Juan Gonzalez

Nonpartisan

Evaluate traffic flow, small business access, multi-modal public transportation and walkability of potential sites.

Clean courts, playgrounds and fields will help keep kids on the right path.

Housing is not just a policy issue, it is the foundation for public health, safety, and opportunity. As a firefighter, Manny understands that when people are unhoused, their physical, mental, and behavioral health challenges, often co-occurring, go untreated. This creates a ripple effect across families, neighborhoods, school districts, and emergency services in our community.

The public has been in the dark for too long. Let’s conduct a forensic audit of city books and ensure we understand the full picture.

One of the topics Manny hears most when out in the community is the desire for a new public garage. Downtown Lawrence continues to struggle with accessible parking, especially when we are trying to attract more small businesses, restaurants, and community events at the same time. We owe it to our residents to build the right garage, in the right location, while being responsible with public dollars. The process can be lengthy, but it can’t start until it starts.

The city pursued funds to modernize traffic signal timing but failed to execute on any change that makes a positive impact on traffic or travel times.

Residents across Lawrence deal with frustrating traffic jams, dangerous intersections, and inconsistent traffic patterns- especially during school drop-off, rush hour, or downtown events. As a parent and small business owner, or even first responder, traffic congestion is impacting our daily life, our safety, and our ability to move freely around the city. Lawrence can do more to alleviate these conditions.

Once a site is selected and the project moves forward, Manny’s plan will boost foot traffic downtown, support equitable access to public services, and encourage investment from employers and developers while helping to reduce traffic congestion in residential areas and providing good jobs to the Lawrence Community.

The school system in Lawrence takes up the biggest percentage of our city budget, yet our schools remain in receivership. Infrastructure improvements, additional support for teachers, and more resources for students must be considered in a public process, with teachers, students, parents, administrators, and community members involved from start to finish.

Manny will work with the public to identify underutilized public property that can be future investments in affordable housing projects.

As a firefighter, Manny works every day with members of Lawrence PD. We can support them by offering better mental health counseling options for first responders and investments in de-escalation training.

Manny believes Lawrence deserves a mayor that will work to address the root causes of crime rather than a sole focus on enforcement. There are social, educational, and economic gaps in our city which contribute to the perceived increase in criminal activity for example lack of affordable housing, limited access to mental or behavioral health services, and substance abuse.

The current negotiated contract with Lawrence’s parking meter vendor should be reconsidered and amended. The status quo is unfair for Lawrence residents. Parking enforcement is a considerable source of revenue for the city, but these small changes would strike a better balance for Lawrence.

Robust sports, arts, and music programs should be available to our students and children.