Residents deserve reliable trash pickup, accessible recycling, and clean, well-maintained public spaces. Under my administration, we will make recycling services available on both the east and west sides of the city with convenient hours and locations—no more limited hours and long drives just to recycle.

We will also expand neighborhood cleanups to twice per year so residents can more easily dispose of bulk trash items and help keep our neighborhoods and recycling drop-off locations clean, safe, and functional.

Our parks deserve better maintenance too. We will focus on practical improvements residents actually use every day—adding water fountains, updating restrooms, improving handrails, replacing picnic tables, and making sure our parks are clean, safe, and welcoming for families.

These are basic city services, and residents should be able to count on them being done right.

City residents should be able to park downtown without confusing apps and constant fees. Under my administration, residents will pay a simple annual parking decal fee, while residents over 55 and downtown employees will park for free. Many seniors are on fixed incomes—we do not need to add yet another expense to their list.

Could parking be completely free? Maybe. But I don’t believe in overpromising and underdelivering or making empty promises just to win votes. I believe in realistic, practical solutions that residents can actually count on.

We will also explore opportunities to expand downtown parking through additional garages and improvements to existing parking infrastructure so downtown becomes accessible and convenient for everyone.

City leadership should be accessible and accountable to the people. We will hold frequent and recurring town hall meetings where residents can connect directly with their city council representative and the mayor to discuss concerns, ask questions, and stay informed about issues impacting their neighborhoods. Better communication leads to better government and stronger community trust.

I also support reforming our current strong mayor form of government into a hybrid mayor/city manager-council system that creates a healthier balance of power, increases accountability and transparency, and gives the city council a stronger voice in addressing the challenges Pensacola faces today. A stronger partnership between the council, administration, and residents will lead to more responsive and effective local government.

We will safeguard our natural resources, especially our heritage oak trees, by strengthening our tree ordinance and encouraging thoughtful development that protects and preserves the beauty that defines our city.

We will also work to protect our historic neighborhoods and homes from overdevelopment and incompatible projects that threaten the character of our community. Growth should be balanced with conservation, responsible planning, and preservation. Progress should never come at the expense of the natural character and historic charm that make our city special.

We will invest in smarter drainage infrastructure and long-term stormwater solutions to reduce neighborhood flooding and better protect homes, streets, and businesses during heavy rain events.

This issue is long overdue; upgrading critical infrastructure must come before unchecked development.

The best part? We’ll aggressively pursue state and federal grant funding to cover the cost—without increasing city taxes.

We will establish a city-operated disaster recovery and mitigation office focused on helping residents recover faster after storms, proactively securing funding, and ensuring no homeowner in need is overlooked. This office will employ experts in disaster grant funding programs such as FEMA Public Assistance and Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) to put grant funding into the hands of the people who need it—and not leave money on the table. We will also develop a citywide supplemental disaster recovery fund to help low-to-moderate income homeowners cover repair costs that insurance and FEMA do not cover. By leveraging available state recovery funding, we can build a stronger local recovery program without placing the burden on taxpayers.

We will pursue state and federal funding to expand bus routes and increase the number of buses serving the urban core by creating a city transportation hub. We will work with our county partners to ensure that the city system connects seamlessly with Escambia County Area Transportation (ECAT).

Reliable public transportation expands opportunities by helping residents get to work, school, medical appointments, and local businesses while reducing traffic congestion and supporting smarter growth throughout the city. This will also alleviate some of our downtown parking issues.

Homelessness is a complex issue that requires real solutions, not political talking points. We will focus on all aspects of homelessness—addiction, mental health challenges, food insecurity, and access to safe shelter—by working with local organizations, service providers, and community partners to connect people with the help they need. We will also establish a city-operated food bank to support struggling families and individuals, creating hundreds of local jobs through food distribution, logistics, and community outreach programs. Our goal is simple: help people get off street corners and back on their feet while creating jobs for local residents, strengthening our economy, and addressing a real community need.

Our community deserves a compassionate and practical solution to the growing stray animal population. We will establish a city-operated animal services facility that provides low-cost spay/neuter services, vaccinations, microchipping, and basic preventative care for pets.

By giving residents an affordable option to do the right thing, we can reduce overcrowding in shelters and improve public safety and animal welfare across our city. This initiative would also help ease the burden currently placed on the county shelter system while creating a more proactive, local approach to animal services.