ISSUES
Collierville for ALL means election reform, affordable housing, diversity, equity and inclusion, youth investment, healthy communities and a strong workforce.
Collierville Election Reform
Collierville's current election rules are not fair, and they need to be updated. We need to have voting districts so that everyone, no matter where they live, or what they look like, can have representation on the board of Mayor and Aldermen.
The current system for electing Aldermen (called at-large voting) makes it almost impossible for minority candidates to win elections here. This is why our town government does not reflect the diversity of our community. This is why we have never had an alderman or mayor elected that lived on the south side of town, and why we have only ever had two African American Aldermen in the history of our town.
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I'm fighting for fair elections and voting districts so we might finally see geographic, racial, ethnic, and other types of diversity on our boards and so that everyone has good representation in our local government.
Affordable Housing in Collierville
We need to be intentional about preserving our existing affordable housing in Collierville and increasing the number of affordable units in town.
Our current aldermen and mayor seem to prioritize new construction of expensive homes and they reject affordable housing options for our communities. This is a direct result of having leaders who are, themselves, realtors, developers, and investors.
I'm fighting to support and protect homeowners and renters from those that seek to take advantage of them. I am fighting for the preservation of our Historically Black Neighborhoods and Communities (HBNCs) so they do not fall prey to gentrification in the midst of this housing crisis.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Collierville is a wonderfully diverse community, but this diversity is not reflected in our town government.
Our current Mayor and Aldermen do not reflect the diversity of our community. And because our Mayor and Board of Aldermen hand-select who serves on the town boards, those commissions lack racial, ethnic, economic, and other forms of diversity as well.
I would like to establish a permanent Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) town board that would advise and make recommendations to our leaders about how to best celebrate our diversity, how to be inclusive, and how to promote policies that would make our town more equitable for all people.
Investing in Young People
The next generation of leaders from Collierville is ready to lead, but unfortunately, there are very few opportunities for them to do so here at home.
Young Collierville residents asked the current Mayor and Aldermen to establish a Youth Advisory Committee, but the board was not interested.
We have brilliant young people in this town that don't see any opportunities for themselves. If we want to entice young people to stay here, or come back home to Collierville, then they need to know there are opportunities for them here.
I'm fighting for the establishment of a permanent Youth Advisory Committee much like those of other municipal governments in Shelby County.
Healthy Communities
Collierville has many wonderful green spaces, but they are not yet accessible to all.
I would like to see the town conduct a healthy community audit that would identify areas for improvement regarding:
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wheelchair accessibility
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pedestrian traffic and safety
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public transportation
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soil, water, and air quality
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greenspace equity
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environmentally friendly practices that would reduce waste and save money.
Strengthen Workforce
The town needs to invest in, strengthen, and support our workers. There are several ways I propose we do that.
Collierville should lead by example and commit to providing living wages to all our town's employees. All of Collierville's workers deserve to be paid enough to be able to live in Collierville if they choose. Prioritizing affordable housing is another important way to strengthen our workforce.
Additionally, town department heads, team leaders, managers, and the like should get the regular training and support needed to ensure that women and other historically excluded minority groups are included, hired, compensated, and promoted fairly across the board.
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When we strengthen our workforce, we make our community stronger.
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