Sarah Emery
How does your experience make you qualified to represent the people?
I am not coming into this from a political bubble. I am coming into it as someone who has spent years working directly with people and families in our community. As an estate planning attorney, I sit across the table from families every day helping them navigate some of the most important decisions in their lives. That work teaches you how to listen, solve problems, and understand that every family’s situation is different. Before that, I worked in the DA’s office, where I saw firsthand the importance of public safety, accountability, and fairness.
Outside of my professional career, I have stayed deeply involved in our community as a PTO President, Room Parent, and as a member of the ASD20 District Accountability Committee because I care deeply about our schools and making sure parents and teachers have a voice.
What really qualifies me to represent this community is that I am already part of it. I understand the challenges families are facing because I am living them too. Families are worried about rising costs, education, growth, healthcare, and public safety. I also think people are exhausted by political chaos and want leaders willing to listen, collaborate, and work respectfully with others to actually solve problems. I will always lead with civility, common sense, and a focus on what is best for our community instead of political drama.
What are your top policy priorities?
My top priorities are strengthening public education, tackling the rising cost of living, and making sure growth in our community is responsible and sustainable. These issues are all connected because families cannot thrive if schools are struggling, costs keep rising, and infrastructure cannot keep up with growth.
On education, I want to fight for stable and reliable school funding so districts are not forced into constant budget battles year after year. We need to better support teachers, protect neighborhood schools, and make sure classrooms have the resources they need to succeed. I also believe parents, teachers, and local communities deserve a stronger voice in education decisions.
When it comes to cost of living, I hear from families every day who are feeling squeezed by housing costs, insurance, healthcare, groceries, and childcare. We need practical solutions that support working families, encourage attainable housing, and make it easier for people to stay in the communities they love.
As our area continues to grow, we need to make sure infrastructure and public services grow with it. That means investing in roads, water infrastructure, public safety, parks, and schools before communities become overcrowded and overwhelmed. Growth should be planned thoughtfully and responsibly, with long term community needs in mind instead of short term politics.
What is one issue you think is being overlooked in this race, and how would you address it?
I think one issue that is being overlooked is the growing disconnect between people and government. We hear a lot about division, frustration, and lack of trust in institutions, but we do not spend enough time talking about real solutions to rebuild that trust and bring people back into the process.
I think part of the problem is that too many decisions feel rushed, political, or disconnected from the people most impacted by them. Residents want to feel heard before decisions are made, not after. They want transparency, accountability, and leaders who are actually present in the community.
Some simple action items can make a real difference. I believe elected officials should hold more regular community town halls and listening sessions outside of election season. We should make government meetings and budget information easier for everyday people to access and understand. I also think we need stronger partnerships between local government, schools, nonprofits, and community organizations so problem solving happens collaboratively instead of in silos.
Most importantly, I think leaders need to model civility again. People are tired of constant political fighting. They want thoughtful leadership that listens respectfully, communicates honestly, and focuses on solving problems instead of creating headlines. Rebuilding trust is not going to happen overnight, but it starts with leaders who are willing to show up consistently and work with the community instead of talking at them.
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