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Each week the Davis Vanguard asks candidates a question. Here's the fifth question, my answer, and a link to the article. What do you think the most important pieces of the Downtown Plan are - and would you make any recommendations of changes before the final plan is approved?We lack a joint vision for the future of Davis and a roadmap for how we can move forward together. This is an important step with dense, yet diverse housing, a focus on pedestrian infrastructure, and an introduction of form-based code which provides guidelines for developers and an outline of what Davisites can expect for the future.
Specific Improvements:
Finally, I believe we should have in place a schedule to regularly update planning documents, so that they continue to represent the community’s vision and allow us to remain proactive. I suggest we schedule for revisiting the planning commission and downtown plan advisory commission in 2025, community outreach in 2026, and an updated draft in 2027 which look further toward the future. Planning on a continual basis prepares us for the future by shaping it!
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Each week the Davis Vanguard asks candidates a question. Here's the fourth question, my answer, and a link to the article. How would you address racial disparities in police stops?This problem is pervasive and costs people their lives. I believe that performance based standards and budgeting, moving non-sworn staff jobs out of the police department, and shifting funding from fighting to preventing crime are three important steps in creating more equitable public safety.
To implement performance based standards and budgeting, we must collect quality data. The fact of the matter is, we don’t know who is being stopped by police. Los Angeles performed an audit using .2% data from 2019 and found misreporting for 18% on those interactions. Who knows how many interactions are missing entirely. Using auditing processes, we can identify how well police are reporting their interactions and create incentives for proper reporting. We can then determine where this issue is prevalent and create policy and incentives for change. We have a new department of Housing and Social Services. Traffic and code enforcement and dispatch which do not require a sworn officer should be moved to this new department. We should put our money where our mouth is and shift funding from fighting crime to preventing crime. The most commonly reported crimes in Davis are bike and catalytic converter theft. Secure parking, bike registration, and subsidizing catalytic converter cages are a few ways to help prevent these. It is most important that we create continued conversation about this, so we can collect and implement the community’s ideas on the best ways to move forward. I don’t have all the answers, the community does. Last week, there were three forums held by local organizations. If you feel like you haven't had a chance to hear us actually speak on our priorities and the topics of interest to the community, these offer a great opportunity to get to know us. You can find recordings of all three using the link below!
Each week the Davis Vanguard asks candidates a question. Here's the first question, my answer, and a link to the article. More to come! Discuss your views of the city’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan - do you support it? Does it go far enough? What concerns do you have?I support creating concrete plans to move toward a carbon neutral future quickly. However, there are clearly areas where the CAAP can be a better policy and process.
I plan to create an independent climate commission to hold the city accountable and facilitate an updated CAAP beginning immediately. We have no time to waste in improving this plan with community input and buy-in. This update needs to engage activists and community members of all ages, income-levels, etc. and increase its focus on transportation and resilience. I also plan to immediately begin the proliferation of resilience centers that can disconnect from the grid in times of emergency at grocery stores, churches, and schools for those in our community as well as climate refugees. The city’s most important job is to work with the community, which is why it is important to address the whole house electrification mandate. This is not a well thought through policy and the Natural Resources Commission, professional realtors, and the public have identified this. The issues with this policy are threefold. It is inequitable, will decrease housing stock turnover, and will cost the city money. Instead, I suggest our community consider annual fee schedules for gas appliances which provide property owners with incentives to switch to electric at time of replacement but still allow them the option to continue with gas. This would raise funds that can be used to assist people with this transition, cover the costs of enforcement, and help us increase energy resilience. Each week the Davis Vanguard asks candidates a question. Here's the second question, my answer, and a link to the article. The city of Davis must build 930 low and very low income housing units during the next RHNA cycle ending 2029. Explain your plan to meeting the city’s affordable housing requirements.The city is in an unfortunate situation when it comes to affordable housing because of previous council decisions to allow developments to meet the city requirements in ways that do not count toward RHNA standards, repeatedly renewing an interim affordable housing ordinance that only requires 15%, and continuing to require an arduous and costly process to create affordable housing in our city.
To address the first and second issues, the council must reject the interim affordable housing ordinance in favor of a long term ordinance requiring 30% dedicated affordable housing with at least 10% very low income and an additional 10% low income. The city must also work with developer and nonprofit partners to secure outside funding to create additional affordable housing opportunities outside of these requirements. The Downtown Plan and a new General Plan are two large pieces of addressing the third issue. My opponents both supported Measure H which only built 85 affordable housing units while creating demand for over 2,000 new employees. This would have made the housing affordability in Davis worse. The city has favored ad hoc proposals like Measure H instead of prioritizing planning. We can do this. We can choose not to settle for developer scraps. If we set strong standards, have reasonable, high goals, and work together, we can achieve them. There has to be an appetite for doing better, and that is what I bring to council. Each week the Davis Vanguard asks candidates a question. Here's the first question, my answer, and a link to the article. More to come! Identify your top three priorities if you are elected in November.I am compelled to run for council because of the climate emergency we are facing, the lack of action at the city level, and Davis’ potential to be a climate action and adaptation leader.
Climate is my first priority, and it is difficult to disentangle anything from our goal of carbon neutrality. This includes completing the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), creating resilience centers, improving public and active transportation infrastructure, building affordable housing, and creating incentives for businesses and individuals to make changes. Another priority is planning. The world is ever changing, and if we do not have quality plans for what we want for Davis, there is no way for us to realize the future we seek. I will prioritize implementing the Downtown Plan, completing the CAAP, and initiating a new General Plan. We have spent too many years responding to proposed projects rather than planning so we get the best for Davis. Finally, fiscal responsibility is a priority. Our city continues to make decisions that will have permanent impacts on the city’s budget without considering the proper cost benefit analysis. Two recent examples that come to mind. First, the council placed DISC on our June ballot. Research shows that peripheral developments often end up utilizing more city resources than the tax dollars they generate. Check out Chuck Marohn. Second, the council authorized the purchase of a ladder truck for the city when sharing these costs with campus is fiscally prudent and makes our tax dollars go further.
We’ll be replacing signs this week. If your sign didn’t stand up to the rain or otherwise needs replacing, please reach Kelsey by text at 530-220-2001 or email at fortunefordavis@gmail.com, and we’ll make sure to bring you a new one! You can also contact her if you don’t yet have a sign and would like one.
Whether you prefer a cuppa, a cup of joe, a glass of sangria, or a seltzer, I have an event for you! In the coming weeks, I'll be at locally own businesses and at your generous neighbors' homes because I want to meet you. I want to know what you see for the future of Davis, so we can move forward together.
Yesterday, August 12th, was the candidacy paperwork filing deadline. It's now official!
Candidate statements are up on the City of Davis website. There are three candidates in District 1 including me and two candidates in District 4. I highly recommend reading them all to get an idea of what each candidate wants to communicate. Here's my candidate statement: KELSEY FORTUNE Age: 30 Occupation: Energy/Transportation Economist Trust is the most important quality in any relationship. We are facing a climate emergency, a housing shortage, incomplete public safety programming, an unsustainable city budget, and governance that talks the talk, but has failed to walk the walk. We deserve a City Council that takes into account long term fiscal, economic, environmental, and equity impacts with every decision they make. We deserve an inclusive and collaborative environment for community members, staff, and City Council. We deserve honest conversations where difficult questions and creative solutions are encouraged. We deserve a City Council we can trust. As an economist, I will work to ensure that Davis moves forwards efficiently and effectively. Together we can ensure that Davis is taking proactive steps toward an inclusive and sustainable future. I will personally work to ensure the City Council and staff are transparent and accountable to the public. Every single day, I will focus on implementing concrete steps Davis can take toward our brightest future. The time for change is now. Let me earn your trust. For more information, visit fortunefordavis.com. I am honored to announce my candidacy for Davis City Council in District 1.
I was raised in small town Wisconsin to believe everyone should play an active role in shaping their community. I moved to Davis nine years ago to pursue my PhD in economics, determined to live in accordance with my values for respect, inclusion, and sustainability. I use my bicycle as my main form of transportation and have woven close relationships with a wide variety of people through my involvement in our community. I volunteer my time as the Associate Director of Purple Tree Café and on the Boards of Bike Davis and Cool Davis. Faced with a climate emergency that threatens to exacerbate already unacceptable levels of inequality and is currently degrading our environment, I believe our diverse and compassionate community is our greatest strength. I see untapped potential for progress and action in the City of Davis. The people and elected leaders who came before us laid the groundwork for a vibrant, sustainable community, and our city government and citizenry can again become an example of an equitable and effective response. The city is also faced with an unsustainable budget, a public safety and justice system that does not best serve the people, an extreme dearth of both affordable and dedicated low-income housing, and lack of transparency, effective communication, and action from our City Council. Our children’s future depends on our ability to act now to address these problems. That’s why I’m running for Davis City Council in District 1. ______________________________________________________ For more information, contact FortuneForDavis@gmail.com, 530-220-2001 |
KelseyKeeping you up to date with my thoughts on my campaign, Davis, and changing the world. Archives
October 2022
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