I guessed right.
Twelve days ago I wrote a blog post, "Mayor and City Council candidates: a first look," where without knowing much about the two Ward 6 candidates for city council, I said:
Ward 6. Julie Hoy and Stacey Vieyra-Braendle are the candidates seeking to fill Chris Hoy's seat. I could be completely wrong about this, but it seems strange that an unrelated Hoy just happens to hope to replace Chris Hoy.
This is the sort of thing Republicans would do. So I'll indulge my conspiracy theory mind and theorize that Julie Hoy leans conservative. I know nothing about Vieyra-Braendle. If she turns out to be conservative, I wouldn't be all that surprised, but for now I'm guessing she's the more liberal candidate.
Tonight I got an email from Progressive Salem, who is supporting Vieyra-Braendle.
The email included a link to her campaign web site. Being a progressive myself, I liked what I saw there. Ward 6 voters shouldn't hesitate to cast their ballot for Vieyra-Braendle in the May election.
This statement on her home page is very appealing.
Salem should be more than just the place we live. It should be a community in which everyone thrives. As a Mixed Latina and healthcare professional with invisible disabilities, I know that the path to health and well-being is complex. It requires leaders who will engage our neighbors, listen to them, and then act. I’ve got the skills for this job.
Here's some of her positions, as stated on her web site:
Houselessness and Affordable Housing
Sheltering for all. As we expand sheltering, I will advocate for services and supports that meet the needs of all of our houseless neighbors. This includes ensuring adequate mental health support, youth services, and shelters equipped to support people recovering from major medical events or illnesses.
Low-barrier sheltering. We need increased low-barrier sheltering options for our neighbors. A criminal record or substance use does not make someone unworthy of having their basic needs met.
Affordable housing. I will encourage more affordable housing and housing in multi-use areas for easier access to services and public transportation.
Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
Equity lens. It’s time Salem officially adopts an equity lens, and creates tools that actively incorporate equity into our decision-making processes. It is no longer enough to say “we’re trying” - we must be deliberate on our path to reducing disparities. We must be clear about our commitment to justice and equity. We must embrace diversity, not erase it.
Increase access to child care. Our Ward is a childcare desert. I will support parents and caregivers in getting adequate childcare support because the impacts of this extend to all of us. If parents are not forced to choose between childcare and work, we have increased diversity of thought and experiences in our workforce, and employees show up on time and more consistently. If childcare is made available outside of work hours, civic engagement increases dramatically.
Fair share of city resources. I will include Ward 6 investments in the Community Bond measure, such as:
-- Adequate sidewalks on Center, Hawthorne and Park Streets so our kids can walk to school safely and people can walk to work and services.
-- A branch library. Libraries serve as key community hubs where children not only learn to read, but where neighbors can get support in navigating healthcare, looking up jobs, and more.
A Healthier Salem
Creating jobs through solar. I will create local jobs and support small and minority-owned businesses by locating the Community Solar Project in the Salem Climate Action Plan in underserved northeast Salem. This in turn will reduce health disparities we experience, by cleaning up our air and environment.
Mobile Crisis Response Unit. I will help develop Salem’s Mobile Crisis Response Unit, staffed with mental health professionals. In the midst of a mental health crisis, the last thing our neighbors need is a police response. It also saves us all money by decreasing the number of persons jailed as a result of mental health issues.
Increase access to public transportation. I will collaborate with Cherriots and other partners to increase bus services to our Ward and others, to put a public transit hub in Ward 6, and to provide free bus passes to students. The benefits of doing this are many: it improves our air quality by decreasing the use of personal vehicles, makes it easier for neighbors to access resources and services, and more.
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