A Progressive Democrat to Address Affordability

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I've always thought about running for office. I just wasn't always sure the timing was right. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that running is consistent with everything I've always believed. I've spent years telling people that if you care about your community and you feel called to serve, then you should step up. That's where I am today. I have the support, I have the conviction, and I believe this is the right time.

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What really pushed me were the conversations I kept having with my neighbors here in Middletown. No matter who I talked to, the conversation almost always came back to the same thing: infrastructure.

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Middletown is one of the fastest growing communities in Delaware, second only to Milford. Growth can be a great thing, but growth without a plan is not. 

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We have to make sure our roads, schools, utilities, emergency services, and other infrastructure can keep up with the number of people choosing to call this community home. If we don't plan ahead, the problems only become more expensive and more difficult to fix.

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Housing is another issue that's personal for me.

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There was a time when, even with a good salary, I was being priced out of some of the newer apartments being built here. I remember thinking, if I'm struggling to afford housing as a single woman with a stable career, what does that look like for families? What does it look like for people working full time, or even households with two incomes, who are still finding it difficult to afford a decent place to live?

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That's the part I can't get past.

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On paper, this district is doing well. But when you actually talk to people, you hear a different story. Families are feeling the pressure of rising childcare costs, higher rents, and property tax bills that look nothing like they did before. People are working hard, making responsible decisions, and still feeling like they're falling behind. To me, that's not a personal failure, that's a policy problem, and policy can be changed.

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I think about these issues with the future in mind.

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The work we do today should make life better not just next year, but ten and fifteen years from now. I want to help make sure Middletown continues to grow in a way that's thoughtful, sustainable, and prepared for the future. I want our roads, schools, businesses, housing, and public services to grow alongside our population, not years behind it.

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I'm not against growth. I believe growth is a sign that people see something special in our community.

I just want to make sure we do it right.