top of page
Priorities
Public Safety: Protecting Our Neighborhoods and Supporting Our First Responders
​I’ve seen firsthand what happens when communities don’t have the resources to keep people safe. On the Allen Park City Council, I’ve watched a police and fire department stretched thin and expected to do more with less. As a soldier in the U.S. Army National Guard, I learned what it means to stand shoulder to shoulder with people who put their lives on the line. And as a husband and father raising two boys here in Downriver, I know public safety isn’t an abstract idea — it’s about whether families can feel secure at home, at school, and on our streets.
That’s why I believe protecting our neighborhoods starts with giving first responders the support they deserve. Our police officers, firefighters, and EMTs are on the front lines every single day, but too often they’re underpaid, under-equipped, and overworked. We need to do everything we can to make sure cities can hire and retain the best talent — because safe streets don’t happen without strong departments. That means real funding, modern training, and a state government that works with local communities instead of tying their hands.
I’ll fight to make sure Lansing finally prioritizes public safety. That means real funding for local police and fire, modern training to keep both first responders and residents safe, and resources to address new challenges — from violent crime prevention to mental health crises. But it also means investing in prevention: community policing, youth programs, and mental health care that stops emergencies before they start. Safer neighborhoods aren’t just possible — they’re essential, and that’s what I’ll deliver.
Economic Prosperity: Fighting Rising Costs, Creating Jobs, and Protecting Your Wallet
I know what it feels like when the math doesn’t add up. I hear it every day in Downriver — at the grocery store, at gas stations, from families I talk to on their porches. Prices keep rising, but paychecks don’t stretch as far as they used to. As a dad raising two boys, I know how tough it is when the cost of food, prescriptions, and housing keeps climbing while families are forced to make impossible choices. I’ve lived that squeeze myself, and I’m committed to fighting for policies that put working families first — not big corporations or Lansing insiders.
Revitalizing Michigan’s economy starts with creating good-paying jobs right here in our communities. On the Allen Park City Council, I’ve seen how local businesses are the backbone of our neighborhoods — and I know they need a partner in Lansing, not another layer of bureaucracy. I’ll fight for workforce training programs that prepare people for today’s economy, incentives for employers who hire locally, and an end to the empty corporate giveaways that never deliver for working people. My background in logistics taught me how to manage complex systems and keep goods moving under pressure — that’s the same approach I’ll take to building an economy that works.
And let me be clear: good jobs don’t just happen — they’re fought for. I was raised in a family of hard workers and union family members, and I know firsthand how unions built the middle class. I’ll always stand with labor, defend the right to organize, and make sure workers have a seat at the table when decisions are made. Strong unions mean safer workplaces, fair wages, and dignity for every worker — and that’s how we’ll make Michigan stronger. But economic prosperity isn’t just about jobs and paychecks — it’s about protecting neighborhoods and the homes families have worked so hard to build. Too many blocks across Downriver are weighed down by vacant houses, absentee landlords, and properties left to rot. Blight drives down home values, creates unsafe conditions, and makes families feel abandoned. I’ll fight for stronger state support so cities can hold bad landlords accountable, clean up vacant lots, and invest in redevelopment that puts residents first.
At the same time, we must tackle the housing shortage that’s hitting renters and first-time homebuyers. Michigan families deserve affordable, safe housing options — and no one should be priced out of the community they love. By protecting homeowners, addressing the housing shortage, and cleaning up blight, we can make sure every family has a chance to put down roots and build a future in a thriving neighborhood.
Infrastructure and Transportation: Rebuilding Roads, Investing in Mobility, and Upgrading Subsurface Systems
Anyone who drives through Downriver knows the truth: our roads are a mess. I hear it every time I knock on a door or stop to talk with a neighbor — people are tired of busted tires, bent rims, and crumbling streets that cost families money and put safety at risk. As someone who works in logistics, I’ve seen how vital reliable roads and bridges are, not just for commerce but for daily life. If goods can’t move efficiently, jobs and families suffer. Fixing our infrastructure isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity.
Transportation is about more than pavement. Families in Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, and Southgate deserve safe and reliable ways to get around, whether that’s by car, bus, bike, or on foot. Seniors need accessible transit, parents need safe routes for their kids to walk to school, and workers need reliable options to get to their jobs. Investing in mobility means making sure no one is left behind, and it means planning for a Michigan where growth is sustainable and communities are connected.
But infrastructure isn’t just what we see above ground. Beneath our feet are water, sewer, and utility systems that are decades old and failing in too many places. When those systems break, families are left without safe water, flooded basements, or worse. On the council, I’ve seen how expensive and disruptive these failures can be when we’re left to play catch-up. That’s why I’ll fight for Lansing to make real investments in upgrading subsurface systems now, before problems become disasters. Strong infrastructure — from the roads we drive on to the pipes that deliver clean water — is the foundation for safe neighborhoods and a stronger Michigan.
Education: Investing in Students, Respecting Educators, and Modernizing School Infrastructure
Education is the foundation of opportunity, and every child in Michigan deserves the best shot at success. I began my career as a substitute teacher, and I saw up close how hard educators work and how little support they often receive. Now, as a dad raising two boys — one with autism — I know how critical strong schools and special education programs are for families. Parents shouldn’t have to fight the system just to get their kids what they deserve.
Downriver schools face real challenges: aging buildings, teacher shortages across the region, and growing classrooms in places like Lincoln Park and Melvindale, where immigrant families need additional support. Teachers are stretched thin, Michigan ranks near the bottom in starting pay, and too many classrooms rely on underfunded resources. These are not abstract problems — they affect every family and every neighborhood.
I’ll fight to modernize our schools so every student learns in safe, updated buildings. I’ll push for fair pay and respect for teachers, more support for special education and autism services, and expanded career and technical education programs that prepare students for the future. And yes, if charter schools want taxpayer support, they should meet the same transparency and accountability standards as public schools. Education is about putting kids first, not politics.
Healthcare: Affordable, Accessible, and Putting Families First
Healthcare isn’t a luxury—it’s a right every family deserves. I know this all too well. My dad was diagnosed with cancer and passed away just months before the Affordable Care Act was signed into law. The coverage and protections that could have given him a fighting chance came too late. That loss shaped how I see healthcare: no family should ever have to watch a loved one fight for their life while also fighting a broken system. Preventive care and affordable access to treatment must be guaranteed.
In Downriver communities like Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, and Southgate, too many families face the same impossible choices mine did: pay the bills, or get the care they need. And the problem isn’t just affordability — it’s access. Walk-in clinics and urgent care centers are doing what they can, but families are forced to drive further and wait longer for the kind of basic services that should be available right in their neighborhoods.
That’s not acceptable. That’s why I’ll fight for more than talk. I’ll push to lower prescription costs, hold insurance companies accountable, and expand community health centers and urgent care facilities so families can access care close to home. Mental health and addiction services must also be prioritized, because ignoring them only leads to bigger crises. And above all, we must protect the principle of preventive care — because catching illness early saves both lives and money. Families shouldn’t have to choose between their health and their bank account, and I won’t stop until they don’t.
Environmental Sustainability: Clean Air, Safe Water, and Renewable Energy
Growing up in Michigan, I’ve seen firsthand how environmental neglect impacts families. Too many of our Downriver neighborhoods have carried the burden of industrial pollution — from smokestacks to contaminated soil — while Lansing politicians looked the other way. Clean air and safe water shouldn’t depend on your zip code. Every family in Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, and Southgate deserves to breathe without worry, drink from the tap with confidence, and know that their kids aren’t paying the price for decades of environmental shortcuts.
But protecting our environment is about more than health — it’s about opportunity. Michigan can be a national leader in renewable energy and clean technology, and Downriver can be part of that future. Investing in solar, wind, and energy efficiency doesn’t just protect our planet — it creates good-paying jobs, lowers household energy costs, and builds an economy that works for working families. I’ve seen in logistics how innovation drives growth, and I believe clean energy is where Michigan can lead the way if we dare to make it a priority.
Environmental justice also means accountability. Polluters who cut corners must be held responsible, and communities that have carried the heaviest burdens deserve real investment in clean-up and prevention. That means upgrading stormwater systems to prevent flooding, expanding green spaces that improve the quality of life, and making sure no child grows up in a neighborhood poisoned by neglect. Protecting our natural resources is about protecting our kids’ future — and I’ll fight every day in Lansing to make sure Michigan leaves behind a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable state for generations to come.
Building Stronger Communities: Protecting Homeowners, Addressing Housing Shortages, Fighting Blight, and Transparent Leadership
​Homeownership has always been the foundation of stability in Michigan, and nowhere is that clearer than Downriver. Families in Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, and Southgate work hard to maintain their homes and strengthen their neighborhoods. But blight and neglect threaten that hard work. As a councilmember, I’ve seen how one vacant or neglected property can drag down an entire block — lowering values, creating unsafe conditions, and damaging community pride.
Michigan also faces a housing shortage that’s making it harder for families to put down roots or stay in the neighborhoods they love. Renters are being priced out, first-time buyers can’t find affordable options, and longtime homeowners see their equity threatened by declining properties nearby. The state must step up — with funding, accountability, and policies that put families ahead of developers.
Transparency is the foundation of public trust. People deserve to know that decisions about housing, zoning, and neighborhood investments are being made in the open, not behind closed doors. On the Allen Park City Council, I’ve pushed for the government to be more accountable — making sure residents have a real voice before major choices are made. That’s the same fight I’ll take to Lansing. Families deserve leaders who work for them, not insiders — and I’ll make sure they have it.
Protecting Our Neighbors: Defending Families and Strengthening Communities
Downriver has always been built by hardworking families — whether they arrived generations ago or just recently made this place their home. In Lincoln Park, Melvindale, Allen Park, and Southgate, Mexican-American, Yemeni-American, and immigrant families are raising kids, starting businesses, and strengthening our neighborhoods. They deserve leaders who stand with them, not against them.
Too often, immigration has been used as a political weapon. Agencies like ICE have torn families apart, created fear, and undermined trust in neighborhoods without making anyone safer. Real safety comes from community policing, youth programs, and ensuring families can access services without fear of harassment or intimidation.
In Lansing, I’ll fight to make Michigan a place where every family is treated with dignity. That means protecting immigrant families from unfair targeting, expanding access to language services in schools and government. When we defend our neighbors, we build stronger, safer, and more united communities across Downriver and all of Michigan.
Civil Rights, Veterans, and Equality: Standing Up for Every Michigander
As a veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard, I know what it means to wear the uniform — and the challenges veterans face when they come home. Too many Michigan veterans wait too long for care, face barriers to good jobs, or struggle to find housing. Saying “thank you” isn’t enough — we owe veterans and military families real support, real opportunity, and real respect.
Michigan is strongest when every family feels safe, respected, and included. Yet too many of our neighbors still face discrimination — because of race, gender, income, or disability. I’ll always stand up for fairness, dignity, and equality: protecting women’s reproductive freedom, closing the pay gap, ensuring fair treatment for workers, and expanding access to housing, education, and jobs. That also means making sure people with disabilities live with dignity and have real access to services and opportunities.
Democracy works best when everyone can participate. I’ll fight voter suppression, defend the will of the people, and keep Lansing focused on strengthening — not undermining — our democracy. Every voter deserves a fair shot, and I’ll always protect your voice.
bottom of page