I believe in a universally well-educated population.  To achieve this, Ocoee students must have access to world-class pre-K – 12 public education that will prepare them to live, work, and thrive in a multicultural, multilingual, and highly connected world. We must prepare our students for post-secondary education, career technical education, and active citizenship in the 21st century.  The state must fully fund public education to correct years of insufficient allocations, increase funding to put Florida (Ocoee) in the top states in per student spending, and equitably distribute funding to school districts most in need.

I will fight from Ocoee to Orange County to Nations Capital to seek HOPE (help) for our students educational services.

Housing, particularly affordable and transitional housing, is a significant issue in the United States. The lack of affordable housing can lead to homelessness, which is a serious problem in many cities and communities. Transitional housing, on the other hand, is designed to provide a temporary place to stay for individuals and families who are transitioning out of homelessness.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates that there is a shortage of 7.2 million affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income renters. This shortage is particularly acute for low-income renters, who are more likely to experience housing insecurity and homelessness. The federal government provides funding for affordable housing programs, including the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. These programs provide funding to states, localities, and nonprofit organizations to build and maintain affordable housing.

However, despite these efforts, the affordable housing crisis continues to be a pressing issue in the United States, particularly in high-cost cities and areas with limited land availability. The COVID-19 pandemic has also further highlighted the need for affordable housing as the economic downturn has led to a rise in evictions and homelessness. It is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach, including government funding, private investment, and community engagement.

Ocoee has a bigger Homeless Problem then what’s being seen to our every day drive around Ocoee. There is families whom are living with family or friends because they lost their home. There are many effects this takes on one from the children to adults.  We must address this with a solid action plan and the right tools.

Economic growth, business support, and advice are critical for the continued prosperity of the United States. Economic growth is the increase in a country’s production of goods and services over time. A strong economy is essential for creating jobs and increasing the standard of living for citizens. The federal government plays a significant role in supporting and promoting economic growth through policies such as tax cuts, deregulation, and investments in infrastructure. Additionally, the Federal Reserve, the nation’s central bank, sets monetary policy to promote economic growth and stability by controlling interest rates and the money supply.

Business support and advice are also important for the growth of the economy. The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides training, counseling, and financial assistance to small businesses. Additionally, there are various private organizations and resources such as SCORE and Small Business Development Centers that provide free advice and mentoring to small business owners. The government also plays a role in promoting business growth by providing incentives such as tax breaks and subsidies, and through trade agreements that open up new markets for American businesses.

There is so many resource’s, the issue is the information is not getting to the public. There should be townhall meetings for the local business owners and the ones who seeking to do business in the city along with the community.

Community safety and crime reduction are important issues in the United States. Police departments and other law enforcement agencies work to keep communities safe, but there are also ongoing efforts to improve relations between police and the communities they serve. Community policing programs, for example, aim to build trust and cooperation between police and community members. Additionally, crime prevention programs and initiatives that focus on addressing the root causes of crime, such as poverty and lack of education, are also important in reducing crime.

Community safety and crime reduction also involve partnership with other community organizations and agencies. Programs such as youth mentoring, after-school programs, and job training can help reduce crime by addressing the underlying social and economic conditions that contribute to crime. In recent years, there has been a focus on evidence-based policing, which involves the use of data and research to identify crime hot spots and develop strategies to reduce crime in those areas. This approach has been successful in reducing crime in many communities. Technology has also played a role in community safety and crime reduction. Many police departments use surveillance cameras, license plate readers, and other technology to help detect and prevent crime.

Just like any other city in the world no matter the size, there is a crime issue.  From personal property to hard core crimes. And with the surrounding cities acting on the crime in teir areas what it does is push a lot of crimes to take place here in the city of Ocoee! We cant police our way out this matter, we need to put in place more effective methods and that’s working with all sides as one unit. Ocoee can be one of the safest cities in the state.

Bridging the gap between the police and community is an ongoing effort in the United States to improve relations and trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Community policing is a strategy that focuses on building relationships and partnerships between police and community members, with the goal of reducing crime and improving community safety. One of the key elements of community policing is the deployment of officers to specific neighborhoods, where they are responsible for getting to know the residents, businesses, and community organizations. This allows officers to develop a deeper understanding of the community’s needs and concerns, and to work with community members to address them.

Another important aspect of community policing is the use of problem-solving techniques, which involve identifying and addressing the underlying causes of crime and disorder in a community. This can include working with community organizations and agencies to address issues such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of education. Community policing also involves an emphasis on transparency, accountability, and community engagement. Police departments are increasingly using technology such as body cameras, social media and other online platforms to share information and involve community members in policing activities.

HOPES: 21 Conditions for Building Trust between Police and the Community

• Overtly acknowledging the community’s trust and equity issues

• Authentic conversations with the right people invited to participate

• Engagement—giving a voice to all stakeholders

• Allowing stakeholders to vent

• Giving stakeholders opportunities to provide input

• Listening and being listened to

• Being part of the decision-making process

• Showing respect and acting with fairness

• Acknowledging biases and talking about and acting on issues of different kinds of diversity—racial, generational, gender, language, and so on

• Giving the public a go-to person in the police force

• Starting and maintaining individual relationships

• Educating the police, elected officials, and the public about the community’s racial and equity issues

• Issuing clear and quick communication after officer-involved shootings

• Using social media and other communication channels smartly

• Asking stakeholders what they want and how police policies impact them

• Consistency, fairness, and procedural justice

• Transparency (e.g., beat cops, online data, listening tours)

• Involving youth

• Using safe, neutral gathering places

• Asking citizens to be co-owners in finding solutions

• Accountability on the part of law enforcement for bad decisions or actions.

Senior services refer to programs and services that are designed to support and assist older adults as they age. These services aim to help seniors maintain their independence, health, and well-being. One of the most common senior services is home-based care, which includes in-home health care, homemaker services, and personal care services. Home-based care can include assistance with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, and grooming, as well as help with housekeeping and meal preparation. This type of care allows seniors to continue living in their own homes, rather than moving to assisted living or long-term care facilities.

There are also programs designed to help seniors with specific needs such as legal assistance and financial counseling. The National Council on Aging provides a wide range of senior services, including Medicare counseling and assistance with prescription drug costs. It’s worth mentioning that access to senior services vary across the country, and some rural areas may have less access to services than urban areas, and many seniors are also dependent on government-funded programs such as Medicaid.

One of the prime reasons our seniors are missing out on a lot is because in many cases its no one there to assist them with keeping up with the forever changing rules. programs, services and etc. As Ocoee has a very large Senior Population, we as a city needs to do more to make they are getting the information and we’re there every step of the way with them. Its heart breaking to hear a Senior say they have no money, nor help and they are about to be put out their homes or no money to purchase food or medications. 

Bipartisanship refers to the ability of political leaders from different parties to work together to achieve common goals and pass legislation. In the United States, bipartisanship has been an important part of the political process, but it has become increasingly difficult to achieve in recent years. Historically, there have been many examples of bipartisanship in the United States, including the creation of the Marshall Plan after World War II, the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, and the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970. However, in recent years, the level of bipartisanship has decreased, as political polarization has increased, and the divide between the two major parties has grown wider.

Despite these challenges, there are examples of bipartisanship that are still happening in the United States. In recent years, there have been some successful bipartisan efforts on issues such as criminal justice reform, infrastructure, and disaster relief. Some examples of successful bills passed with bipartisan support are the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) during the COVID-19 pandemic and the First Step Act that aimed to reduce recidivism and prison population.

Ocoee, has caused a scar to a culture of people who still call Ocoee home and love it, but how can they forget what happen to others who look just like them. With that happening and how far we have came (still ways to go), working, living, playing and just enjoying life together we know we can work together as one unit.  We can not allow a political party nor a color of one skin to continue to keeps folks apart. We are all one. I have a great plan of action that would be the step in the right direction.

This includes data collected from citizens, devices, buildings and assets that is processed and analyzed to monitor and manage traffic and transportation systems, power plants, utilities, water supply networks, waste, Criminal investigations, information systems, schools, libraries, hospitals, and other community services.]Smart cities are defined as smart both in the ways in which their government sharpness technology as well as in how they monitor, analyze, plan, and govern the city. In smart cities the sharing of data in not limited to the city itself but also includes businesses, citizens and other third parties that can benefit from various uses of that data. Sharing data from different systems and sectors creates opportunities for increased understanding and economic benefits.

With 16 years in Technology and has the opportunity to travel to China, to train at  The China Telecom Data Center and take part in well over 100 Tech Trade Shows it has allowed me to produce my own tech based products and received many awards. In 2021 we was rated #1 tech company for kids. And we won First Place in an International Pitch Competition. With Neo City, Orlando and Eatonville being our neighbors all of whom are using a lot of the smart systems out there, we need to get to work to catch up. I will make sure that we also stay ahead of the other cities. Ocoee becoming more of a smart city will impact us all.