I support the re-election of Marianne LaBarge as Ward 6 city councilor. Marianne’s constituency service is unparalleled. Her 26 years on the council have provided her with a wealth of experience in how to get things done. When Marianne hears of a problem a Ward 6 resident is experiencing she often shows up at their door to understand the problem in detail and to develop her plan of action at the City Council.
As long as she has been in office Marianne has focused on affordability issues, as she is acutely aware of the financial challenges faced by many seniors remaining in their own homes and for young people seeking to purchase their first family home. She continues to fight for increased funding sources for public education in order to keep pace with actual costs. She insists on transparency in government and communication from the mayor’s office. She finds too many of our city roads and sidewalks unsafe and advocates for more resources to apply sustainable solutions rather then temporary patching.
Her achievements as a councilor are too numerous to list but she feels especially proud of her role in conserving rural land within the city, in particular in Ward 6, where she also has played a strong role in creating affordable housing. Two years ago she was a strong advocate for the successful creation of the Division of Community Care within the public health sector of the city. DCC is a person-centered, culturally responsive, trauma-informed response to needs for emotional support, de-escalation of personal crises, problem solving, advocacy, and resource connection for individuals experiencing homelessness, emotional distress, problems with substance use, and difficulty with meeting their basic needs. Marianne is a fighter you can depend on.
Carol Owen
Florence