• Economy

  My highest priority is finding ways to work with the community and business leaders to lure some of the high paying tech jobs that are all over our region directly into our city.

  This would include prioritizing connecting Federal Way to the highest speed fiber optic internet. Creating tax incentives for businesses that provide good paying jobs. And training for high tech jobs starting in school and offering retraining for adults ready to take on new challenges.

• Cannabis

  Our council has failed us over and over again on this issue. This isn't about use which is legalized by the state and out of their hands. They are willfully burning a taxable revenue source to shake a finger at people who are just going to go a mile further down the road and buy it anyway.

  It's time to open up cannabis markets in Federal Way, and apply a local tax that can be used to help fund subsidized housing or career retraining opportunities. Almost any program would lead to better outcomes than just burning a taxable revenue source.

• Safety

  It is my firm belief that most crime stems from poverty and a perceived lack of opportunity. When kids believe that they have an opportunity to get a high paying job they will put in the work to get it. But if they believe that good opportunities are out of reach, it can cause a fraction of a fraction to pursue bad opportunities.

  It stands to reason then that doing everything we can to increase good opportunities and ensure equitable access while making bad opportunities as unappealing as possible will help reduce crime in our neighborhoods.

• Housing

  Housing costs are rising faster than wages. The market obviously has not kept up with housing needs. The market finds it acceptable when housing prices rise so fast that it knocks more and more people into the street.

  We need to look at why it is so expensive to build new housing. We need to work directly with developers to hear their concerns and tackle the hurdles that are getting in the way. Frankly, it may be time for a carrot and stick approach to get the housing deficit closed and ensure we build to match our growth.

• Transportation

  The light rail passes through many cities at this point, but the Federal Way Downtown stop will be the first major city center connected to the light rail south of Seattle when it opens. This will be true for the decade or more it will take to connect Tacoma after us.

  I would prioritize rezoning around the downtown light rail station to the highest density mixed-use zoning to take advantage of this opportunity. We currently have an unnecessary height restriction in place around the transit center where taller buildings would provide the most benefit to the city.