Freedom of speech, the right to assemble and having a free, open and robust press are all essential to a successful and vibrant democracy.  It is because I felt that our freedom of speech was endangered by our mayor and some of our commissioners that I became a candidate for commissioner.  To understand why I felt this way, please watch …

Transparency, by definition, is being able to see through something, not just observing its outer layer.  I feel that the true definition of transparency is not being practiced in our town government.  A citizen needs to have easy and immediate access to the inner workings of our government….with the stress on “easy and immediate”.  Everything that happens inside must be …

We…all of us…must work together to insure that we, as a town, take every action allowed to us by state and federal law, to maintain a clean and healthy environment for all of our citizens.

The goal of walkability, in my opinion, is that every resident should be able to safely and comfortably walk between any two points within the Matthews town limits.

Within our abilities as a municipality, we should work closely and collaboratively with all education sources… the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system, private schools, charter schools and those that home school… to do all that we can to provide the highest level of education possible in a safe and productive learning environment.

As a military veteran myself, there is a special place in my heart for the men and women who have served and are serving in our armed forces.  I am currently a proud member of the American Legion Post 235 for Matthews in which I serve as its chaplain.  I fully support all veterans groups in Matthews and I support …

Matthews has experienced a tax increase each year for the past two years under this administration. In addition to the tax increases, cuts have been made in a number of our important departments while at the same time providing monies to special interests groups in which some of our commissioners are personally involved. This practice must stop!  I believe that …

This is, perhaps, the most important area of concern for Matthews.  I believe that developers and special interests have been given preference in matters of rezoning and planning at the expense of our citizens.  I am not an advocate of high density housing or of the philosophy of in fill.  The integrity of neighborhoods must be maintained.  Growth in inevitable, …

When the word “diversity” is spoken, it commonly applies to cultural diversity. But, diversity should be welcomed and encouraged in many other areas as well.  Diversity should be considered in downtown businesses, in arts and entertainment, housing, park planning and much more. Variety is important in all aspects of life. It enriches us all.

I am a strong advocate for parks and recreational facilities. I believe the wellbeing of a town is reflected in its parks. As our population grows and becomes more diversified our parks and recreation need to provide conveniently located environments for all of the citizens of Matthews to enjoy, regardless of their age, gender or physical limitations… and, of course, …

The town should be a driver in attracting new businesses by providing fertile ground in which they can flourish.  In order to accomplish this, the town should act as a referee and not as a player.  That is, the town should provide an environment for growth without showing preferential treatment to favored developers or providing taxpayer monies to private organizations …

Protecting our past while building our future is key to the long term attractiveness for Matthews.  The town should work closely with historic preservation groups to protect and preserve what is left of our precious history, our historical places and buildings that we can.

There have been, and will be, many bills and regulations authored that have, and will have, an impact on our ability to govern ourselves.  Over the past few years there has been a movement by the state legislature to remove or reduce the ability for municipalities to self-govern.  I believe that our current administration has not been a strong or …

These two very important agencies are our first lines of defense against physical harm, either from others or from the forces of nature.  The police and fire departments should be our primary budgetary consideration.  We, as a people and as a government, be willing and eager to provide these two agencies with the maximum amount of financial resources that our …

After the police and fire departments, the most impactful agency on our citizenry is the public works department.  It provides the quality that we expect and demand in our roads, but is also responsible for the beautification of our roadways and provides the safety needed in our pedestrian crossings and traffic control and much more.  There is not a moment …

We are to be good stewards of our environment, both as individuals and collectively as a town.  To do this we need strong and enforceable tree ordinances with meaningful financial penalties.  Our tree canopy not only needs to be maintained, but it needs to grow.  Through the guidance of advisory committees of citizens knowledgeable in indigenous species, we need to …

Personally, I take public transportation on a daily basis to and from work.  I am an advocate for increasing public transportation access by working with the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) to provide more buses to and from Matthews, routing a light rail service to Matthews and assist our town in developing a Matthews Area Transit System (MATS) that will …