Transparent & Accountable
We need a City Hall accountable to residents, not outside influences. Residents deserve to see where their tax dollars go, why their councilmember voted the way they did, and why the person who becomes mayor was chosen. Pleasant Hill has gone too long without the structures that make that possible. These proposals are designed to change that and make transparency and accountability the standard.
Financial Transparency & Accountability
Promote a Budget Digital Dashboard. I will advocate for a public Financial Dashboard to track budget vs. actuals for current and prior fiscal years and allow the public to explore financial information by fund, department, revenues, or expenditures using simple filters and views. A dashboard will allow every resident to see exactly where city revenue comes from and how it is spent: public safety, infrastructure, administration, compensation, retirement, and debt service.
Be honest about the structural fiscal challenge and work toward structural solutions that don’t first consider raising taxes. Pleasant Hill voters approved a sales tax increase in 2016 on a promise of fiscal stability but the city’s own Long-Term Financial Plan still projects structural deficits through at least FY2028–29, which would place the City into a Cash Flow challenge. That sales tax revenue is roughly $4 million per year and is dedicated to capital projects, and is not enough to support the primary driver of ongoing deficits which is pension obligations.
Hold annual District 4 budget briefings open to all residents. I will host dedicated public meetings where city spending in our district is explained in plain language, prior commitments are reviewed, and residents can ask direct questions. Not a presentation, but a conversation that allows for transparency.
City Council Transparency & Accountability
Commit to no surprise votes on District 4. For every significant land use, budget, or policy decision affecting District 4, I will hold district meetings before the council vote so input is possible before the outcome is decided.
Advocate for a transparent, accountable mayor selection process. Under current Pleasant Hill practice, the mayor is selected by council vote. The selection process is opaque and can be subject to political deal-making. Several California cities use specific and predictable rotation succession rules adopted by ordinance, making the process transparent and public. I will push for Pleasant Hill to do the same.
Oppose any use of consent calendars or reduced notice periods to fast-track controversial items through without adequate public input. The October 2025 rezoning of 1,000+ parcels in a single meeting is exactly the kind of decision that deserved more time, more notice, and more community voice.
Champion a youth leadership internship program that places students inside city government, giving them real exposure to how civic decisions are made and creating a direct pipeline for the next generation of community leaders. Programs like this have worked in other California cities to build lasting civic engagement while holding elected officials accountable to mentoring the young people who will one day fill these seats.
Personal Transparency & Accountability
Hold quarterly Office Hours throughout District 4. At rotating locations and times, I will hold office hours so any resident can speak with me directly, without an appointment or a formal agenda. I understand working families, shift workers, and seniors may not make a Monday night City Hall meeting but still wish to participate in decisions shaping their lives.
Create a District 4 Community Advisory Council. I will develop an unofficial body of diverse neighborhood representatives, business owners, seniors, and students who meet with me regularly to raise concerns and hold me accountable between elections.
Commit to staying Independent and free from outside influence. I will always put Pleasant Hill residents and our community first. I am not tied to any political groups or political parties, which gives me the freedom to make the best decisions for the situation. I have committed to never taking PAC money, money from developers or real estate interests, nor money from political organizations, unlike what we’ve seen from councilmembers in the past.