JS: My wise mother taught me to "forget myself and go to work." I’m committed to serving my neighbors and want to be their advocate. I am willing to listen and willing to learn, striving not to become infected with the "disease of expertise." I will be a fresh voice and bring a perspective that will allow you, the residents, to have a continued high quality of life. In addition, I can better represent the growing younger demographic of Frisco. I want to ensure city employees flourish within their departments by promoting comprehensive dialogue, personal service and new ideas that maximize limited taxpayer liability and welcome private investment. It would be a privilege to represent Place 1 and see Frisco reach its full potential as a beacon to other cities throughout North Texas and the nation.

JS: Right now, COVID-19 recovery and vaccination, emergency and financial preparedness along with sustainable growth are all major challenges that need to be addressed immediately. As far as growth, I expect Frisco, at its current rate, to be over 90% developed within the next three to five years. The continued growth that helped fund a majority of city operations, through sales and property tax income, could start to plateau. We’ve already seen relatively flat sales tax revenues for the last three years, concerning since the city receives over 70% of its annual revenue from sales and property taxes. To address the possible revenue plateau, we as a city need to actively seek new developments that provide long-lasting financial benefit, i.e., multiuse development like The Star in Frisco or Legacy West in Plano. In addition, we should encourage city departments to continue lean and six sigma training to improve efficiencies, and thereby reduce cost.

JS: Reviewing our plans for emergency preparedness and financial solvency. Mother Nature left a dent this winter, leaving thousands of families without heat, water or clear communication. I will not be satisfied until I can bring to residents a comprehensive plan to prepare for and address disaster relief. 24-hour, 72-hour, 7-day,-14-day and 30-day plans need to be established. Secondly, I want to interact with residents on a personal level, whether that’s safely going door to door or conducting virtual town halls (and hopefully soon at in-person town halls). With a city that has grown so rapidly, I want to ensure that new and current residents feel like a welcome part of the dialogue. As a longtime journalist and media member, I will help the community and media relations department share with the residents what the city is doing right, where we are falling short and the vision for the future. Truth and transparency go a long way in building strong relationships of trust.

JS: I would love to see a new Frisco Airport, a business research park/incubator for UNT, a new multicultural event, and funding for Grand Park through private donations and foundation grants. A new airport on the north side of the city will accelerate business and job creation, allow quick transportation for PGA professionals and corporate clients, plus be a future self-sustaining commercial option, eliminating the need for a taxpayer subsidy. The population of the DFW metro area is expected to exceed 12 million people in the next 30 years; DFW International Airport and Love Field will not be able to handle all that traffic alone. I have several ideas for funding Grand Park, including substantial private investment from residents through the purchase of dedication bricks, benches or even trees. Frisco is blessed with a diverse community, and one way we can embrace and highlight our different cultures is through a rail district event called Ethic Expo that shares food, entertainment and arts from regions where our citizens are from.