OUR PATH FORWARD

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FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

Every resident deserves to know how their tax dollars are spent—and to trust that town decisions are made openly, fairly, and with everyone’s best interests in mind. My approach is rooted in full financial transparency, clear reporting, smart stewardship, and a deep commitment to equity. I believe that when we shine a light on our town’s finances and focus on creative, compassionate solutions, we can deliver real value, protect the most vulnerable, and ensure a stronger future for all of Hamden.

  • Advocate for the passage and enforcement of a comprehensive financial transparency ordinance, like Councilwoman Rhonda Caldwell’s, ensuring full financial visibility for council members and residents to make informed decisions.

  • Explore options for a public dashboard that breaks down spending in plain language, ensuring monthly or quarterly line item reports are publicly available to provide residents with clear and accessible information.

  • Collaborate with the Finance Committee and Department to pass legislation reforming prior accounting practices, including the full reporting of all grant and outside revenue in the final budget—eliminating off-the-books accounting.

  • Promote a transparent and competitive RFP process open to all qualified contractors to maximize taxpayer dollars and prevent favoritism. Advocate for clear selection criteria and regular audits to ensure accountability. Leveling the playing field will attract quality contractors, foster innovation, and build public trust in the town’s spending.

  • I will pursue innovative cost-saving measures, such as securing solar grants for municipal buildings and investing in energy retrofits, to reduce our multimillion-dollar utility costs. Every $5 million saved equals one “mill” in tax relief, that’s real impact for residents.

  • Support raising income thresholds for senior tax relief to extend benefits to more residents. Advocate piloting temporary hardship grants through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs to prevent foreclosures and assist households facing financial hardship, especially low-income families and those experiencing unexpected challenges.

  • Focus on reallocating existing funds and pursuing grants to enhance public safety and health services without increasing costs or compromising other essential programs. Advocate for alternatives to traditional policing for mental health and nonviolent calls, ensuring that recreation, senior, and community health programs receive adequate support—not just minimal enforcement.

  • Support expanding partnerships with nonprofits and regional agencies to increase emergency shelter capacity, mobile crisis response teams, and rapid rehousing programs—ensuring people have safe alternatives to sleeping in public spaces. Prioritize coordinated entry systems and outreach to connect individuals with services efficiently. Focus on leveraging external funding sources and grants, as the town cannot afford to fully fund these programs alone, while promoting community education to reduce stigma and build understanding.

Strategic Development Rooted in Community

Our town’s future should be shaped by the people who live here—not just by outside developers or a handful of officials. I believe in true community-driven planning that prioritizes transparency, active leadership, and real public input at every step. By insisting on open meetings, thorough developer-funded impact studies, and smart, inclusive growth strategies, we can ensure Hamden develops in a way that reflects our values.

  • Require widely publicized meetings for development along State Street, Hartford Turnpike, and other underused areas to ensure genuine community input is gathered and acted upon. Advocate for data-driven traffic and impact studies, with affordable assessment options or developer-funded studies as contract conditions before projects proceed. For example, residents near the proposed High Meadows development raised valid concerns about traffic impacts but received little meaningful engagement, something we must avoid moving forward.

  • Work closely with the Economic Director and Economic Development Committee to champion responsible, community-focused development that respects neighborhoods and promotes sustainable growth, addressing gaps left by limited council involvement.

  • Affordable housing is vital in Hamden, where average rents exceed $2,000 monthly. This means providing safe, affordable homes for diverse incomes, including rentals, smaller units, and family homes. Require new developments to include affordable units and fund impact studies. Support nonprofits expanding rental assistance and homebuyer programs. Engage the community early to balance growth with neighborhood character.

  • Focus on securing state and federal grants to improve public transit and safe pedestrian and bike infrastructure without burdening local budgets.

  • Encourage policies that help small businesses thrive—streamlining permitting processes, offering access to grants or low-interest loans, and providing business development resources. Advocate for initiatives that attract diverse industries to Hamden, creating good jobs while respecting neighborhood character. Promote workforce development programs in partnership with local schools and community colleges to prepare residents for emerging opportunities. Support efforts to revitalize commercial corridors with beautification projects, safety improvements, and incentives for local entrepreneurs.

Clean Streets, Green Spaces, Strong Communities

A strong community starts with the essentials: reliable services, well-maintained streets, and vibrant public spaces. My focus is on making sure Hamden’s basic services come first, with transparent spending and real community input before launching new projects. By expanding green spaces, supporting youth engagement, and promoting visible cleanups and sustainability, we can boost neighborhood pride, property values, and quality of life for everyone—while keeping costs and waste in check.

  • Services, Streets, and Appearance: Ensure trash pickup, street repairs, parks, and public works are fully operational before allocating funds to other projects. Require beautification efforts, like revamping the Town Hall fountain, to proceed only with community input and secured grants—before engaging third parties to initiate work, as was recently done—to prevent unnecessary costs.

  • Build on existing strengths like the Community Gardens at Town Center Park, elementary school gardens, and the long-standing Spring Glen Garden Club. Expand these efforts, especially in the 6th District, by supporting community-driven initiatives that engage residents and youth without adding costs to taxpayers. Foster more gardens in unused spaces and youth-led gardening programs to boost community pride and revitalize neighborhoods.

  • Advocate for regular, visible cleanups, swift responses to blight and litter, and investment in street trees and flower planting to keep neighborhoods attractive and livable. Support youth-led litter patrols and community service programs for high schoolers to maintain our town while fostering meaningful civic engagement. My collegiate experience in sociology and work with urban development pilots demonstrate that these efforts raise property values, attract businesses, and improve quality of life.

  • Develop and support home and community composting programs to reduce organic waste going to landfills, which not only cuts methane emissions but also produces valuable soil amendments for local gardens and green spaces. Pair these efforts with robust community education on the limitations and realities of recycling, helping residents understand what can actually be recycled locally, how to reduce contamination, and why proper sorting matters. By providing clear, practical guidance and accessible composting options, we can improve waste diversion, lower environmental impact, and engage residents in meaningful sustainability practices.

Education & Youth Engagement

Our schools are stronger when families, educators, and residents all have a voice. Many of the best ideas in this plan came directly from parents and neighbors in the Hamden Residents Unite group. By listening to our community and working together, we can transform schools into true hubs for learning and support—offering more resources and connections for every family. I’ll also push for real accountability in school leadership and create more ways for young people to participate in decisions that shape their future.

  • Work to transform our schools into true community hubs—providing education alongside support, resources, and connection for families. Explore partnerships with neighboring towns to combine resources, increase efficiency, and expand opportunities for students. These valuable ideas come from parents and residents in the Hamden Residents Unite group, and listening to the community is essential for developing innovative solutions that strengthen our schools and better serve our families.

  • Advocate tying administrator raises to real student outcomes and equity benchmarks instead of automatic cost-of-living increases. Leadership earning top salaries must take responsibility for addressing structural challenges in our schools, especially since the Board of Education consumes the largest share of the budget.

  • Establish a permanent Youth Council with genuine budgetary input, giving teens a real seat at the table in decisions affecting their education and future. Develop complementary youth advisory and mentoring programs that provide opportunities to build leadership skills, engage civically, and contribute meaningfully to community decisions, preparing the next generation of leaders.

Election Reform & Civic Engagement

Every resident deserves a real voice in local government—and a fair, simple path to participate. My focus is on breaking down barriers to ballot access, modernizing how we vote, and making town information clear and easy to find. By promoting civic education and inclusive engagement—online, in-person, and through new feedback channels—we can build a local democracy where everyone has the tools and opportunity to get involved.

  • Lower signature thresholds, provide clear instructions, and enable online signature collection to remove barriers for qualified candidates and reduce red tape.

  • Explore open primaries and collaborate with state representatives to pursue ranked-choice voting for more equitable elections.

  • Push for ordinance changes to stop elected officials from holding leadership roles in the party or local committees simultaneously, and require mayoral candidates to resign from elected positions during campaigns.

  • Work with the Council to publish a plain-language newsletter modeled after Hamden Residents Unite recaps to make government information easy to understand and accessible.

  • Host “Civics 101” workshops and distribute simple guides to help residents learn how local government works and how to participate.

  • Create open forums—both online and in-person—and install physical drop boxes for feedback, ensuring all residents can have their voices heard without needing to attend every council meeting.