For decades, Pearland has stood the test of time as an amazing place to raise a family, start a business, and be part of a close-knit community. Our success has brought us explosive growth, new amenities, and place after place in national rankings. But becoming a bigger city has also brought bigger challenges – division between neighborhoods, mounting debt and budgetary stress, and the decline of shared spaces that inspire pride and build a sense of community.

Building a great city is hard. I realize there will be few easy answers or quick fixes but will devote my energy, expertise, and love for Pearland to finding solutions alongside our formidable city staff, dedicated council, and outstanding community members. Pearland has come a long way since its sleepy days as a stop on the Santa Fe Railroad, and with our determined efforts, we can go even further. Let’s get started.

Pearland’s greatest asset is its people – people who are highly skilled, community-focused, and bring to the table diverse perspectives from all walks of life.

I understand that the best ideas won’t just come from City Hall but from people, businesses, and organizations who represent every neighborhood and background. The more people feel invested in Pearland and are willing to share their time, talents, and treasure, the faster our challenges will be solved.  This means drawing from the wider community when making city appointments, better publicizing opportunities for community involvement, and ensuring every step we take contributes towards a unified, inclusive Pearland identity.

Through rigorous analysis of our city’s budget and countless discussions with our leaders, I have come to a troubling conclusion: our city’s financial future is at risk. In 2018, half of Pearland’s homes stagnated or declined in value, 63 cents of every property tax dollar went towards servicing our debt, and millions of dollars of necessary street and sidewalk repairs went unfunded as our budget ran dry. If the city can’t afford needed repairs in a thriving economy, what position will we be in when things inevitably slow down?

As a management consultant, I work every day to help businesses balance their budgets, streamline their processes, and work with teams to craft solutions that lead to long-term success. I will bring this experience to City Hall to improve our services, manage our budget, and promote long-lasting economic growth.

It is critical that Pearland continue to attract new businesses to share the tax burden, bring high-paying jobs without the commute, and inject investment into our local economy. We have to shed our reputation as a difficult place to do business and develop greater opportunities for city agencies to promote a competitive business environment. 

We shape our surroundings and then our surroundings shape us. Great cities are made up of great spaces where people can come together to work, play, and relax. Whether it’s parks, plazas, or patios, well-designed places create a shared sense of identity, add value to the community, and encourage face-to-face connection.

By thinking strategically about the placement of amenities, revisiting the city’s unified development code, and coordinating with private developers and civic organizations, I will work with the other members of council to make Pearland more vibrant, connected, and fun.

Cities that remain successful over time build institutions that reinvest in their people and drive progress year after year. From business and entertainment districts to event venues and higher education facilities – these projects are difficult to accomplish – but they are crucial to ensuring that Pearland’s success stands the test of time.  As our city continues to evolve, we must ensure this kind of development finds a home in our rapidly disappearing vacant spaces. These pillars of education, entertainment, commerce, and community generate long-term progress that strip centers and gas stations simply cannot provide.

Growing up in Pearland profoundly shaped who I am today. It instilled in me core values about what matters and taught me norms that, as a kid, I didn’t realize were so incredible or so rare. 

It taught me that your community will always rally behind you – in good times, like when your dad and brother’s baseball team needs support to get to Pennsylvania for the Little League World Series, and in bad – like when hurricanes leave you without water or power for weeks on end. 

It taught me that when you have safe neighborhoods and well-maintained streets, your family can focus on starting a small business, getting their kids a first-rate education, and finding fellowship in prayer.

It taught me that people of all classes, colors, and creeds can find immense personal and professional success and thrive in inclusive neighborhoods where differences are celebrated and integrated into a shared and trusting whole.

At a time when so much of the rest of the country is grappling with intense loneliness and bitter polarization, Pearland works because what it’s people value most is not themselves as individuals or far away, federal fights – but the layers of life in between: faith, family, community, and vocation. Pearland works because of its PTAs and sports leagues, its clubs and its places of worship, its small businesses and civic organizations – the places where people meet face to face and find fulfillment and purpose outside of themselves.

Pearland isn’t perfect – but it is a place that I am extremely proud to call home. Our successes were hard-fought and must be renewed year after year against challenges that are bigger than ever before. My background in professional problem-solving, years of serving Pearland’s representatives in government, and a lifetime of formative experiences in this community have equipped me with the tools and the passion to give as much to Pearland as it has given to me. With your support, we can renew Pearland’s commitment to its people, prosperity, and public places and ensure that it remains a city that our children and grandchildren can be proud of for many years to come.