We need bold, sustained investment in sidewalk, bike lane, and street infrastructure to prevent the traffic deaths and injuries that we know are avoidable. When I moved back to my hometown in 2018, my first job was on the South 12th Avenue Street Improvement Project, one of the corridors with the highest rates of pedestrian injuries and hit-and-runs in the city. I worked directly with residents, business owners, and community stakeholders, and helped connect both Ward 1 and Ward 5 offices to ensure safety concerns were clearly communicated and addressed.

I will prioritize full implementation of Tucson’s Complete Streets ordinance to make our streets safer for everyone, especially pedestrians and cyclists. From 2019 to early 2024, I served on the City’s Complete Streets Coordinating Council, appointed by the (then) Director of Transportation & Mobility. In that role, I listened to city staff and neighbors and helped shape strategies that center equity, safety, and accessibility in how we design and fund our streets.

This work must be guided by community voices. Through Move Tucson, the city’s 20-year master plan for transportation, we have already heard from thousands of residents about where and how they want safer, more connected streets. But we have to keep listening and acting. We need more open conversations, forums, and creative ways to engage with the community, especially those most impacted so we can address these issues firsthand and build safer streets together.

irst, we need to understand whether our current transit systems truly meet the needs of all people. If elected, I will prioritize assessing whether families in Ward 5 have access to reliable public transportation, safe bicycle infrastructure, and walkable routes near their homes and along their daily commutes. If they don’t, then ensuring equity in our transportation systems becomes the first step toward reducing costs.

Access is affordability. That means expanding and improving transit routes, keeping fares low or free, and investing in safer, more connected options like bike lanes and sidewalks, especially in Ward 5 neighborhoods that have been historically overlooked.

I support free transit as a way to make transportation more accessible and affordable for Ward 5 residents. But accessibility isn’t just about cost, it’s about whether routes, stops, and schedules actually serve the people who rely on them. I’ll push for a closer look at how our current system is working and where it’s falling short, especially in communities that have historically been left out of transit planning.

To truly improve the system, we need to listen to the people who keep it moving. I’ll prioritize ongoing conversations with bus drivers and transit workers to better understand their on-the-ground experience and what they need to feel supported and safe.

Public transportation should be safe, welcoming, and dependable. I support the introduction of transit ambassadors, trained individuals who ride the bus to provide guidance, support, community resources and a sense of safety for riders. As we continue to advocate for federal and state transit funding, I’ll also work to ensure Tucson’s local budget reflects our community’s real transit needs.

Yes

Ward 5 has traditionally been under-resourced, and we need to make sure if the RTA is re-authorized, Ward 5 receives the investment it deserves. I support the reauthorization of the RTA but would heavily advocate for the resources to be equitable.

I live just minutes from City Hall, so I have several options depending on the day. Sometimes I’ll take a 10-minute bike ride downtown, other days I’ll catch the Sun Tran Route 23 to the Ronstadt Transit Center and walk the rest of the way. I love to walk, so when the weather allows, I’d enjoy the 30-minute, 1.3-mile walk. And occasionally, I may carpool with my family; it’s a quick 6-minute drive.

I know what it’s like to rely on public transportation. When I lived in Los Angeles, I didn’t own a car for my first year. I navigated the city using the LA Metro, Big Blue Bus, and Culver City Bus, systems that connected working families to schools, jobs, and

opportunities. That lived experience shaped how I think about access, reliability, and the need for safe, affordable, multimodal options. I will bring that perspective to every conversation on the City Council.