​Davis has no financial buffer after the longest period of continuous economic growth in modern history. That is poor planning. Going forward, we need automatic smoothing mechanisms to prepare for recessionary periods. Here are the first four short-term steps I would have taken six months ago to ensure a balanced pandemic budget.
 
First, implement robust campaigns to incentivize local spending. A large portion of our community saw little change to their income. What did change were their habits. Had we immediately put funds towards creating outdoor spaces and promoting the survival of local establishments, Davisites would have formed different pandemic habits than they have now.
 
Second, levels of service should not decrease, but the delivery of these services can shift to more fiscally responsible options. For example, reporting crimes like bicycle theft should be done online with necessary accommodation available. Another example of excessive response would be the five police officers, EMS, and fire truck I witnessed respond to address a single person downtown.
 
Third, consultants go first. The city needs to better utilize our knowledgeable community members who are willing to offer their expertise.
 
Fourth, pause research projects. As a researcher, I understand the importance of gaining knowledge to inform decisions going forward. However, if we cannot find grants to fund these at this time, they may need to wait.
 
Long-term is a different story where much of the budget is tied up in pensions and benefits. The first three steps apply, but here are my other long-term suggestions.

1. Automatic mechanisms for setting funds aside in expansionary periods. My current suggestion would be that all general fund revenue increases in excess of 3% from one year to the next be earmarked for recession spending as determined by a US Recession Probability (Chauvet 1998) exceeding 20% in a given month. Beginning with the 2012-13 fiscal year through 2017-18, this would have set aside around $15 million (data).
2. When budgets are proposed, we see a previous year or two of actual data, estimates for the current year, and proposals for the upcoming year. This is not enough information. We should see the previous five years of actual data, estimates for the current year all with proposed budgets for those years. We need to make informed decisions.
3. Create new non-cyclical sourced of funding which promote city goals. For example, an annual parking space fee on property. This would incentivize existing space dedicated to private vehicles to consider alternative uses and new construction to limit the amount of parking. In turn, this would create an incentive to choose alternatives which would decrease congestion and emissions. Additionally, this funding source would not vary based on economic conditions.
4. Counter-cyclical revenue such as a vacancy tax on non-residential properties would also assist. I first heard vacancy taxes suggested by Connor Gorman and was immediately on board. This would encourage property owners to sell, redevelop, or decrease rent in underutilized buildings as well as bring in additional funds in times when sales tax revenue is lower.
5. “Future growth assumes 30 housing units...annually.” (2-3 FY2020/21 Adopted Budget) Seriously, 30 housing units? We need more development than this. The housing market is never going to approach a healthy vacancy rate if we continue this way. Creating an environment where redevelopment is encouraged is essential for increasing revenue as well as improving the housing market. Right now, I would suggest form-based code throughout the city.
6. Current non-utility FTE is 411. 100 of those are in the police department. Almost half of those 100 employees brought in six figures in 2019. We need less police officers and more mental health professionals and social workers. This is more about the level of service than it is about budgeting. Budgeting is an added benefit. If you ask professionals to deal with mental health crises, addiction, homelessness, etc. rather than force police officers to do these jobs, it will take less of people. 
7. Get overtime under control in the Fire Department. It should not be acceptable for a department to pay $1.65 million in overtime in a year (2019). 

This is just a start. Over the next year, I plan to go through each department's budget in great detail, speaking to the department head and at least 10% of the total employees in the department, and identify five suggestions from an outsider's perspective to increase efficiency. As an economist, efficiency is a passion.

Thank you, Mesara, for a fantastic conversation. You represent the incredible talent, intelligence, leadership, and work ethic of the young people in our community.  I hope to be a part of your work to engage and empower young voters.

I appreciate that councilmembers have voiced their support for the Black Lives Matter Movement. However, as with the Minneapolis City Council, we need to be asking, is this performative? Do these people place themselves at the forefront of public events to perform their alliance, but fail to use their power to affect actual change? Do they continue to approve the purchase of militarized equipment for the Davis Police? Does their privilege mean they are so far removed from the problems that they don’t feel the urgency?
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When asked what I will bring to the council, my answer is action. I don’t show up for the photo op. I show up to find out what is needed, so we can begin implementation. I will create a department of public safety and allocate jobs that can be done by civilians to civilians to reduce the interactions of all citizens with police. I will create a Commission for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity that will be composed solely of underrepresented individuals and push for minority overrepresentation on all commissions because when we exclude voices, we don’t end up with the best solutions. I am listening, learning, and ready to push forward.

This should be done for the entire city in the form of an updated general plan. Davis needs to be forward looking, and our community is well equipped with engaged and knowledgeable citizens to make an appropriate plan.

Form-based code gives developers concrete direction of what Davis is looking for as well as making the process faster for allowable changes and new infill development and allowing for appropriate flexibility within acceptable specifications.

Densification is the most sustainable way for Davis to move forward. Specifically building more in underutilized spaces and areas near downtown and campus without historical significance. This means working with neighborhoods to decide what would fit in currently and moving forward.

Mixed use is an amazing use of space. Allowing people to live where they work and play provides businesses a built in customer base and makes living without a private vehicle increasingly possible.

We allocate almost one third of downtown to streets for free. Let’s reallocate some of this space to businesses and pedestrians. I prefer decreasing reliance on private vehicles overall to specifically pricing parking downtown. If parking is priced in the future, I disagree that these funds should be spent only on improvements within the downtown neighborhood. Pricing parking does not only impact downtown. Things like public transit and bike path infrastructure across town would be obvious complementary uses for funds raised from parking fees.
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Davis cannot remain the same in an ever-changing world. Let’s plan for the future we want. 

A short introduction with Autumn.

Check out the other candidates and measures on Davis Media Access' website.

Things like affordable rent by the bed allows property owners to charge higher prices for a unit by increasing the occupancy of a two bedroom to four people for instance. This is unacceptable. The current affordable housing ordinance offers too much flexibility and opportunities for developers to get around providing units at affordable prices. Building market rate housing in Davis will make money. Period. Rents and housing appreciation are so high, and vacancy rates so low that we can and should ask more of developers and current development.
I would recommend a simplified affordable housing ordinance for rentals that includes the following or something similar.

1. 25% of rented units going to households making less than 120% of Yolo median income with price capped at 75% of market rate and
2. 10% of rented units going to households making less than 80% of Yolo median income with price capped at 50% of market rate.

This should be for new development as well as existing rentals. Anyone who owns 4 or more units is subject to (1) and anyone who owns 10 or more units is subject to (2). If a property does not comply in each month, fees would apply. For example, a fee of $1000 per occupied out of compliance unit.

I'm not the only young candidate for city council this year. I joined Connor and Dillan for a conversation hosted by the Davis Vanguard. Check it out!

The League of Women Voters Davis Area held fantastic forums over the weekend. Check out their City Council District 5 forum!

In case you missed it, the Davis Enterprise wrote a piece about my campaign.