Today, on Labor Day, we celebrate the people whose work keeps Johnson City moving.
The teachers and school staff educating our kids. The nurses, technicians, and caregivers looking after our families. The construction workers and tradespeople building our community. The restaurant, retail, and hospitality workers who make our city a place people want to visit and call home. The first responders and public employees who keep us safe and provide the services we depend on. The entrepreneurs and small-business employees who bring our neighborhoods to life.
Johnson City works because you do.
And if you work here, you should have a fair shot at being able to afford to live here.
For too many families, that is becoming harder. Housing costs have climbed. Groceries cost more. Childcare can consume an enormous share of a family’s income. Healthcare remains a major burden. And rising taxes and everyday expenses squeeze household budgets even further.
We hear a lot about Johnson City’s growth, and there is much to be proud of. But our measure of success cannot simply be how many buildings we construct or how much our tax base grows. We should also ask whether the people doing the work that makes that growth possible can afford to build a life here.
That is why affordability is at the heart of my campaign for City Commission.
City government cannot solve every challenge facing working families. It can make choices that help—or choices that make things harder. We can expand housing opportunities, advocate for tax relief that hits household budgets, improve transportation and infrastructure, support local businesses, and carefully consider the cost we impose on residents every time the Commission makes a decision.
A thriving Johnson City should work for the people who work for Johnson City.
So today, thank you to everyone working to build, teach, heal, serve, create, repair, protect, care for, and strengthen our community.
Happy Labor Day, Johnson City.
Johnson City works because you do.
