Issues

The 2020 census reported the population of Norfolk to be 238,005 making it the third most populous city in Virginia.  Mike wants to work with the the local General Assembly Delegation and change the City Charter and allow members of City Council to introduce ordinances without going through the City Managers Office or through the Mayor.  Elected members of Council should have the ability to introduce ordinances affecting their wards or the city without having to go through the City Manager's office or the Mayor. Norfolk residents deserve to be fully represented and this forces members of Council to be more invested in their respective wards as well.  

Norfolk has the hardest working public sector working employees in the nation and they should be compensated and have their working conditions protected through the right to collectively bargain.  The current council has neglected  our public sector workers in this regard, while they have increased their pay and I commend them for that they have not allowed them to collectively bargain.  I will work with Mayor Alexander, and our Norfolk Delegation to fix the current legislation to make sure the legislation actually allows true collective bargaining for our city employees.  I will also will meet monthly with our public sector employees to hear their concerns and have an open dialogue about how as a member of council I can better serve them better.

Mike know's all to much about the Drug Epidemic in our community, especially in our young adult community.  In December of 2022, Mike lost a good friend to a drug overdose and has other's that have become addicted as well.  Mike wants to work with Council and fund the local Community Service Board and Non-Profits to do greater Outreach to our young populations to help curb these numbers.  Mike also wants  Council to help fund alternative options to incarceration for those that are in active addiction to avoid criminal convictions.  We need to work as a community to end this terrible epidemic in our community and hold those accountable that are possessing selling these narcotics and then make sure that we treat those that these individuals prey on due to their addiction. 

Over the course of the past decade the cost of living has sky rocketed in the Hampton Roads area. especially in Norfolk and Oceanview.  We have an obligation to make housing affordable for all of our residents and our current council has not addressed this issue.  This Council has always sided with developers and Mike will side with those that need affordable housing make sure that we bring that affordable housing back to the area.   Developers should have for every complex or unit they build have some an affordable unit or put into a fund an amount to build affordable housing throughout the City of Norfolk.  

Norfolk City Leaders have done a great deal over the last several years  to combat the homeless crisis, but there is still a great deal that we must do.  Mike has experienced homelessness in his lifetime and it was here in Norfolk.  During that time he realized that there were not enough resources to assist the most vulnerable in our community who face housing insecurity and our homeless.  During Mike's first term on Council he pledges to work with other Council members, local leaders, non-profits and our Community Service Board, to at least make sure that we end our homelessness among our children and address more actively the  homelessness of our veterans in our community. During Mike's time on Council he will make sure that Homelessness will be a priority of his agenda.  Mike also wants to make sure that we end Childhood hunger in our city as well.  Our young adults cannot succeed in school if they are hungry, they cannot focus and we are responsible for making sure that they are receiving al the resources available including the most nurturing foods available.  

Police have to be held accountable for their actions in Norfolk and here in Norfolk their actions are reviewed by Norfolk's Commonwealth's Attorney, which Mike thinks is a clear conflict of interest.  Mike wants to add to the City budget a Civilian Review Board that would review any and all allegations of Police Misconduct.  Police should be held to the highest standards and unfortunately our Commonwealth Attorney has never held any Officer accountable for their actions.  This Civilian Review Board would be an independent body selected by City Council and review allegations of police misconduct and then make a recommendation to the Commonwealth Attorney on whether or not to bring charges.   This way at least resident feel that their voices have been heard in the decision making process when police have been accused of police misconduct.