The housing shortage in Provincetown has been growing every year for many years because of rising property values, the exponential increase in popularity of short term rental apps, and an absolute limit of available land to build upon. This shortage has been felt by those who have lived here as renters and have had to move from their homes, seasonal workers who can no longer find a place to rent, and subsequently, businesses that are experiencing an extreme shortage of available help.

Lise was the first town leader to address the pandemic and actively work for safety protocols. She promoted “Safe Harbor” tourism to let people know that our town was open for business while observant of Covid safety measures. Always keeping public safety first, she worked hard to create a safer environment for residents and visitors and strike a successful balance between public health and our local economy.

Here in Provincetown, we are the canaries in the coal mine for climate change. The fastest warming body of water on the planet – the Gulf of Maine – is off our shores, and we are already feeling the impacts. Decisive, effective action is needed to prepare our community.

Under the auspices of the Economic Stabilization and Sustainability Committee that I have spearheaded on the Select Board, I have been working to develop an opportunity for Provincetown with the Taubman Center for State and Local Government at my alma mater, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

In March, 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, Lise King partnered with nurse practitioner Alison Dwyer to create the Provincetown Covid-19 Task Force as a response to the Coronavirus global pandemic. They brought together group of local medical providers, mental health practitioners, emergency management professionals, and community health organizers under the auspices of the Medical Reserve Corps.

The Provincetown Public Art Foundation was founded in January, 2020 by Romolo Del Deo, Lise King, Dani Niedzieldski, Karen Ojala, Stan Sikorski & Samuel Tager. Our mission is to enhance and enrich the visual experience of Provincetown with Public Art, thus democratizing the accessibility to art and supporting the mission to site more public works in town.

From the Pier to the Police Station, Internet connectivity to Investments in Healthcare, we have a number of critical infrastructure projects to get accomplished in the coming years. This takes vision and planning, a mapping of priorities, and an understanding of how to pay for it all.

In 2018 when I was newly elected to the Select Board, I proposed a Provincetown Human Rights Commission to address concerns of our community members, both in town and issues that arose when they traveled to other areas of the Cape. The idea was tabled by the Board.

Then this past year when racial justice issues came to the fore nationwide, I reintroduced this idea in the form of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the town.

The people of Provincetown deserve responsive elected officials, open and clear communications from their town government, and fair and equitable treatment of all – from public permitting to regulatory processes. Lise is known for her commitment to transparency in all affairs and to being responsive to the needs and concerns of all constituents.