Issues
Below are the five pillars of my platform—clear, fact-based policies to rebuild Silver City from the ground up.
1. Energy: Community-Owned Power
Justice isn’t too expensive—exploitation is. It’s time to unplug the investor-owned utility and plant a people-powered garden.
- City-Owned Solar Grid funded by a $156 M federal Solar for All grant. No Wall Street profits, just clean, affordable power.
- Lower Rates: Public power customers pay 10–15% less than investor-owned utilities, redistributing savings back into our community.
- Renewables & Reliability: Scale solar, wind, and battery storage to hit 41% non-carbon electricity like other municipal utilities.
- Reinvestment Cycle: 50% of cooperative revenue goes back into expanding capacity—5% annual growth without new taxes.
2. Housing: Reparations, Not Evictions
Redlining and speculation displaced our neighbors. We’ll use utility profits to repair historic injustices.
- Vacant Property Tax: 500% surcharge on homes left vacant 5+ years to force speculators to sell or renovate.
- Public Land Bank: Acquire and rehab abandoned homes, then resell at 30–50% below market to affected families.
- Down-Payment Grants: $25 K grants and green retrofitting training programs paired with home sales, creating union jobs.
3. Water: A Human Right, Not a Commodity
Clean water is non-negotiable. We’ll ensure every household can afford and access it.
- Lead Pipe Replacement: Use cooperative revenue to swap out dangerous infrastructure.
- Bill Caps: Limit bills to 3% of household income, following Philadelphia’s model.
- Anti-Privatization: Ban corporate water bottling and aggressive rate hikes.
- Water Credits: Discounts for residents who grow community gardens or harvest rainwater.
4. Food Sovereignty: Grow Local, Feed Local
No one should go hungry in our town. We’ll transform vacant land into community assets.
- Municipal Farms: Convert lots to solar-powered farms supplying fresh, affordable produce.
- Co-op Markets: Community-owned grocery stores with sliding-scale pricing.
- Agriculture Training: Worker co-ops train residents in sustainable farming, creating green jobs.
5. Jobs: A Rising Tide That Lifts All Boats
Economic opportunity must be local and equitable.
- Union Apprenticeships: Training in solar installation, retrofitting, and water infrastructure—no college debt required.
- Local Hiring Mandates: 51% resident hiring on all city-funded projects.
- Cooperative Growth: Every $1 M in cooperative revenue creates 7–10 union positions right here in Silver City.