Traffic violence is a public health crisis, and it is preventable. As a Council Member, I will fight for safer street design in every neighborhood, including protected bike lanes, raised crosswalks, curb extensions, and pedestrian refuges at major intersections. I support using data to identify where injuries and fatalities happen most and directing resources accordingly, especially in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.

Cities like Portland and New York have reduced deaths by lowering speed limits on arterials, redesigning roads for visibility, and using traffic diverters to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists. Tucson must adopt and scale these proven approaches. We also need genuine community input in planning and design, so safety reflects the realities of the people most affected.

As a member of the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board, I have advocated for the reinstatement of driver’s education as a core component of our high school curriculum. I have also directed our legislative representatives to pursue efforts at the state level to establish driver’s education as a graduation requirement for Arizona students. Once a standard element of career and technical education across the state, driver’s education has been largely eliminated over the past two decades. I believe this decline has contributed to an increase in vehicular incidents and traffic-related issues, underscoring the need to reintroduce this essential life skill in our public schools.

Reducing the cost of getting around Tucson is essential for working and middle-class families. I support low-cost or fare-free transit models, along with expanding safe options for biking, walking, and rolling. At the same time, I have heard concerns from students, families, and bus drivers about safety on the buses, especially since the fare-free policy began. These concerns must be taken seriously.

We need to explore solutions that lower financial barriers while creating a safe and welcoming experience for everyone who relies on transit. That means stronger behavioral health supports, transit ambassadors or peer responders, and better training and staffing. Making transit more affordable cannot come at the expense of rider safety or driver well-being. We can learn from cities that have tried hybrid models, safety programs, and supportive interventions to get this right.

We also need to bring major employers to the table. I support intergovernmental agreements and partnerships that encourage Tucson’s largest public and private employers — including the City of Tucson, Pima County, the University of Arizona, and local hospitals — to offer subsidized or free transit passes, invest in bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and create real incentives for multi-modal commuting. These strategies help make sustainable transportation a practical and cost-saving option for more people.

To work for everyone, public transportation in Tucson must be frequent, reliable, comfortable, and safe. That means shorter wait times, expanded hours of service, shaded and accessible bus stops, and routes that connect people to jobs, school, grocery stores, and medical care. I will fight for more equitable service planning, so we are investing where the need is greatest, not just where the demand is loudest.

We must also make it easier to move between modes of transportation. That includes better bike-to-bus infrastructure, safer pedestrian crossings, and thoughtful coordination between land use and transit planning. Cities like Minneapolis have made major progress on this front by integrating affordable housing, bus rapid transit, and protected bikeways into the same corridors. Tucson can do the same with the right leadership.

To fund these improvements, we need to stop pretending that federal grants alone will solve the problem. I support a forensic audit of the Tucson Police Department budget to identify waste and explore reallocating funds toward community safety and transit infrastructure. Public safety includes safe, affordable access to get where you need to go.

I will also push for employer transit partnerships and creative local revenue solutions, such as parking benefit districts or congestion pricing in high-traffic areas, as used in Seattle and Los Angeles. These tools have helped cities generate steady funding for transit improvements without overburdening working families. Tucson has the talent and tools to build a more just and functional transportation system, we just need the political will to do it.

Yes

The Regional Transportation Authority was created to manage countywide transportation investments, but it has not lived up to its promise for Tucson. While the city generates the majority of the RTA's tax revenue, we receive far less than our fair share of investment. Projects in Tucson have faced repeated delays and underfunding, while lower-density areas continue to benefit from expanded roadway projects.

The RTA’s decision-making structure does not reflect the population it serves. Tucson needs more meaningful representation and a stronger voice in how funds are allocated. I support reforms to the governance structure that ensure equitable input from urban communities and communities most impacted by unsafe, disconnected infrastructure.

I also support holding leadership accountable. Tucson’s elected officials have already raised serious concerns about the RTA's lack of transparency and performance. Any renewal of the RTA tax must come with a commitment to improved oversight, public accountability, and clear standards for equity and effectiveness.

If we cannot secure a fair deal through RTA Next, I believe Tucson should explore alternatives. That could include creating a city-specific transportation funding mechanism that reinvests locally. We should not continue to subsidize sprawl and overlook the needs of neighborhoods that depend on reliable transit, walkable infrastructure, and safe streets.

We also need to expand what counts as transportation investment. That includes funding for shaded bus stops, bike and pedestrian improvements, transit ambassadors, and behavioral health teams to support rider safety. The next generation of transportation planning must be rooted in dignity, access, and community-defined priorities. I will fight to make sure Tucson’s needs are not ignored.

As a single mother, I often rely on my car to manage the demands of parenting, work, and community responsibilities. I have lived below the poverty line for most of my adult life, and I care deeply about the environment, so I want to be someone who uses transit and other sustainable options more often. But the reality is that Tucson’s current transit system doesn’t always meet the needs of people like me, and I know I’m not alone in that.

That’s one of the reasons I’m so committed to improving our public transportation system. When buses don’t run often enough or stops feel unsafe, working families are forced to drive whether we want to or not. I believe city leaders should experience the systems they shape, so I plan to walk, bike, and take the bus whenever I can. But we also need to be honest: until our infrastructure catches up with our values, multimodal transportation will remain out of reach for too many Tucsonans. I want to help change that.