ROLETTO FOR HILLSBORO

Gina Roletto

I find myself on a path of servant leadership and want to stay on this path as your next City Council member. Born to a working class family, my mother from Mexico who came to study here and a father from a migrant farm worker family who came to the northwest via Texas, served in Vietnam and was a postal worker for over 30 years.

As a resident of Hillsboro for over 20 years, I have worked as an educator here in the amazing Hillsboro School District in various positions including classroom teacher at the K-6 level.

Currently as a school administrator in Portland Public Schools, my work has recently included establishing partnerships with schools and community organizations as well as leading collaborative efforts to cultivate relationships with marginalized portions of the community. These relationships and our leadership were tested as we faced COVID and had to lead a staff and community through the challenge of Distance Learning. Our staff and community persevered and we made it through with so much growth and compassion.

Priorities

Housing

We are seeing amazing growth and the need for access to housing. The south Hillsboro development is exciting progress and at the same time, we need to be looking at the community as a whole to include opportunities for housing that range the spectrum in location and affordability. We want those who work here, to live here and participate in what Hillsboro has to offer.

As councilwoman, I want to make sure that we look at opportunities that are brought to us and reach out to dialogue with those who may not always stand up to speak.

Business

In the more than 20 years of living in Hillsboro, nothing has been more fascinating than watching businesses land in Hillsboro and thrive. I also enjoy seeing how they become a part of the community and give back in so many generous ways through innovation and resources. This includes both small businesses and many of our larger enterprises who have made Hillsboro their home.

Over the last decade I have admired what it takes to build a business and put all of your love and energy into it, as I’ve watched my own husband go through growing pains and weathering the economic climate over the last ten years. At this time, small businesses need us now more than ever as we all struggle through this pandemic and the impact it has had on our society. They are the gems of our community.

Transportation

Living in Hillsboro and commuting to Portland has put me in the front row to see the importance of our transportation system. People both depend and benefit from it whether for work or for leisure activities.

Planning for such an expansive system between cities and within our own takes visionary planning while at the same time being responsive to need and not being afraid to change when necessary.

I look forward to working on new initiatives to bring relevant and innovative solutions to our community.

Equity and Inclusivity

Normal has been redefined through this global pandemic. It has brought to life the inequities that have been there for years and now we must look and listen to what is happening.
As a school administrator during distance learning, we kept track of our students and their families to make sure their basic needs were met and there was no denying that what we knew in regards to the inequities in our systems was now in plain sight. We had to re-prioritize resources, be willing to do things differently in order to hear and understand all families.

I have seen Hillsboro community members, true leaders step up to give of their time, of their resources and engage in dialogue. When this pandemic is over, we have to understand our neighbors and despite our politics, be compassionate, show integrity in order to grow as a community. Hillsboro has so much to offer.