Kristie’s Priorities
An Affordable Arizona
Many young families and seniors can no longer afford to live in the East Valley. Affordability is the number one issue I hear from both families and small business owners. I support targeted policies to lower everyday costs, like addressing housing affordability, reducing childcare expenses, and ensuring fair pricing practices. When families are financially stable, businesses benefit from a stronger workforce and customer base. My goal is to make Arizona more affordable so both businesses and employees can thrive. I will fight to lower our grocery, utility, and childcare costs and am not afraid to take on the political establishment and monopolies to make it happen.
Lowering Our Healthcare Costs
My commitment to affordable, accessible healthcare is deeply personal. My twins were delivered at just 32 weeks by emergency C-section and spent 43 days in the NICU. Even with insurance, I came dangerously close to facing bankruptcy because of the medical bills. I have also experienced our healthcare system as a caretaker for my father, navigating appointments, treatment decisions, insurance requirements, and the emotional strain that comes with advocating for someone you love. I know how overwhelming the system can feel when a family is already facing one of the hardest moments of its life. No Arizonan should have to choose between paying a medical bill, buying medicine, or keeping food on the table. I will protect our health coverage and support seniors, veterans, and those with disabilities. One major health emergency shouldn’t make a hardworking family go broke.
A Sustainable Future
In the desert, water is life. Ensuring that we have a secure, long-term water supply is non-negotiable. As a Democrat who worked for 10 Republican US Senators at the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Majority on the reauthorization of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, I am committed to making sure Arizona has sound policies that protect the air we breathe and secure our water rights for generations to come.
I have been encouraged by how much Republicans and Democrats are united in Arizona here on these Colorado River negotiations. We should continue that good faith work together by exploring new, cost-effective ways to increase water supply in Arizona, in addition to our efforts to ration it. If we don’t address this proactively, it will impact businesses, housing, and economic development across the region.
As an attorney, I’ve been following litigation around these issues. Recently, an Arizona court ruled in favor of homebuilders, striking down state water rules that had restricted new housing development by limiting groundwater availability determinations, shifting more control back toward case-by-case water approvals. This has positives and negatives that lawmakers need to carefully consider. A sustainable future for Arizona’s economy and quality of life means clean water, clean air, and mitigating the effects of excessive heat.