Policy & Priorities

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As I look to be your next mayor, I am filled with hope and determination for our city. Albany is a tapestry of rich history, vibrant culture and strong, smart people. Albany has a bright future filled with possibility.

As an elected city official, mom of two small children and community volunteer, I have spoken with so many of you about what our city needs to thrive. At kitchen tables, on street corners, in businesses and backyards, you have told me we need a new path forward. One that builds on our strengths, acknowledges where we must do better, and seizes on smart ideas and creative, effective solutions.

Know what I’ve learned? You and I believe in Albany. We believe in our home. And we believe in its future.

This agenda outlines the new path forward that I will work to implement if I have the honor of serving as your mayor. It is the product of conversations with you—individuals who care deeply about our city and who know the incredible potential an activated Albany can achieve.

I see our city’s tremendous promise. But I also recognize the significant challenges we face. Together, by coming together as one, we can build an Albany that is united, prosperous, and safe.

As your mayor, I will prioritize public safety, so that everyone can feel secure in their homes and neighborhoods. Our police and community must work hand-in-hand, fostering trust and collaboration to create a city where everyone thrives.

I am committed to strengthening our local economy by supporting small businesses, attracting new investments, and cultivating an environment where innovation can flourish. Together, we can create job opportunities that uplift our residents, ensuring that every family has the opportunity to prosper.

Our neighborhoods are the heart of Albany, and I am dedicated to enhancing the livability and accessibility of every corner of our city. We will work to provide affordable housing solutions that meet the diverse needs of our residents, so that no one is left behind.

Together, we will forge a path that honors our past while boldly embracing the future.

But this is only the beginning.

I invite each of you to join me on this journey.

Let’s do this together. Engage in meaningful dialogue, share ideas, and work side by side to build a city that reflects our shared values and aspirations. Our Albany will be a great place to live, grow and thrive and become a model for cities everywhere. Our time is now, and I am excited to partner with you in this endeavor.

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PolicyPublic Safety

While statistics say otherwise, the streets of Albany do not feel safe for all residents. My goal is to put the public back in public safety.

Here in Albany, we have a historic city that needs a new vision. A vision that requires a greater urgency and commitment to public safety! This begins with supporting the Albany Police Department to ensure the people of Albany feel safe.

Together, let’s:
- Bring back neighborhood foot patrol and bicycle patrol beat officers, creating a more consistent neighborhood presence and strengthening the relationships between officers and the community that they serve.
- Expand the City of Albany Ambassador Program to include full-time ambassadors in our Downtown neighborhood and every business corridor. The program would include ambassadors, hired from the neighborhood they work in, walking our streets to deter loitering and to greet neighbors and visitors. Ambassadors will also clean up streets and alert City staff of code violations.
- Implement the Safe Passage Program in Albany. This transformative initiative is designed to ensure the safety and well-being of students as they travel to and from school. Recognizing the critical need for safe routes in neighborhoods affected by crime, this program mobilizes community volunteers and local law enforcement to provide supervision, support, and a watchful presence around school pathways. By fostering partnerships with parents, educators, small businesses, and community organizations, Safe Passage will enhance the physical safety of children and build trust and engagement among residents.

PolicySafe, Healthy, and Affordable Neighborhoods

I think we can all agree—one of Albany’s greatest assets is that we are a city of neighborhoods! And that’s why, as your mayor, I will commit to investing resources to make our neighborhoods safer, healthier, and more affordable.

My husband and I chose to raise our family here and were fortunate to become homeowners in the city that we love. But unfortunately, homeownership for some and quality and affordable rental units for others are not obtainable. Together, we can make our City affordable—a place where we all can raise our families and invest in our City’s future.

PolicyEconomic Development

I believe in an Albany that both supports our small business owners and is part of the global economy. How can we accomplish this?

I propose a multi-year economic development plan for Albany that prioritizes revitalization of our City, supporting major industries, like technology, healthcare, renewable energy, and the creative arts, while making sure we meet the needs of local businesses and entrepreneurs.

Downtown Albany is seeing significant investment, but remote work has made further growth and expansion difficult. I will partner with business owners, Capitalize Albany, and the Business Improvement Districts to strategically grow business opportunities, through targeted grants and smart development incentives.

Our businesses cannot thrive unless our streets are safe for patrons to dine, shop, and explore. By investing in our Ambassador Program and restoring neighborhood officer beats, we will strengthen our business corridors, making them accessible for residents and visitors.

PolicyYouth

Empowering and engaging youth in the community is essential for fostering a dynamic, forward-thinking, and resilient Albany. To achieve this, we must create meaningful opportunities for young people to contribute to our community’s social, economic, and cultural life.

As the founder of Ready. Set. Goal!, I have worked to provide youth with opportunities to network with and learn from business leaders, so that they are ready to one day build Albany’s economy.

We must expand access to quality education, job training, and internship opportunities to help bridge the gap between academic experiences and real-world application, to in turn, prepare youth for future careers. We will grow the City’s summer youth employment program to increase shadowing opportunities for students interested in fields like carpentry, computer science, cosmetology, food services, and automotive mechanics, allowing youth to build their skills and discover new passions.

I will also leverage and proudly support our schools, seven library branches, and not-for-profits that provide after-school tutoring and educational programs for our young people.

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PolicyArts & Culture

Investing in arts and culture is not merely an enhancement to the quality of life in Albany; it is an essential driver of community identity, economic vitality, and social cohesion. These investments will allow us to celebrate our unique heritage and shared future.

We have a strong legacy of arts, culture, and entertainment venues that residents and visitors have enjoyed for decades. Venues such as the Palace Theatre, the Egg Center for the Performing Arts, Capital Repertory Theatre, Albany Institute of History and Art, Albany Center Gallery, and the MVP Arena are just some examples. As we chart our new path forward, we will continue to support and celebrate these and other cherished resources by strengthening partnerships with the City. By investing in our local economy, we attract new business and drive more residents and visitors to enjoy Downtown.

As your Mayor, I will also work to build on these rich resources by bridging our history and our future, creating a vibrant new scene that creates the perfect atmosphere for appreciating the arts, entertainment, shopping, and so much more. We will accomplish this by developing a diverse and equitable Arts & Culture Master Plan. This plan will be created to support arts and culture while shaping the City’s cultural landscape. As part of the plan, a collective vision will be developed with concrete objectives for how we as a city engage with the arts in order to:

Reactivate our City,
Restore pride in our City,
Revitalize our Downtown, for a vibrant downtown equals a healthy City, and
Connect our history with our present.

PolicyGood Governance

City Hall needs to work for everyone, and that means it is transparent, accountable, and efficient. As your mayor, I will create a customer-service-focused culture and cut red tape to make it easy to conduct business in our City!

We will prioritize clear and constant communication with City residents and business owners. I plan to host a series of neighborhood office hours, bringing City leaders right to your backyard, answering your questions directly.

As the Chief City Auditor, I know what transparency, accountability, and efficiency look like. I’ve looked at what programs work, and where we can better provide services at lower costs. In 2024 alone, we saved City taxpayers $4.09 million through thorough auditing. I’ll take this knowledge and experience into the Mayor’s Office, ensuring that your hard-earned dollars aren’t wasted.