Author name: Scott

Cut Red Tape Vision Sacramento’s growth and prosperity is held back by a permitting and approval process that is slow, complex, and costly. We have the ability to deliver housing, open businesses, and build modern infrastructure faster and at far lower costs without diminishing our standards. Our city government should act as a partner to progress. Policy Why This Matters Excessive red tape is more than an annoyance. Every month of delay in opening a business or building homes we lose jobs, housing, and economic vitality. Small business owners in particular face overwhelming hurdles today, draining their capital and morale before they can even open their doors. Right now we’re telling entrepreneurs that Sacramento is not open for business. The costs are also human. A family waiting months for a simple home addition, a shop owner struggling to expand, or a neighborhood plagued by a vacant lot are daily consequences of a system that prioritizes bureaucracy over outcomes. Furthermore, slow approvals for essential infrastructure such as broadband and cell towers leave entire communities behind in the digital age, harming remote work, education, and even emergency communications. Together we can demonstrate a city government that is competent, responsive, and firmly on the side of its residents. Let’s build a Sacramento that says yes to progress.

Finish Our Bike Trail Vision Finishing our bike trail system means achieving true connectivity while enhancing neighborhood safety and quality of life. A complete trail network must serve as a safe corridor for recreation and transportation, as well as a secure asset for every community it touches. Policy Why This Matters For too long, our bike trail conversation has been stalled between those demanding connectivity and those fearing the consequences. These real fears are often dismissed as simple NIMBY-ism but that label misses the core of the issue for many residents. This conflict often stems from a painful clash between historic property maps and modern public use. In some areas residents have deeds, surveys, or long-held relationships with land the city identifies for public trail use. From this perspective it’s more than an inconvenience. The perception of government overreach fundamentally erodes trust and turns a community amenity into a symbol of alienation. We must recognize that public assets cannot be built on a foundation of resentment. Good design must be paired with good faith. Before any design work we should have transparent, respectful dialogue to address historic entitlements head-on. This means clear communication about easements, property lines, and fair processes. For a trail to be successful neighboring residents must see it as an asset. By proactively addressing these concerns and by integrating security features like controlled access and lighting from the outset, we can build trails that are both welcoming for the public and respectful to the homes beside them. Finishing the trail this way delivers a double victory: It provides a vital, car-free artery for Sacramento families to enjoy our city’s beauty, while demonstrating that City Hall can listen and build infrastructure that strengthens our communities. Let’s connect our city the right way.

Fix Our Streets Vision Our streets are our circulatory system, connecting us to work, school, and each other. Their condition is not just about potholes; it’s a direct measure of public safety and civic responsibility. Let’s implement a proactive, data-driven strategy that prioritizes fixing what we have to make it safe, ensuring every dollar spent prevents accidents, protects residents, and preserves our infrastructure for the long term. Policy Why This Matters For too many Sacramento residents, “fixing our streets” has meant a reactive, patchwork response to complaints. This approach is both inefficient and dangerous. It allows small problems to become safety hazards and major capital projects, wasting taxpayer money and failing to address the root cause of risk. The true cost of neglected streets is measured in bent rims, but also in emergency room visits and preventable tragedies. A faded crosswalk or a missing curb ramp isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a barrier for a senior or a parent with a stroller, and an invisible hazard for a driver on a rainy night. By pairing urgent maintenance with targeted safety upgrades, we stop managing decline and start building inherently safer corridors. This strategy is fundamentally pragmatic and fair. It uses objective data to direct resources where the need is greatest, ensuring equity across neighborhoods. It recognizes that a well-maintained street with clear markings and safe crossings is the foundation of a livable community where kids can walk to school, businesses can thrive, and families feel secure. Fixing our streets the right way is a down payment on Sacramento’s future. It demonstrates competent, fiscally responsible governance that values safety over shortcuts and invests in the basic infrastructure that binds our city together. Let’s build streets that are not just smooth to drive on, but safe for every person who uses them.

Our Vision Sacramento must make it easier for small businesses to open, operate, and grow by removing unnecessary barriers and treating entrepreneurs as partners in our city’s success. Policy Context Small businesses are the backbone of our neighborhoods. They provide jobs, stability, and opportunity to families all across Sacramento. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs face a permit process today that is slow, expensive, and inefficient. These barriers often delay openings for months and prevent businesses from opening altogether, leaving storefronts vacant and commercial corridors struggling. Sacramento should streamline and modernize its permitting process to reduce red tape, shorten approval timelines, and remove unnecessary costs. By lightening the load on small businesses we can encourage new restaurants, shops, and services to open their doors and breathe life into empty retail spaces. Supporting small business creates economic opportunity and is a smart fiscal policy. Thriving local businesses generate sales tax revenue, create jobs, and strengthen the city’s long-term funding sources. A healthier business environment helps stabilize the city budget while reducing reliance on short-term fixes and one-time revenues. When small businesses succeed, families succeed, neighborhoods thrive, and our community benefits from a stronger and more sustainable local economy.

Our Vision Affordability means lowering the total cost of living, not just the price of housing.Between housing costs, transportation, and access to basic services many families cannot afford to build a stable life in Sacramento today. When one of these becomes too expensive, pressure is placed on every other aspect of life: Policy Why This Matters For decades homeownership followed a ladder: Residents began with smaller, more affordable homes, then built equity as their careers grew. That ladder has broken down. Today, we are building housing at price points far beyond what first-time buyers can afford. Development has also become disconnected from transit, forcing families to rely on long commutes and rising fuel costs just to get by. Affordability depends on infrastructure that supports modern living. Reliable transit options give residents alternatives to car ownership. Walking and biking routes reduce transportation costs, decrease congestion, and expand access to jobs and schools. Internet access should not be treated as a luxury. It is an essential for work-from-home jobs, remote learning, telehealth, and everyday communication. When we upgrade our infrastructure, we should expand broadband access and explore free or low-cost internet programs so families can fully participate in today’s economy. By designing housing along transit, alternative transportation, and modern utilities Sacramento can lower costs for residents while creating opportunity. My approach is not only focused on making housing more affordable but making life more affordable overall. Let’s give families a choice in how they live, work, and move around the city.