The protection and extension of human rights as well as an effective challenge to hate crimes has always been high on my agenda, and in the city council I have co-sponsored and lobbied for all our Human Rights and Hate Crimes legislation.

Each year since 1987 I have studied the city budget line item by line item. The city budget is the most important legislation we pass each year, as it sets our priorities as a city and directly impacts the affordability of the city.

There are two schools of thought about the budget. The first one is to take this process as an opportunity to identify needs in your ward and get commitments up front to address them in exchange for your vote. The second is to study the budget, start from ground zero, ask questions, understand where the money is coming from and going to, input the process by doing so, and then make sure your ward gets its fair share.

The second of these is what I do.