Insightful. Independent. Inclusive.

“I promise you this:  As a council member, I will serve with open ears, an open mind and an open heart. I will listen to the concerns of everyone affected by my decisions. And when it comes time to decide, my decisions will be guided not by this special interest or that special interest, but by what is in the best interest of our entire community.

“We live in a wonderful place. We – most of us here – enjoy a high quality of life. We should work to maintain that, of course. But this will be an even better place if all of us, from every neighborhood and all corners of the city, have the same opportunity to achieve that high quality of life.

 “Getting there won’t be easy, but we should make it our goal. I hope you don’t think it’s too pretentious of me to quote John F. Kennedy, who died 50 years ago tomorrow, the day after my ninth birthday. When JFK talked about putting a man on the moon and other great initiatives, he said, ‘We will do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.’

“That’s always been one of my favorite quotes. We all know that hard work produces the most satisfying results.

 “I’m up for this challenge.

“Are you with me?

“Let’s get to work!”

Campaign Kick-Off and Birthday Celebration, Nov 21, 2013