UPLIFTING WORKING FAMILIES

I’ve always stood side by side with Campbell workers. Just this year, I supported striking Safeway workers, many of them in Campbell, as they fought for a better contract after years without a meaningful raise. Those negotiations resulted in, among other benefits, a $2 wage increase. 

This was right before the onset of COVID-19, when the risks taken by these workers kept our community safe, healthy, and fed. That’s why I’ll continue to use my platform to support Campbell workers. 

 I will organize quality volunteer childcare for all City Council meetings and large public events, so parents don’t have to choose between caring for their child and having a voice in our community’s public affairs. 

Working families have a higher probability of falling into homelessness or housing insecurity. 

We, as a community, have a responsibility to aggressively combat housing insecurity and affordability issues at their root. We must fight for housing policy that has the potential to make a transformative impact for Campbell.

One of the greatest challenges our community faces is attracting and retaining teachers, as many can no longer afford to live in Campbell or the South Bay. When teachers have to move out, it disrupts our children’s education and threatens the cohesiveness of our community. 

I’ll explore the use of city-owned land or the possibility of land swap deals to tackle our housing crisis and support our teachers. 

 Currently, zero low-income housing developments have been built in Campbell under Measure A, despite the fact that it creates a County bond to fund such developments.

 I will direct City staff to prepare a report identifying a list of appropriate sites and present it to the City Council, allowing us to move forward in partnership with the County.  

I will direct City staff to develop a proposal for community budgeting. Successfully implemented in nearby San Jose as well as in cities across the nation, community budgeting allows local residents to guide the budgeting process for their own neighborhood or region. 

Since neighbors have expertise about the best way to distribute funds, allowing a portion of city funds to be spent in the way most needed by that neighborhood improves the efficiency of the city budgeting process and allows for our budget to truly reflect the needs of our diverse Campbell community. 

Decisions will never be guided solely by those able to come to City Council meetings or those who are already in my networks. 

Instead, I will reach out proactively to community organizations, including those representing communities which may lack access to information or face language barriers. 

 In a post-pandemic world, I will ensure the City has access to secure and accessible digital systems to allow for City business and public accountability, as well as avenues for community engagement. 

It is critical that the public is able to comment and actively participate in Council meetings, regardless of whether they are held in-person or online.