Sandi Aldridge announces bid for Ann Arbor City Council Ward 2

Sandi Aldridge announced she is running for Ann Arbor City Council to represent Ward 2, saying she wants to preserve opportunities for current and future residents while addressing housing affordability and rising costs. "I'm running for City Council because I want to do my part to ensure current residents, as well as the next generations, have the same opportunities that Ray and I have had for our family," she said.

Aldridge, who identified herself as a "proud double Wolverine" with a bachelor's degree and an MBA from the University of Michigan, said she has lived in Ann Arbor for 28 years, including 22 years as a homeowner in Ward 2. She cited her children's education at King, Clague, Huron and Community schools as part of her local ties.

"My approach is straightforward. I bring 30 years of professional management experience from boardrooms at large companies to local startups and nonprofits," Aldridge said, adding she intends to apply that experience to oversee what she described as the city's $600 million budget.

Aldridge highlighted her local organizing work as evidence of community commitment, saying she co-led a campaign that successfully persuaded the University of Michigan to relocate a proposed bus yard away from residential streets and that she organized to save a local business after an abrupt lease termination.

On housing and land use, Aldridge described the comprehensive land use plan approved earlier this year as "a forward-looking document" that is not itself law and said the plan will require work with the City Council, the Planning Commission and residents to implement. "It's critical that we continue to add diverse housing options to create a property ladder," she said, while also stressing neighborhood character and resident input.

Regarding electricity, Aldridge expressed support for the recently launched sustainable energy utility but urged caution about the city taking full control of the grid. "I believe that we need to fully understand what that cost is before committing hundreds of millions of dollars and taking on the support of the infrastructure," she said.

Aldridge also called for stronger collaboration between the city, Ann Arbor Public Schools, and the University of Michigan to better serve residents. She closed by asking for votes in the August 4 Democratic primary and directing listeners to votesandyaldrich.com for more information.