Growth is welcome when it brings clear benefits and doesn’t overburden residents.

I’ll look at each major project through the lens of a clear return for Joliet families, whether through jobs, services, revenue, or quality-of-life improvements that people can actually feel.

The question shouldn’t simply be whether a project brings growth. The question should be whether it is a good deal for Joliet.

Major developments can have significant impacts on infrastructure, noise, traffic, utilities, and the way families experience their community. Those impacts deserve to be weighed alongside the potential benefits and revenue a project could bring.

Joliet should pursue growth that strengthens our community and improves quality of life without sacrificing the way families live.

Joliet is undertaking a massive infrastructure change with the transition to Lake Michigan water.

That project is about more than today’s needs. It is an investment that should set Joliet up for decades to come.

I want to see the project managed with careful long-term planning and clear communication to residents about timelines, costs, and impacts.

City staff are doing important work to move this transition forward, and I believe elected officials should support that work while making sure residents understand what is happening and why.

As this project moves forward, Joliet should also have a clear plan for how we address the roads and other infrastructure affected by years of investment and growth.

There is already momentum downtown, and I want to build on it.

I want to see a downtown where people are excited to spend a Friday night or a Saturday morning: a place with restaurants people want to visit for date night, boutiques worth stopping into, inviting coffee shops where people can spend an afternoon, and a baseball stadium experience people are excited to attend.

The city can help make that vision possible by partnering with local businesses and supporting beautification and improvements that make downtown more inviting.

The goal isn’t simply to fill empty storefronts.

There is nothing more important to Joliet’s future than the next generation.

Families should be considered in every decision made at City Hall.

One of the best ways to make Joliet a better place to raise a family is to make sure families have reliable programs, activities, and places to connect.

In 2026 alone, Joliet lost its YMCA as well as the only maternity ward within city limits. While these specific issues are complex and not always directly decided by a city, these are the exact amenities that families consider when deciding on a place to plant their roots. We should look for opportunities to strengthen and develop programs that give kids and parents more ways to participate, grow, and connect.

City Hall cannot do this alone. Strong partnerships with organizations throughout Joliet can help us create more opportunities for families.

I’ll support local organizations that create safe, family-friendly programs so kids and parents have places to connect and grow.

Safe neighborhoods are part of that promise, too. Families should feel comfortable where they live, and residents should know the people who serve and protect them.

Joliet is stronger when residents trust the people who keep them safe.

That means supporting our police, firefighters, EMTs, and other first responders with the training, resources, and support they need to do their jobs effectively.

Technology is changing public safety. Tools such as Flock cameras can provide valuable capabilities, but new technology should come with responsible policies, transparency, and appropriate controls.

We should also create more opportunities for residents, especially children, to get to know our first responders outside of an emergency.

Programs and events where kids can sit in a fire truck, learn about police vehicles, see an ambulance, or simply meet the people who serve their neighborhood can help build trust from an early age.

Residents deserve more than decisions. They deserve to understand the reasoning behind them.

City government should explain not only what it is doing, but why it is doing it.

Why is a project being pursued? What problem does it solve? What will it cost? What benefits are expected? How will it make Joliet better?

Everyday residents should not need to be experts in municipal government to understand why City Hall is making a major decision.

I want to help build a culture of clear communication, transparency, and accountability where residents can understand the goals behind major projects and judge whether those goals are being met.

That includes the comprehensive plan. Residents helped write it, and they should be able to see how the city is following through on it.

Joliet should make decisions today with the next generation in mind.

We can respect the history and character that made this city home while still embracing the opportunities ahead.

The goal isn’t growth for growth’s sake. It isn’t change for change’s sake.

It’s building a city where families want to stay, businesses want to invest, neighborhoods remain strong, and the next generation can see a future here.

Joliet’s new comprehensive plan will give us a shared roadmap for the next decade, built with input from residents across the city. I want to help carry it from paper to practice, with steady progress and regular updates residents can follow.