, REDEVELOPMENT, AND SPRAWL

I will fight to keep the urban service boundary where it is and will not vote in favor of development outside of it.

Growth is inevitable. I am not against growth, but I am not for uncontrolled growth that creates sprawl and gridlock. People are attracted to our county because it is different from the counties to the north and south of us. If we continue down the path we are on, our charm and appeal will be lost.

Large developers seem to always get their way with increased densities and other incentives while the average working people of Martin County struggle against the regulatory hurdles of building in their own backyards, and on their own property. I will work to streamline the process for the average citizen and make fees as low as possible.

I am not in favor of the Rural Lifestyle Land Use Designation, which is being used in Hobe Sound as a way for investors to develop Martin County in ways that locals do not want.

Let’s keep Martin County the one place on Florida’s southeast coast that preserves our small-town feel.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The County Commission should not be trying to pick winners by offering exclusive deals to particular corporations that they like. Time and time again, out-of-state and/or out-of-county businesses are offered special deals to attract them here while long-time Martin County businesses get nothing. Taxes should be low as possible for everyone, not for just a few.

COVID

I watched as our liberties and our way of life have come under attack from federal, state, and local government officials during the era of COVID. I have seen the realities of the pandemic firsthand as a frontline worker in the COVID ICU unit. The most important battle in the time of COVID has not been against the virus, but against government overreach exercised under the banner of public health.

My opponent and her fellow county commissioners chose authoritarianism in their response to COVID. From the closing of parks and beaches to mask mandates to passing ordinances with the penalty of fines and arrest, they got it wrong.

FIRST RESPONDERS

I believe we should have the best-trained and best-supported Sheriff’s Office and Fire Rescue in the region. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office has a reputation for being tough on crime and keeping the citizens safe and I want to keep it that way. One of the best uses of tax dollars is making sure our first responders are well equipped.

TAXES

I will comb through the county’s budget with an eye for cutting excessive expenditures. Now more than ever our tax dollars must be wisely spent so that during an economic downturn we are well prepared. I am open to creative solutions such as privatizing certain county services to ensure that our tax dollars are used in the most efficient way possible.

CLEAN WATER

The fight for clean water has been ongoing for decades. As your Martin County Commissioner, I will continue the fight to improve the water quality of our rivers.