Where I Stand On Polk County Issues

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I have spent 12 years on the Des Moines City Council fighting for the neighborhoods, families, and workers who make this community what it is. I am running for Polk County Supervisor because I want to bring that same energy and that same accountability to the county level, where the decisions hit even closer to home. These are the issues I will fight for on day one.

The cost of living in Polk County is squeezing working families from every direction. Property taxes, housing costs, groceries, child care, and utilities are all going up, and too many people are falling behind.

On the Des Moines City Council, I have fought to make sure every dollar of public spending delivers real value to the people paying the bills. I have pushed back on wasteful projects, challenged bloated budgets, and demanded transparency in how tax dollars are spent. As Supervisor, I will bring that same discipline to county government while protecting the services families depend on. Fiscal responsibility does not mean cutting corners on the things that matter. It means making sure the money goes where it should.

The state legislature has made deep cuts to programs that Polk County families rely on, from mental health services to public health funding to support for seniors and people with disabilities. When the state walks away from its responsibilities, the burden falls on counties and the families they serve.

I will not let that happen quietly. As Supervisor, I will fight to protect the essential services that keep our communities safe and whole. That means standing up at the state level, working with other counties to push back on unfunded mandates, and making sure that Polk County does not balance the state's budget on the backs of the people who can least afford it. I have never been afraid to call out bad decisions, and I will not start now.

Public safety is not negotiable. When I was on the City Council and city managers recommended cutting fire department services, I told them directly: if that is your recommendation, you are in the wrong position. That is how I lead. I do not play politics with the safety of families and neighborhoods.

As Supervisor, I will make sure Polk County invests in the emergency response, public safety infrastructure, and crisis services that residents depend on. That includes supporting our first responders with the resources and staffing they need to do their jobs, and making sure rural parts of the district like Runnells and Camp Township are not left behind when it comes to response times and coverage.

County government touches nearly every part of daily life in Polk County: public health, courts, roads, bridges, social services, and senior programs. The budget that funds those services has to be managed with care, transparency, and common sense.

I have managed a small business on the South Side of Des Moines for over 30 years. I know what it means to make hard decisions about where every dollar goes and to be accountable for the results. I will bring that same mindset to the county budget. That means protecting core services, eliminating wasteful spending, and making sure residents can see exactly where their tax dollars are going and what they are getting in return.

I will also push for regular public reporting on how county dollars are spent and what outcomes those investments are delivering. Taxpayers deserve to know that their money is working for them.

A strong county runs on the people who do the work. The employees who keep our roads maintained, our courthouses open, our public health programs running, and our communities safe deserve fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect.

I have employed and worked alongside working people in this community for more than three decades. I understand what it takes to treat people right, and I know that when workers are valued, everyone benefits. As Supervisor, I will support prevailing wage standards on county contracts, advocate for fair treatment of county employees, and make sure that the people who keep Polk County running are not asked to do more with less while leadership looks the other way.

Strong neighborhoods do not happen by accident. They happen when local leaders show up, listen, and fight for the investment that keeps communities moving forward.

On the City Council, I led the effort to revitalize our neighborhoods through Invest DSM, bringing new investment, new businesses, and new energy to a part of Des Moines that had been overlooked for too long. I worked with neighborhood associations across the southeast side to fix streets, repair sidewalks, and make sure infrastructure dollars reached the communities that needed them most.

As Supervisor, I will bring that same focus to every corner of District 4, from East Des Moines and Pleasant Hill to Runnells, Camp Township, and Four Mile Township. That means supporting local businesses, encouraging responsible development, and making sure growth strengthens existing neighborhoods instead of displacing the families who built them.

Too many families in Polk County are one unexpected expense away from losing their housing. Rents are rising, affordable options are shrinking, and the gap between what people earn and what it costs to keep a roof over their heads keeps growing.

We need practical solutions that expand affordable housing, stabilize families who are at risk, and help people experiencing homelessness get back on their feet with dignity. County government has the tools to make a real difference here through partnerships with local nonprofits, targeted grant funding, and smart investment in housing programs that work.

That is not theory for me. On the City Council, I welcomed the Joppa Village project into my ward, a tiny home community that will provide permanent supportive housing for 50 chronically homeless individuals on the former Chesterfield School site on Maury Street. I fought for that project because it is the right thing to do, and because it also brings new services like healthcare, dental care, and a food pantry to an underserved neighborhood that has needed them for years.

I have seen these challenges up close as a City Councilman representing neighborhoods where affordability is not an abstract policy debate. It is the daily reality for the people I serve. As Supervisor, I will make affordable housing and homelessness a front-burner priority, not an afterthought. 

Mental health and substance use challenges do not follow zip codes or income levels. They affect families in every part of Polk County, and right now, too many people are falling through the cracks because the services they need are underfunded, understaffed, or out of reach.

As Supervisor, I will fight for stronger access to mental health care, better crisis response, and more support for children, families, and individuals who are struggling. That includes pushing back on state-level cuts that have gutted the mental health system and working with local providers to close the gaps.

I have already been part of this work. On the City Council, I worked with Polk County to help bring the Life Services Center on Carpenter Avenue to fruition. That facility is now saving millions in emergency room costs, keeping people out of jail, and connecting them to real treatment and recovery. That is the kind of city-county collaboration I will build on as Supervisor.

People in crisis deserve help, not a runaround. I will make sure Polk County does its part to build a system where help is available before a crisis becomes a tragedy.

Clean water is a basic expectation, not a luxury. Polk County has a responsibility to lead on water quality by bringing cities, agriculture, conservation districts, and state agencies to the table and holding everyone accountable for results.

I have served on boards and commissions that deal directly with water and infrastructure issues, including the WRA and the Des Moines Metropolitan Planning Organization. I understand how these systems work and where the pressure points are. As Supervisor, I will invest in watershed improvements, better stormwater management, and conservation partnerships that deliver measurable progress, not just more meetings.

If people cannot get to work, to the doctor, to child care, or to county services, then nothing else on this page matters. Transportation is the connective tissue that holds a community together, and too many residents in District 4, especially in rural areas and underserved neighborhoods, do not have reliable options.

As Supervisor, I will support practical transportation solutions that improve access across the district. That means working with DART and regional partners to expand service where it is needed, investing in road and bridge infrastructure, and making sure county services are accessible to everyone, not just the people who happen to live near them.

I am not running for Polk County Supervisor to hold a title. I am running because this community gave me everything I have, and I want to give it back. I have spent my career on the South Side of Des Moines, building a business, raising a family, and serving my neighbors on the City Council. I am ready to take that fight to the county level. If you believe Polk County deserves a Supervisor who shows up, speaks up, and gets things done, I am asking for your vote on June 2.