Mariam on the Issues
REDUCING TRAFFIC
As a member of the American City Council, Mariam took action on traffic issues by helping secure funding for Highway 29 improvements, partnering with large employers to incentivize carpooling and staggered working hours, and other out-of-the-box solutions to address congestion. She also successfully negotiated the Watson Ranch Development Agreement, through which the City got the right of way for the Newell extension.
On the Board of Supervisors, she will take a similarly focused approach to dealing with regional traffic issues. Mariam supports additional investment in both congestion-relieving road and freeway improvements as well as investments in transit projects that help get cars off the roads and the county closer to achieving its climate goals. One specific priority of hers is continuing to work on connectivity issues in American Canyon and getting Newell through to South Kelly.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Housing issues are among the greatest challenges facing our community, as demonstrated by a severe homelessness crisis and a skyrocketing cost of living driving neighbors and community members out. At the City, Mariam prioritized new housing projects in infill areas and housing affordability focal points to bring a level of affordability to American Canyon as the city grows and evolves. As a result, dozens of new affordable unites for seniors and veterans opened up in American Canyon during her tenure. At the County, Mariam will work with affordable housing developers and planning staff to identify future opportunities around the county for new affordable housing units.
CLIMATE RESILIENCY
In the face of wildfire, drought, and severe weather, it has never been more clear that climate change is real and it is here. Mariam has been a staunch advocate for aggressive and effective carbon reduction and climate resiliency action. Under Mariam’s leadership, the City of American Canyon completed an audit of all City facilities in order to determine where solar power would be appropriate and installed new solar panels and battery back-ups as part of what is know as the "Engie Project." Mariam also led the charge to move forward all electric reach codes, zero waste food composting, replacement of traditional leaf blowers with electric leaf blowers, and tree replanting.
As a County Supervisor, Mariam will work with stakeholders to make sure that county government is making measurable progress towards the goals outlined in the county Climate Action Plan. She will take a climate-conscious approach to land use, water, infrastructure, and housing decisions.
Mariam supports a ban on new gas stations in Napa County and removing code language that makes electrification more difficult.
Mariam will be a strong advocate for measures to protect family farms and strike a balance between preservation, development, and vineyard/agricultural use.
FIRE PREPAREDNESS
As we continue to see increasingly regular and severe wildfires, we must do everything we can to prepare for wildfires and mitigate the risk they pose to our neighborhoods and businesses. That means taking a proactive approach to the management of our open spaces, embracing fire mitigation as a land-use principle, and ensuring the highest levels of fire response capabilities are met.
As a Supervisor, I would advocate for the county to continue working with landowners to implement the Napa County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. In accordance with the plan, I support maintaining and supplementing mitigation programs that reduce fuel, particularly in creating defensible space near structures, while maintaining critical access roads for firefighter response.
As a component of the land use and planning process, it is critical we provide substantive consideration of how new projects will contribute to fire risk and mitigation while ensuring developers take the necessary steps to create fuel breaks and access roads.
Lastly, our ability to respond to fires when they happen is a product of having the highest-quality professionals staffing our community’s fire departments. I support investing in recruitment, retention, and training to make sure we are attracting and cultivating the best firefighters and EMS personnel in the profession. I also support efforts to modernize equipment and invest in the technology we need to monitor and respond to wildfires. Lastly, there is much work to at the city and county level to increase communication and collaboration between all public safety agencies serving our community and ensure interoperability between agencies.