The safety of our residents, first responders, and community thoughts and concerns will guide my financial decisions. I believe the city's budget belongs to the residents and local businesses. These voices should always be valued when making financial decisions. All decisions must be fiscally responsible and not put a strain on our general fund. I believe in full transparency of our budget and budgeting process. I do not support excessive spending on consultant studies.
The Police department does exceptional work when responding to unsafe situations that include homeless individuals. I believe eveyone's safety is, and should always be, our first focus. I support the City's current vision to engage and support the homeless to get them off the street. Our Thriving Communities team and city staff have obtained permanent housing, hotel vouchers, and provided street outreach to homeless individuals in Golden. This is a transformational approach to the homeless issue that I support. I support the city continuing to develop solutions and programs that engage this population and provide them the support they need to thrive in safe and permanent housing.
I believe the affordable housing issue in Golden has unique challenges. Golden is mostly a built -out community. Our focus now should be on strategies and actions that will sustain and support our current low-income renter housing and our manufactured home communities, and provide support to allow residents to age safely in place. I support the city's decision to opt into state proposition 123. This allows the city access to grant money to fund these types of affordable housing initiatives.
Our vibrant downtown is ground by our local businesses and events. I support keeping our downtown events and outdoor seating program. I believe the Farmer's Market, Buffalo Bill Days, the 4th of July celebration, Movies and Music in the Park, Golden Fine Art's Festival, Goldens in Golden, the Candlelight Walk, and the many other downtown events throughout the year provide fun, family-friendly, accessible, and inclusive opportunities for everyone to enjoy our Golden community and support our local economy. These events support and celebrate our small-town culture and heritage, and our local businesses depend on them as a revenue stream.
I believe we need to be stewards of the land. I believe in creating, protecting, and preserving, natural spaces where our families and Golden's diverse wildlife ecosystem can thrive. I designed and cultivated my backyard to be a sustainable space that supports native plants and wildlife. It is now a Certified Wildlife Habitat certified by the National Wildlife Federation. I support the city's organic park and weed buster program at DeLong Park, and will support the expansion of this program.
I support the city's focus on sustainability, and City Council's strategic initiatives that support these efforts, such as the recent adoption of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. I support the continued efforts of the Community Sustainability Advisory Board and their continued focus on the defined water, waste, and energy goals.