Your Voice Matters: The Ward 2A Report (Issue 2026-001)

Your voice matters. Real change starts with the people who live here — with you. We can’t keep putting the same people in the same positions and expect different results. If we want a Garfield Heights that works for its families, we have to speak up and show up.

Our next local election — the 2027 Garfield Heights municipal race — may feel far away. It isn’t. The decisions being made right now — about our budgets, our housing, and how our land gets used — will shape exactly what’s on that ballot. Waiting until 2027 to start paying attention is waiting too long.

Affordability is the issue

Garfield Heights is becoming unaffordable — and the people in charge aren’t treating it like the emergency it is. Housing costs, property taxes, utility bills, and the price of everyday essentials keep climbing, while paychecks don’t keep up.

Too many of our neighbors are being forced into impossible choices: pay the rent or the mortgage, or keep the lights on, food on the table, and a prescription filled. That’s the real test of leadership — are the people we elect addressing what’s hurting families, or just holding the seat?

Where’s the recreation for our kids?

Garfield Heights is home to an estimated 6,500 to 7,100 children under 18 — so where are the safe, year-round places for them to go? Especially during the summer and after school, our kids need recreation they can count on.

When safety concerns arose at Debelak Park, the city closed it. But closing it wasn’t the only choice. We could have posted an auxiliary officer, added security, or gotten creative to keep the space open for our kids. Instead of using those options, the doors were shut.

What’s left doesn’t fill the gap: the ice rink at the Dan Kostel Recreation Center runs only in winter, and the pool only in summer. Our tax dollars pay for recreation — residents deserve to know it’s actually reaching our children.

What this seat does for you

As your elected Central Committee member for Ward 2A, I serve as a communication link between our elected officials and you:

• A communication link between Ward 2A residents and the officials who serve them.
• Have a concern? Start with the elected official or department responsible for it.
• If it hasn’t been addressed, that’s when you reach out to me — and I’ll help get it heard.
• Always focused on the people of Garfield Heights.

Ward 2A community meetings — coming soon

I’m planning regular Ward 2A community meetings — every other month, offered in person and by Zoom. Watch this site for dates, and subscribe to get every issue and update.