Residential / Commercial Property Taxes

As your New Bedford City Councilor At-Large, I have always, and will continue to, support a fiscal policy that will in good faith reduce the overall tax burden on residents and business, and will always advocate and encourage economic growth and reinvestment.

Today, New Bedford has a two-tiered tax system, which consists of both a residential and commercial tax rate. Our City Council must continue its advocacy efforts for a tax rate which is not burdensome to either a home owner or business owner.

We are able to lessen our tax burden on our residents and business owners by growing our tax base (attracting new industry to New Bedford). Attracting new industry to our community will not only broaden our tax base, but will also help us create an overall robust economic impact for our entire region. Employment and job creation leads to community investment such as purchasing homes, sending children to our school system and supporting our local restaurants, retailers and small businesses.

Public Safety & Health

As you may know, I come from a family of law enforcement and criminal justice professionals. My mother is a local Attorney At-Law and my stepfather is a retired and decorated Massachusetts State Police Sergeant.

Despite difficult economic times, I will continue to be a staunch advocate for police and fire department growth, retention and targeted community service within financial reason. Our police officers, firefighters, along with our educators and emergency medical personnel, are the true heroes of our community. Although our city faces significant fiscal financial constraints each and every year, I will continue to insure that all essential citywide public safety personnel are indeed, at the very minimum, “level-funded.”

As not only a member of the New Bedford City Council’s “Public Safety & Neighborhoods” Committee, but also, as an active member of all New Bedford-centric neighborhood watch groups for the past six-plus years; I cannot stress enough how important it is for each and every New Bedford resident to attend and be active with the watch group for their particular neighborhood. We are the “eyes and ears” of our community, and by attending these meetings, we are able to share our issues and or concerns with one another, alerting each other to developments that are important to each of us.

I made it one of my first priorities as a newly-elected Councilor At-Large in 2016 to work with my colleagues to write and pass our citywide synthetic drug banning regulation, which now makes the selling of all synthetic drugs illegal. This type of poison has no place in our community, and I am honored to have been an integral part in their removal off our store shelves.

Constituent Service

Your concerns are my concerns. Always.

Whether it’s infrastructure-related (potholes, sidewalks, roadways, trees, etc.), an absentee property owner who needs to be held accountable, a concern about permitting for your home, or any type of question about city government as a whole, I am here for you – day or night.

I pride myself in my impeccable constituent service record, and would love to address and rectify any concerns you may have.

Navigating through the confusion of City Hall can be burdensome. Do not stress! Give me a call, or send me an email, and I will help.

Economic Development

Here in New Bedford, especially in the historic downtown district, we are starting to gain positive momentum in regards to economic growth and prosperity.

Whether it is watching small businesses open up all throughout our city, or assessing the exciting developments such as our offshore wind leadership, we find ourselves in exciting times here in our great city.

With that being said, advocating for economic growth just in our downtown is not enough.

While on the City Council, I have advocated for, and will continue to champion, mill conversion/re-use projects, as well as small business developments in every mixed-used business neighborhood from Brock Avenue to Acushnet Avenue, and everywhere in between.