How would you ensure the district’s budget reflects the community’s values, including transparency, equity, and support for academic excellence? What strategies would you use to maintain public trust around financial decision-making?

TL;DR: I use my training in education finance to support our tax dollars being spent responsibly. To maintain public trust, I've advocated for more transparency by reinstating the community finance committee and encouraged completion of regular performance reviews. Our district's excellent bond rating and clean audits support our commitment to strong, transparent financial oversight.

I am committed to responsibly stewarding our tax dollars with transparency because strong public schools are the best investment a community can make. Maintaining your trust in our district's financial decision-making is my highest priority.

To bring evidence-based practices to our financial oversight, I earned a Certificate in Education Finance from Georgetown University and am studying public economics in my doctoral program. This expertise allows me to find innovative funding sources that lessen the reliance on local taxes and has helped the board strengthen its fiscal oversight and protect our community’s investment.

Expertise isn't enough; transparency is key. I advocated for regular reviews of the treasurer and for bringing back our community finance committee, where residents with financial expertise provide an invaluable layer of oversight. To further this, I'm proud of the new efficiency commitment page on our website, which showcases the district's concrete steps to reduce costs.

Our commitment to fiscal responsibility is reflected in our results. The district consistently maintains a AAA Bond Rating from S&P Global and earns clean audits with the Auditor of State Award. These accolades are a testament to our effective, accountable, and transparent financial practices.

My focus is on student-centered oversight that balances today’s needs with our long-term fiscal health. After approving a plan to rebuild pandemic-depleted reserves, I was the only board member who advocated for using a budget surplus to make strategic investments in our students and teachers. Our budget must reflect our commitment to move every bear forward, together.