What Did Candidate Katrisha Waldridge Tell Us?
How did the candidates reply to the questions? Together Frankfort asked questions concerning the six (6) issue areas below:
1. Quality of life (including both economic and environmental issues, planning & zoning, and Tax Increment Financing)
2. Voting
3. Gun Violence
4. Campaign Contributions
5. Healthcare and
6. Housing
Questions from Together Frankfort are in purple text; candidates' response are in black.
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~~~~~ Quality of Life for All Citizens ~~~~~
Together Frankfort: What proposals would you make to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Frankfort and Franklin County? What proposals would you make to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Frankfort and Franklin County?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: I would continue our efforts in improving our park systems and trails to diversify activities and usage. I would also like to continue supporting economic growth to attract businesses to Frankfort/Franklin County to provide options and opportunities for our residents that include indoor facilities/pool/new adventures.
Together Frankfort: Describe your vision for sustainable economic growth in Franklin County.
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: My Vision for sustainable economic growth in Franklin County is to start with consistent, active and focused conversations. For us to grow we must have a plan of communication on how we can work together, how we can create easier processes for business owners and developers. We need to see past the today and create and set a standard for the years ahead.
We must think larger and broader than just our inner city or current industrial park. In order to be sustainable in all we have ahead, we much think HOUSING. Housing is a connected to everyone and every business/developer plans. We must think of the whole picture and get out of our own way because this has proven to hold us back in this stagnant place of confusion and non-growth.
Together Frankfort: What could our community do to address climate change?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: I feel climate change is much larger than Frankfort, KY. However, we are doing our part by planting of trees through our downtown beautification plan and our partnership with parks and KSU in planting of trees yearly.
We as a city are also pushing for sustainable energy with every conversation of new build and our energy usage plan for the upcoming years. Our goal is to embrace solar while assuring all residents benefit and rates are fair across the board.
Together Frankfort: What are your priorities for Planning and Zoning?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: My Priorities for Planning and Zoning is first to create a County and City office in one location to assure easy navigation, accurate information, and a support mechanism that supports growth and development in one location to deliver services and direction that supports success for everyone. We should be a welcoming and supportive system when economic development is considering Frankfort/Franklin County.
I would like to push forward in strategic board placements and implement board rotation. We need to move away from the politic driven climate/control and take a transparent step forward in what’s best for our cities and county’s future moving forward that support capital gain rather than personal gains... We need to focus on our available property and plan for what’s next for Frankfort and make smart sustainable/revenue generating decisions.
Together Frankfort: In what circumstances would you support using Tax Increment Financing (TIF)?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: TIF (Tax increment Financing) is an incentive that should be used in circumstance of gaining stability of landing a business/development that will benefit our community and residents. This incentive is not to be used as a personal promise or used to gain personal leverage etc. This is a strategic initiative that needs to be thought through and used in the most beneficial circumstances. We must understand that using these options allow for businesses or companies to come in with a tax break for years postponing the cities revenue for years, so strategic usage and planning is a must.
~~~~~ Voting ~~~~~
Only 33% of eligible Franklin County voters participated in the last election and that was considered a good turnout. What do you think can be done to increase voter turnout and engagement?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: To be honest I truly feel our community partners, Clerks office and office of elections have done an absolute wonder job in this area. They have been readily available at events consistently throughout our community as well as always prepared with the must up to date information on registering.
I truly feel this is a personal decision based on culture issues not being heard and not seeing the change they expect in leaders that are elected. If you don’t have faith in leadership, then it could lead to dismissing the opportunity to vote, sad but true.
Together Frankfort: What is your opinion about election security in Franklin County?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: I don’t feel we have anything to worry about with our election security. The Office of Elections and Clerk staff have done an amazing job in working through offering options and taking our citizens into consideration with poll locations.
~~~~~ Gun Violence ~~~~~
Together Frankfort: What specific measures do you believe could reduce gun violence in Kentucky and if elected, what would you do to make sure those measures are put in place?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: Reducing Gun violence is much larger than gun control. We are past gun control, though screening before purchase should occur and licensing should continue. This violence is nonsense, personal tit for tat, and culture issues. We need to engage and enforce sentences and punishments in these senseless acts. It seems the value of the human race has deeply declined over the past few years which is very sad.
I would support and encourage more community events to promote family, community and support. In hopes these interactions would eliminate the hate in this world and encourage love, compassion and accountability.
Together Frankfort: Suicides account for 66% of all gun deaths in Kentucky. Do you have proposals that would reduce those deaths?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge:
Together Frankfort: The federal government has just passed legislation that would send money to Kentucky for gun violence prevention--specifically for enacting a red flag law or something similar. How would you propose to spend that money to prevent gun violence in our commonwealth?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: Reducing suicides, I wish I had an answer. However, I am encouraging more mental health, community activities to bring the community together to get them out of the house and connected with others. To gain more of a feeling of being apart of something bigger, an important part of the community. We need to love on one another and check in more on our neighbors, friends, and family. Today, let someone know you are there for them and you truly care.
~~~~~ Campaign Contributions ~~~~~
Together Frankfort: What is your position on Dark Money?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: When it comes to Dark Money, I feel it drains the transparency and integrity out of elected positions. It intentionally leaves open to the public for the opportunity to form ideas or reality of campaigns. It also sets doubt on leadership and how/why decisions are being made in city/county business. I also believe that there are stipulations that hinders people from giving publicly because of positions held or employment policies.
Will you identify all contributors to your campaign, including those who contribute to political action committees that support you?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: I feel I have always been open regarding my financial contributions/contributors and will continue with transparency.
~~~~ Health Care ~~~~
What is your position on reproductive health care for women and Constitutional Amendment #2?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: I believe the state leaders have gone too far regarding Constitutional Amendment. This amendment oversteps the boundaries of reproductive health care for women, and the sensitivity/health and personal issues that bring forward termination. For leaders to demand a mother to have a child who will be born with ongoing high level health issues or deformities that are not covered by most if not all insurances, what sense does that make? Whose decision should it be? As a Foster child I am grateful I was adopted as it gave me a bit better situation for a better outcome in my life.
What is your position on expanding mental health care in Franklin County?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: Mental healthcare should be available to everyone. I would like to see more in person options for mental healthcare here in Frankfort and Franklin County. I will continue my support of YES ARTS who is making available nontraditional Mental Healthcare for our children in our community. Our community and world have been through so many issues over the past few years. So, working through triggers, anxiety etc. is very important to the quality of life for our residents.
~~~~~ Housing ~~~~~
Would you, if elected, tackle our affordable housing crisis by supporting a city/county ordinance that adopts the Uniform Residential Landlord Tenant Act (URLTA) to define the rights of renting citizens and families and landlords, and follow the lead of other towns and cities by adopting regulations on Airbnb and other short-term rentals?
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge: I am tackling affordable housing crisis with these ideas and others in mind.
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Together Frankfort expresses our sincere appreciation to Candidate Waldridge, along with other City Commission Candidates Hale, May, and Thompson, for responding to the questionnaire. For further information about Candidate Waldridge's responses to these questions, or her thoughts on other issues, her contact information is:
Phone: 502.667.2394
E-mail: Katrishaforfrankfort@gmail.com
E-mail: kwaldridge@frankfort.ky.gov
Candidate Facebook
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Candidate Katrisha Waldridge is running for re-election to the Frankfort City Commissioner. She currently serves as Vice-Mayor.
Kentucky's 2022 General Election
Franklin County, Kentucky
Candidates for Frankfort City Commissioners vie for a seat on the Commission in a nonpartisan race. Thus, they do not declare which political party with which they are registered, Democrat or Republican.
Candidate Katrisha Waldridge is seeking re-election to one of the 4 open seats on the Board of Commissioners. Click here for more information about Waldridge's background and campaign issues. Click this link for more information about the role of the Board of Commissioners and other candidates.
Together Frankfort sent questionnaires to all candidates for Frankfort City Commission. Voters can select up to four (4) of the six (6) candidates on the ballot. Of the city commission candidates on the ballot, Candidates Dawn Hale, Kelly May (i), Kyle Thompson, and Katrisha Waldridge (i) responded. Candidates J.C. Karsner and Leesa Unger (i) did not.
*(i) indicates an incumbent candidate, i.e. someone who already holds the office and is running for re-election.