THE ISSUES AT HAND
Learn more about Arbie and his vision for the world, starting with our own community. Here is where you will find all the information you need that surrounds the political concerns Arbie is addressing. As well as, key policies that Arbie fights to uphold. As our society is ever-changing, we must find ways to address today's problems with tomorrow's solutions
According to data provided by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), 1 in every 5 people who are taking care of an elderly loved one has to stop work entirely. 2 in every 5 people have to move from a full-time job to part-time due to the immense amount of work it takes to properly care for a loved one. And 4 in every 5 people in that population goes into $15,000 of debt. This issue was resolved by Congress in 1965 with the "Older American Act.” As a councilman, Arbie plans to work with our newly elected mayor and lobby to our United States Senators and Representatives to guarantee that the "Older American Act" is included in the United States 2020 Budget. Soon after, Arbie will work with city and state officials to ensure the programs that were created under the "Older American Act" reach our city to make sure that those families can continue to work and have the proper care for their loved ones.
Our city is moving into an era of innovation and exponential growth. It is time to pass on the mantle. However, before we can successfully do that, we must ensure that the next generation is fully equipped with the tools they need to succeed. That's why as your councilman, Arbie will use his discretionary funds to sponsor/throw a quarterly 3-day community event focused on professional development and preparation. The first day will focus on job interviews. We will be providing workshops on how to be successful in a job interview and other resources that will assist with the process. This includes the following: business casual shoes and clothing, free haircuts, pens, and notebooks - amongst other tools. Day two will focus on financial literacy and wealth-building. For the final day, there will hundreds of businesses, vocational schools, and colleges that will be taking interviews and applications.
In the past five years, our city has witnessed a boom in our economic ecosystem. We believe that true economic prosperity begins from the bottom up. That’s why Arbie has vowed to never vote in favor of an item that will allow a company to develop in Miami Gardens without a prerequisite that at least 50% of the companies staff will be residents of Miami Gardens. As councilman, Arbie will work with grassroots organizations to educate residents on grants and small business loans to help startups in Miami Gardens. During these times, we have seen how quickly the world can change and the importance of having proactive leadership. Thus, Arbie will propose that the city starts a fund that would provide small interest loans to businesses based in Miami Gardens to consolidate the impacts of potential crises in the future. He will also propose that the city provides free business licenses to young Miami Gardens based entrepreneurs ages 16-24.
As a lifelong resident of Miami Gardens, I too have been affected by crime in our city. But as noted above, I believe we have to approach today's problems with tomorrow’s solutions. For far too long politicians' response to crime is a stronger police force. A stronger police force can only react to the crime quicker. However, asking ourselves, “Why are our people committing the crime in the first place” Reframing our orientation to be more proactive has the potential to be a lot more effective than methods previously used. As your councilman, I will propose that we divert a portion of the police department’s budget and use it for better mental health, housing, and education programs.
Too often I hear people say “If someone would have told me better, I would have done better". I feel that our current education system doesn’t go far enough to teach our residents how to thrive in society. Many graduate from high school or college and go through life without being exposed to financial literacy and life skill courses that can alter an individual's life. As councilman, I will work with grassroots organizations and others to facilitate community courses. They will have a special focus on at-risk teenagers and felons. Also, I will expand the capacity of our performing arts center to include a program where young people can become Adobe Suite and Avid certified and use those skills in internships.