Orlando City Commissioner-elect Bakari Burns says he wants to focus on "quality of life issues" within District 6 -- south of State Road 408 and mostly west of Interstate 4 -- as well as increase communication between the commissioners and residents.
"I want to empower the neighborhood associations and homeowner associations and help get them organized, re-energized and provide them the information so I can have a direct connection to the district so I will know all the time what their facing and some of their ideas," he says.
The main four issues Burns wants to address during his term are:
- Transportation: Many residents use public transportation. Currently, Lynx buses come every 30 minutes, but Burns says he wants to double the amount of buses and make them arrive every 15 minutes instead.
- Affordable Housing: A lot of the residents who are able to work in the district are not able to live in it. Burns wants to develop new affordable housing units through a bond program and encourage corporations to increase minimum wages.
- Public Infrastructure: Burns says storm water systems need to be updated to deal flooding in certain areas and roads need to be repaired.
- Public Safety: Burns wants to increase public awareness and education on topics such as human trafficking.
"My agenda will be driven strictly by the residents of District 6 and their needs and desires," he says.
Listen to his conversation with Intersection host Matthew Peddie by clicking on the player above.