Priorities
What I Believe
Like most of us, my policy priorities stem from the values I hold deeply. Two core beliefs lead me to focus on the issues that directly affect our community.
- People have inherent dignity which requires respect. Each of us should be given the opportunity to make our own choices about what works best for us, our lives, and our families without interference or being dictated by another’s beliefs.
- Government is meant to be a force for good in people’s lives. Our elected leaders should work to open opportunities for people to thrive and succeed. Policies aimed at making life better should raise all boats.
These values inform my thinking on many issues. And of course, the issues that are most important in our district are often interconnected. People do not live one issue at a time. Our elected leaders should understand that where you go to school, whether you can find a job, and what kind of healthcare you have are all related to one another. I believe government can play a powerful role in helping empower people to achieve their family’s goals across many areas.
Expanding Affordable Healthcare Options
- Access to local, affordable healthcare options
- Affordable healthcare and prescription drugs
- Community-based mental health treatment options
- Substance abuse counseling, covered by insurance
- Options and flexibility for elder care
Healthcare is a right. No one should have to choose between their family’s health and financial welfare. Healthcare should be based first and foremost on patient needs, and support compassionate, healthcare professionals to deliver care free from interference and dictates based on political rhetoric.
Every Virginian must have access to affordable, quality healthcare. Mental health and physical health are connected. Mental healthcare cannot be separated or stigmatized–we all need it. The pandemic highlighted how important mental health is and how important it is to invest in mental healthcare on an ongoing basis.
Veterans have unique healthcare needs. As delegate, I will work with agencies and community groups to develop a comprehensive support system for veterans as they return to civilian life, including access to quality healthcare, mental health, and substance abuse counseling.
Increasing Economic Opportunity
- Empowering small businesses
- Protecting existing jobs and creating new ones
- Ensuring broadband and strong cellular service
- Paid medical leave and paid family leave
- Fostering green union jobs
- Preserving the 2020 Clean Economy Act
People in our community should have a wide variety of opportunities to work, allowing their family to succeed and thrive. As we navigate the new challenges our global economy can bring, we must ensure that every worker can find opportunity, every entrepreneur has the tools for their business to thrive, and the community comes together and knows their elected officials are there to support their needs.
Small business is the heart of our small town economy. Encouraging and empowering our local community business owners, making connections with state and federal resources, and fostering new ways to do business can help grow both our economic base and our workforce. Our communities can benefit from new renewable energy options, bringing new green jobs and the clean tech industries to the region
We need to enact paid family leave and paid medical leave, so families don’t go broke when a medical crisis or chronic condition requires taking time off work.
Fostering Lifelong Learning
- High-quality K-12 education
- Increasing teacher salaries
- Funding early childhood education programs
- Technical training and apprenticeship programs
- Supporting local community colleges
- Protecting transgender kids in schools
Families should be empowered and set up for economic success, making sure they have what they need to prosper as they build their families and as they and their children find the best path for educational success.
I will advocate for affordable and quality education at the K-12 levels. Schools must incorporate a curriculum that focuses on critical thinking and problem-solving in order to graduate an informed citizenry. Teaching comprehensive history can help ensure the mistakes and missteps in our past are not repeated. Sharing the stories of diverse experiences and peoples can help children from all backgrounds see themselves in the lessons they learn.
We need to invest in the future of our community through increasing teacher salaries, funding early childhood education programs, and creating new opportunities for technical training, and workplace and apprenticeship programs.
Supporting local community colleges, which provide a low-cost alternative to four-year universities and which will continue to play a critical role in the future of our district.
Protecting Reproductive Rights
- Comprehensive, age-appropriate sexual health education
- Affordable family planning and contraception resources
- Contraceptive choice
- Access to abortion care
- Strong maternal healthcare
Fertility and reproduction are very personal issues. Decisions around when, how, whether, and with whom we have children are some of the most important and most personal decisions we make in our lives. People must have the right to make those decisions safely and without political interference or judgment from those with a political agenda. Each of us should be able to make decisions about our own health and future with dignity and respect.
Patients and the trusted health professionals from whom they seek care should be the ones to make reproductive health decisions. Contraception and family planning should be presented as options for each person to decide which methods work best for them. Politicians should not be allowed to deny someone’s coverage for medical care. Withholding coverage for abortion takes away a person’s ability to make important personal decisions based on what is best for them and their circumstances.
Building Community Health and Safety
- Communication between law enforcement and the community
- Solutions to handle non-criminal crisis situations
- Common sense policies to prevent gun violence
- Reducing traffic congestion
- Building a walkable community
- Striving for equity and diversity in community representation
We all deserve to feel safe in our community. We must balance constitutional protections with the safety of our children. We need to protect our community from gun violence and change the culture of conflict.
We need to build communication and relationships between law enforcement and our broader community. Building partnerships with other public professionals, like social service agencies and mental health practitioners, to fulfill unmet needs before a crisis is reached. We should develop community solutions to help address those situations where police may not be the best equipped to respond. We need additional training and screening to help law enforcement with the tools to deescalate and additional help to implement solutions after the crisis has subsided
Protecting the Environment
- Clean air and water
- Protecting natural resources
- Balancing development with conservation
- Support for our farming community
- Growing sustainable farming
- Building cleaner energy sources
We need to balance protecting our farming communities and natural resources with economic development. We need to protect our clean air, clean water, and open spaces.
We must recognize the importance of protecting the environment and addressing climate change. My campaign promise is to go eco-friendly and prioritize policies that will reduce our carbon footprint, protect natural resources, and promote sustainable practices.
To achieve this goal, I will prioritize investment in renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. We will also incentivize the use of electric vehicles and work to make public transportation more accessible and affordable, especially across our rural region.
Additionally, we will strengthen regulations to reduce pollution and protect natural resources such as air, water, and land. We will promote sustainable practices such as recycling, composting, and reducing waste, while also supporting new technologies and practices for sustainable farming.
Finally, I will work to educate and engage the public on the importance of environmental protection and climate action. We must all work together to create a sustainable future for our planet and future generations.
Together, we can create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for all.
