How the STAR Framework Was Built

I listened before I decided.

I spent weeks walking Ward 2 — knocking on doors, sitting with families, and joining the conversations already happening at events and community meet-ups across the ward. I wanted to hear what's working, what's broken, and what you actually need from your councillor.

Five themes came back again and again. I organized them into a framework I can be held to — A STAR — so every commitment on this page ties to a priority you can name, and to an honest account of what a councillor can really do about it.

01
AThe A in A STAR

Affordability

This came up at nearly every door.

Ward 2 families are feeling the squeeze. The property costs, development charges, recreation fees and housing supply that hasn't kept pace with growth. Milton already has among the lowest property taxes in Ontario. The work is making sure those tax dollars actually produce what Ward 2 needs.

That means I'll vote against unreasonable tax increases and push for efficiency and value for money before new revenue is ever sought. I'll advocate for more housing variety such as townhouses, stacked townhouses and secondary suites that give families and young people more affordable entry points into Ward 2. I'll fight for infrastructure funding, working with regional and provincial partners so Milton's growth costs don't fall entirely on local taxpayers. This means I'll push for recreation fee relief, because no family in Ward 2 should be priced out of their own community's programs and facilities.

Honest mechanics: A single councillor cannot set tax rates or mandate housing types on their own. What I can do is push the mayor, council and staff for decisions that are in the best interest of Ward 2 residents.
02
SThe S in STAR

Safety

Car thefts, street racing, and unsafe school zones are things Ward 2 residents raised consistently.

Safety in Ward 2 is not just a policing question, it's a roads question, a planning question and a council accountability question. Families shouldn't have to worry about their kids walking to school or their car being gone in the morning.

I'll move motions for traffic calming like speed humps, road narrowing, and roundabouts on the Ward 2 streets where complaints are highest, and improve school zone protections with reduced speed limits, crossing guards, and physical infrastructure near Robert Baldwin PS, Bruce Trail PS, and Bishop Reding. I'll push for better signals on arterials like synchronized traffic lights on Derry Road and Louis St. Laurent for less speeding and better flow and advocate for home security camera rebates, a practical municipal tool to address car theft without waiting on policing alone.

Honest mechanics: Traffic calming, signals, and school zones cross town, regional, and police jurisdictions. However, I will push at every level, be clear about who owns what, and follow up publicly in order not to let issues disappear into bureaucracy.
03
TThe T in STAR

Transit

Getting around Ward 2 shouldn't mean sitting in traffic or waiting on a bus that never comes.

Milton grew faster than the ways to move through it. Buses don't run often enough on the routes people actually use, GO service is stretched, and too many streets still aren't safe to walk or bike. I walk our streets and ride our buses, so I feel every missing sidewalk and every late bus — this isn't theory for me.

I'll vote to improve Milton Transit — better frequency and reliability on the Ward 2 routes residents depend on, because a bus that comes on time is what makes it a real option. I'll advocate to Metrolinx for better GO service so Ward 2 commuters aren't stranded by thin schedules. I'll fight for sidewalks, safe crossings and connected bike routes linking neighbourhoods to schools and transit, so getting around on foot works for every age. And I'll make the case that this helps drivers too — every resident who has a real alternative is one fewer car forcing everyone else to wait.

Honest mechanics: Milton Transit is a town service I can vote on directly. GO Transit is provincial, so there I advocate and push — I'll always be clear about which lever is which and follow up publicly, rather than promise what isn't mine to deliver.
04
AThe A in STAR

Amenities

Milton keeps building houses. The parks, programs, and community spaces haven't kept up.

Ward 2 families are living in neighbourhoods that grew faster than the infrastructure that makes them liveable. Kids need somewhere to go after school. Families need community options that don't require driving to Oakville. This is a budget fight and I will show up for it.

I'll fight for Ward 2's share in every budget — capital spending on parks and recreation, argued for at the budget table before decisions are locked in. I'll expand after-school and weekend programming and build the community amenities Milton hasn't kept pace with, so families don't have to drive to Oakville to find them. I'll push for youth spaces in new facilities because every new community building planned for Ward 2 should have dedicated space for young people. I will also work to open school facilities to the community, partnering with school boards to use gyms and spaces in off-hours. Finally, I'll audit what Ward 2 is actually getting, requesting a staff comparison of amenity investment across wards so that if Ward 2 is behind, it goes on the record.

Honest mechanics: Capital spending is decided through the budget process. A single councillor cannot unilaterally approve spending, however, I will fight for Ward 2's share loudly, with data, every cycle. That is exactly what I will do to ensure we get what we deserve!
05
RThe R in STAR

Responsibility

Ward 2 deserves a councillor who shows up, listens, and follows through — not one who disappears between elections.

Too often, residents only hear from their councillor at election time. Responsibility means being accessible year-round, transparent about decisions, and accountable for what actually gets done in Ward 2. It's the priority that holds the other four honest.

I'll hold an annual Ward 2 town hall where residents can raise service issues to my face. I'll publicly track Ward 2 complaints and resolutions, so problems are visible instead of buried. I'll request quarterly service reports for the ward so we can see what's improving and what isn't. I'll keep regular office hours and stay reachable — by email, by phone, and in the community. And I'll be straight about jurisdiction, naming who owns each issue so nobody is left chasing the wrong level of government.

Honest mechanics: This is the one priority fully within a councillor's control. Accountability isn't a budget vote or a provincial decision — it's a choice about how I do the job. I'm putting that choice in writing here, so you can hold me to it.