Public Safety Support

Public safety is the cornerstone of a vibrant city. While the City Council does not manage daily operations for firefighters or deputies, it maintains critical fiscal and legislative oversight through multi-million-dollar contracts. By controlling the annual budgeting process, the City Council determines staffing levels and resource allocation. My goal is to use this leverage to advocate for the appropriate level of resources our local first responders need to keep our community safe.

Quality of Life

Residents of Thousand Oaks enjoy an exceptional quality of life. We enjoy the lowest sales tax in the state at 7.25%.  Our community benefits from top-tier schools with a history of strong academic achievement, and public safety standards that consistently rank among the highest in the state. We are also fortunate to have thousands of acres of open space, beautiful parks and trails, botanical gardens, a local waterfall, and a beautiful Civic Arts Plaza for live theater and entertainment. Furthermore, we benefit from the lowest sales tax rate in California.

Thousand Oaks has all the necessary elements to provide an amazing quality of life for its residents. As a City Councilperson, my mission is to safeguard these assets, ensure we don’t raise sales tax and protect this standard for generations to come.

Business Development

Under our current Economic Development Strategic Plan, the City Manager has successfully promoted Thousand Oaks' benefits—including safety, competitive tax rates, new high-density housing, and business tax incentives—at various business conferences. As a result, we have built a strong biotech presence with companies such as Amgen, Atara, Takeda, Fuji Film Biotech, Capsida, Latigo, and now Kite Pharma.

To build on this momentum, I propose pursuing additional initiatives to foster further growth and innovation:

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• Academic and Industry Joint Ventures: Facilitate partnerships between relocating tech firms and nearby institutions like California Lutheran University and CSU Channel Islands to strengthen local talent pipelines. Additionally, we could explore grant programs to help university professors and local entrepreneurs commercialize academic research within Thousand Oaks.

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• "Plug-and-Play" Zoning: Pre-assess and designate vacant corporate areas for modular manufacturing. This streamlined zoning approach would significantly expedite the time-to-market for drug companies scaling from trials to commercial production.

While our plan effectively attracts major employers, supporting our smaller companies, startups, and local businesses is equally vital—especially with incoming multi-use developments. Having started a new business here two years ago, I have firsthand experience with the permitting process and see clear opportunities for improvement.

I recommend reviewing the current permitting process for small businesses to make it faster and simpler. By leveraging technology to move the entire process online, we can increase transparency. For example, a dedicated project management tool could clearly outline key milestones, highlight current stages, and identify responsible parties. Streamlining this process will help new businesses launch and generate revenue much faster.

Fiscal Responsibility

Ensuring long-term financial stability through transparent municipal budgeting is a top priority. The city must live within its means and always remember that it is spending the residents' money. We can achieve this through prudent spending and by actively securing competitive state and federal grants to fund major projects without depleting the local General Fund.

Environmental Preservation

Thousand Oaks is home to exceptional parks and open spaces, from the Gardens of the World to Paradise Falls. As a City Councilmember, I will work to protect and maintain our current natural resources and, where fiscally responsible, look for opportunities to expand them.

Local Housing Control

With all the development currently ongoing in Thousand Oaks, one of the main questions I receive is, “Why is the City Council allowing for so much development?” The answer surprises many people: Sacramento is requiring us to do so.

Through the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), the State of California mandates that all local cities and counties plan for enough housing to accommodate residents of all income levels. While this process does not force local governments to build the housing themselves, it requires us to zone enough land so private and affordable developers have the capacity to build. Each local government must update the "Housing Element" of its General Plan to reflect these state-determined targets. Cities that fail to adopt a state-approved Housing Element risk losing local land-use control, facing massive litigation, and missing out on state grant funding.

What is missing in this equation is sufficient input from local cities. To address this, I would like to form the Ventura County Housing Coalition, bringing together local governments with shared concerns to advocate for:

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• Greater local discretion over density

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• Increased flexibility in meeting RHNA requirements

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• Recognition of local infrastructure constraints

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• Protection of environmentally sensitive areas

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• Greater local authority over design standards

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• Reasonable implementation timelines

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• State funding to support state housing mandates

Doing nothing will only lead to a further loss of local control. By coordinating with other local jurisdictions, we can work to restore meaningful authority to our cities.

Transportation

Public transportation is a vital service for our city. Currently, Thousand Oaks spends approximately $6–$7 million annually on transit contract service costs. With operating costs exceeding $10 per passenger trip and adult fares set at about $2, the city subsidizes roughly $8 per ride.

Rather than simply adding more buses and routes, I propose exploring a pilot program to modernize our transit system through rideshare partnerships. Many public transit agencies currently partner with companies like Uber or Lyft to address local transit challenges. By replacing lower-density local bus networks with a program where residents can book rideshare trips anywhere in town for a flat, subsidized fee, we could significantly improve efficiency and possibly save money.

Additionally, I would like to propose implementing the "GoTO Trolley"—a free trolley or bus service running exclusively along Thousand Oaks Boulevard, connecting the Oaks Mall to the Westlake Promenade. This highly visible, accessible service would help reduce traffic congestion along the corridor while driving foot traffic to local businesses.