Dianna MacDonald

Infrastructure / Transportation We must continue to invest in roads or the cost of the repairs that are needed will continue to rise and the cost to taxpayers will be astronomical. We must continue to make investments in proper bike lanes and pedestrian walkways to encourage other modes of transportation, as well as safety. Education To name a few, housing and food security, access to mental health services, dental screenings, and school culture/climate are all areas in which the city can partner with our local schools to make sure we are working together cohesively. We can also partner together on Safe Routes to School, ensuring that the city is aware and working to promote and help schools have safe walking and bike riding access to schools. Building relationships with our local Trustees for the best outcomes for children and our youth is one of the greatest investments we can make as a community. Housing Additionally, I want to ensure that the City works with local partners to increase housing, particularly for community members who have suffered domestic abuse and have small children to care for. We have folks on the streets living in unimaginable circumstances, including Veterans and families who have housing insecurity or are one paycheck away from losing their homes. Housing This is not just about cleaning up the streets so we don’t have to see what is happening. This is about transforming and addressing the root causes of homelessness and then backing programs that are researched based on our dollars. My goal is to continue to connect unhoused residents & our most vulnerable citizens to important services they need. Environment / Energy I am committed to investing in and maintaining our parks and our surrounding areas and open space. Economy I will work hard to support and remove obstacles for businesses to be able to gain zoning, permits and licensing easier and quicker in our city. Economy As a city Councilmember, I will work with all areas of this industry to support workforce development, higher wages for those entering the industry as providers, and building homes that have access to childcare families within subdivisions as we have seen done in other communities. Criminal Justice / Public Safety After attending their one day community leadership training, I am even more committed to supporting all of our First Responders and investing in services and infrastructure to support safety. The Santa Rosa Fire Department has been working with our community to help prevent and prepare for the threat of future wildfires. We must all work together to ensure we are creating a more defensible and resilient community. Social Services As an example, the City is using the InResponse Mental Health Support Team, which is proving to be a wonderful example of prioritizing our budget to meet the needs of our community members who are struggling with homelessness. Through this program, we have reduced the reliance on our police force to handle mental health calls and have sent a more appropriate, skilled mental health professional to help deal with many non-violent mental health calls. I will support our continuance of these efforts.