Balanced Growth & Governance
Responsible Spending for a Limited Services City
Growing up in a middle-class home, Lauren knows the adage: “money doesn’t grow on trees.” This has helped her while managing limited marketing budgets in the corporate world and as a local small business owner. It will certainly be helpful while managing your taxpayer dollars. She has cut her teeth on city budget planning while on the Parks, Trails and Recreation Commission. That said, Lafayette is a limited-services city with many of its services contracted with other agencies such as the Contra Costa Sheriffs Department and County Connection bus service. It is important to prioritize spending and staff resources on initiatives that fall within the basic function of a city and that actually make a difference in citizens’ lives. Especially when the city projects a budget shortfall, even the smallest of expenditures add up.
Downtown Lafayette Representation
Not one member of our current city council lives where the majority of change is being considered. It is imperative that the residents zoned in and around Downtown south of Highway 24 be represented. As a resident of Moraga Boulevard, Lauren will be a voice for those where more housing and transportation pathways are being discussed.
Championing for Our City and Residents
City Council’s job is to balance greater county- and state-wide needs with Lafaytte’s own local-control rights. But when state agencies impose rules that are not conducive to Lafayette’s infrastructure reality or when Sacramento forces unfunded mandates, which the city says leads to funding gaps of about 15% of our annual budget deficit, we need more voices at the table who are willing to stand up for us.