Your Voice, Your City, Your Future
How Today’s Leadership Culture Affects El Mirage
Reduced transparency in decision‑making — Key choices about spending, priorities, and projects often lack clear explanations, leaving residents unsure why certain actions are taken.
Transparency suffers when decisions are rushed, information is withheld, or discussions are cut short.
Tax dollars are at risk when spending is pushed forward without full explanation or public support.
Residents lose confidence when their concerns are minimized or when council meetings feel predetermined.
Community unity weakens when leadership prioritizes alliances over fairness and respect.
Inconsistent respect for voter decisions — When leadership moves forward with projects that contradict the majority vote, residents feel ignored and disenfranchised.
Limited public input — When meetings move quickly, questions go unanswered, or discussions are cut short, residents feel their voices don’t matter.
Predetermined outcomes — Votes and discussions sometimes appear decided before the public ever hears the issue, weakening trust in the process.
Erosion of open dialogue — Interruptions, dismissive responses, or unequal treatment of speakers discourage honest debate and silence differing viewpoints.
Lower community engagement — When people believe their participation won’t change anything, they stop attending meetings, asking questions, or getting involved.
Strained relationships between residents and City Hall — A closed‑off culture creates distance, frustration, and a sense that government is no longer working with the community.
Reduced accountability — When norms and procedures are not followed consistently, it becomes harder for residents to trust that decisions are fair and lawful.
Every family deserves a city that puts their well‑being first, and my dedication to supporting our families has never changed — because a healthy community grows from leadership that truly cares.
Our community deserves better than what we’ve been given, and I’m prepared to lead El Mirage toward a prosperous, more hopeful future!
Respecting the Will of the Voters
In November 2023, 81% of the El Mirage voters rejected the $41.5 million bond, one of the most decisive outcomes in our city’s history. Residents made it clear that they did not want unnecessary construction projects or wasteful spending that did not reflect the needs of our community.
I was the only council member to oppose the $41.5 million bond and
stood with the 81% of the voters who rejected it.
What the $41.5 Million 2023 Bond Included — and Why Residents Rejected It
A large courthouse complex with two courtrooms, two judges’ chambers, two jury sequestration rooms, attorney rooms, and a sally port — far beyond what a city of 9.9 square miles requires, with no caseload justification. We already have a fully functioning courthouse that meets all of our needs.
A four‑bay fire station less than two miles from our centrally located, modern fire station — with no staffing plan and no demonstrated operational need. The primary reason for this was to support the new commercial development in the southern part of the city.
$3 million expansion of the new police station, originally justified as “needed for evidence storage,” even though the police chief publicly reported a 96% purge rate of evidence, which in his own words, "eliminating the need for expansion." The council approved a new filing system that reduced evidence storage needs to 25% of what they were, leaving ample room for future evidence. When the evidence justification collapsed, the explanation shifted to “future growth,” despite El Mirage having very limited residential expansion and the southern part of town being developed with data centers, warehouses, and industrial buildings, not homes.
A City Hall expansion, despite the existing new building being spacious, functional, and more than adequate for a city of our size. The justification given was that the city would have 20 more employees at City Hall in the next 10-20 years. For what purpose and for what additional services for our 9.9 sq. mile landlocked city?
What Happened After 81% of the Voters Said No to the Bond?
The mayor and council majority placed the same projects back on the CIP in January 2024, just two months after the election. I was the lone dissenter, as I heard the voices of the majority of the voters in November 2023. This isn’t responsible governance — it’s a refusal to listen.
The mayor and council majority voted in June 2024 to spend almost $2 million to purchase land next to City Hall, land originally intended for the rejected projects — while publicly denying the connection. Again, I was the lone dissenting vote.
Meanwhile, families in the actual residential areas — half a mile north and extending through the northern most of the city — have repeatedly asked for improved parks, recreation, and community spaces where they live, not more government buildings in an isolated part of town.
Despite voters rejecting a City Hall expansion, the council majority approved nearly $1 million to remodel City Hall to add more offices for “future hiring.”
Staff positions have been expanded far beyond what a city of our size needs, often by carving duties out of existing roles to justify new positions.
A new position was created solely to answer the phone for the Parks Director and his assistant when they do not pick up — even though every city employee already has voicemail that automatically receives calls when they are unavailable. There is no operational need for a full‑time receptionist to sit at a desk all day for this purpose or to take duties from another employee to "create" a need for another new hire.
Another new position was created solely to produce a quarterly multi-page newsletter, despite the city already having a simple, effective quarterly update. The new "expanded" version simply took information already available on the city's website and Facebook page and lumped it together with much larger print and more photos to take up space. To create an entire new position to do this is a gross misuse of the people's monies.
These decisions do not reflect fiscal responsibility, but rather a leadership culture that is disconnected from the people it serves.
To ensure transparency, I encouraged residents to tour city hall to see the work areas for themselves. Several residents were interested and got to see the entire interior of the building and work areas for themselves and judge whether expansion or remodeling was needed. Every resident who toured the facility saw the same thing: there was no justification for nearly $1 million in renovations or for an expansion as was proposed in the failed bond.
Giving Residents the Opportunity to See for Themselves
I Stood with the 81% and I'm still Standing
Even after 81% of voters said no, the mayor and council majority continued pushing the same projects.
This isn’t responsible governance — it’s a refusal to listen.
I stood with the 81% of voters in 2023. I stood with them in 2024 and 2025, and I stand with them now.
As your mayor, I will continue to oppose wasteful spending and advocate for directing the city’s resources toward what truly matters: safe neighborhoods, well‑maintained infrastructure, and a community where families can live and grow with confidence.
The 2023 bond wasn’t rejected because residents were confused — it was rejected because an overwhelming majority of the voters thought the projects were unnecessary and out of touch with the needs of our community.
The city is creating positions not because they are needed, but because leadership keeps expanding bureaucracy for its own sake.
Wasteful Spending and Misplaced Priorities
Major reforms are needed to improve how El Mirage serves its residents. I’m dedicated to honest leadership that prioritizes your quality of life over unnecessary projects.
Residents saw these proposals for what they were: unnecessary, expensive, and out of touch with the community's priorities.
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A Brighter Future for the People of El Mirage
El Mirage deserves a government that reflects the character of its people — honest, open, and committed to doing what’s right. While the challenges we face are real, they are not permanent. They are the result of choices, and choices can change. What gives me hope is knowing that our community is strong, engaged, and ready for leadership that listens and leads with integrity.
My commitment is to:
Bring true transparency to City Hall — not as a slogan, but as a daily practice. That means open conversations, clear explanations, and decisions made in the light of day. It means a government where residents are not just heard but have the opportunity to be engaged and respected with their ideas regarding the direction of the city. A government by the people and for the people doesn't mean that they will be dictated to as to the decisions made.
Promote fiscal responsibility that prioritizes quality of life and public safety for the residents who call El Mirage home. That includes strengthening essential services, supporting an effective and efficient fire department, and ensuring our police officers have the leadership, resources, and working conditions that help them succeed and stay in our community. It also means maintaining our streets and roadways throughout the entire city — including residential areas — so every neighborhood feels safe, supported, and cared for. And it means putting an end to wasteful spending on projects that are poorly planned, lightly used, or designed without real community benefit — the kinds of initiatives that drain taxpayer dollars while doing little to improve daily life.
Our priorities must reflect the people who live here. We need to spend where it matters and stop spending where it doesn’t.
Hold community conversations in neighborhoods throughout El Mirage, giving residents a comfortable, neutral space to ask questions, offer suggestions, and engage in honest, two‑way dialogue with their leaders. I believe that having a culture of collaborative community meetings, where residents and leadership sit together, talk openly, and work through issues with transparency and respect is something the people of El Mirage want.
A healthy city thrives when residents are informed, engaged, and respected. When leadership models openness, accountability, and fairness, trust grows — and with it, stronger partnerships, better decisions, and a more connected community.
Promote programs and opportunities that strengthen families and build community, including expanded recreational, educational, and wellness activities through our Parks and Recreation Department. A thriving community is one where every person can find a place to belong — whether through recreation, learning, or programs that support mental and physical well‑being. It is a fact that the heart of a thriving community is one where every person can find a place for inclusion. When leadership works in partnership with the community, progress becomes possible.
Stay connected to the people. El Mirage is a small city, and our leaders should be present in our city, listening, and in regular dialogue with the community. When decisions come from genuine conversations, they reflect the people — not the assumptions of a few.
This is the future I’m committed to building: a city where trust is restored, voices matter, and the well‑being of our residents guides every decision.