A VOICE FOR ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY
Are you ready for a new direction? Join me in adopting a proactive strategy to meet Norman’s challenges head-on and build a stronger future for everyone in our city.
Vote February 10, 2026
Register to vote by Jan 16
oklahoma.gov/elections/voter-registration
Follow me:
About Cindy Gordon
Although I was born and raised in Cincinnati, OH, I have called Norman home for over 25 years. My career in higher education at OU has given me years of experience in problem-solving, collaboration, and achieving desired results through my teaching, research and service on boards and committees. With my history of civic commitment, volunteerism, and the global perspective that I have gained from my time as a Peace Corps volunteer, I believe I have the experience and dedication to bring a fresh, detail-oriented perspective to City Council.
Curriculum Vitae
City Service over the years:
-
Planning Commission
-
Community Development Block Grant program
-
Original Porter Corridor Revitalization committee
-
Police Chief search advisory committee
-
Volunteer piper for Norman Police department academy graduations
Every decision we make in Norman, no matter within one Ward or in the city as a whole, affects everyone. The best way to move Norman in a positive direction is through strong collaborative efforts, bringing together diverse perspectives from our citizens, fellow council members, and community leaders.
Strategic Foundations
Communication
Drawing from my career in higher education, I will focus on effective and timely communication with citizens, neighborhoods and businesses to ensure all stakeholders have their voices heard.
Results-Oriented
I will ensure decisions are evidence-based, data-driven, and directly applicable to the unique challenges facing Norman.
Collaboration
I am committed to working with residents, council members and community groups, despite differing views, recognizing that cooperation and collaboration are the best ways to move Norman forward.
The issues facing Norman are strongly interconnected – ensuring smart, sustainable growth, housing affordability, effective development, and meeting infrastructure needs are problems that cannot be solved in isolation. My approach is to look holistically at every proposed solution to an issue, examining the impact on our city budget, neighborhoods, and businesses.
The Issues
Affordable Housing and Homelessness
We must develop a holistic, long-term plan with feedback from a range of stakeholders: non-profits, Police and Fire, Parks and Recreation, and neighborhoods and businesses, to ensure realistic and sustainable solutions. Not just growth, but smart planning, to help preserve our historic neighborhoods and make sure that the people that work in our city can live in our city.
It is not an option for the city to continue to offer only a temporary shelter for the homeless. The bond vote for the shelter is a way for the citizens to decide how they want the shelter to be paid for. But it is important that citizens understand that providing a shelter is just the first step. And in taking that first step, we need to make sure that we commit as a city to following through at every step along the way. That means making sure the shelter is properly funded, making sure City Care and non-profits have what they need to not only provide shelter, but to provide the support system necessary to a better life. That means we are committed to working with the neighborhoods and downtown businesses, who feel like they have not had their concerns fully heard, to enact policy and citizen oversight that will address their concerns.
Housing affordability at all levels, particularly the 'missing middle' is an important part of what we need to work toward. We can do this in a variety of ways - by incremental growth (so neighborhoods have more stake in how their neighborhoods evolve), pre-planned development designs, and making sure that changes in zoning that support more affordable housing are in line with the neighborhood. We need to review our policies for the 3-person rule and especially Short Term Rentals, so that our current stock of affordable housing in many neighborhoods is not further reduced.
Stormwater Management
We must develop a plan that works effectively for all wards and fairly accounts for the costs associated with new economic development and infrastructure needs.
This is one of my most important goals for the city. The Stormwater plan in AIM Norman outlines a series of solutions to tackle our issues with flooding, erosion, and protecting our watersheds and Lake Thunderbird water supply. These issues affect every ward. And changes will be costly. But they are necessary and need to happen sooner rather than later. As a scientist and someone who has been doing research and analyzing data for decades, I am uniquely qualified to tackle the implementation of solutions outlined in the plan, while making sure that the city does so in a way that is most fiscally responsible for everyone involved in the process.
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Reform
A TIF can be a valuable development tool, provided it is used judiciously and demonstrates a clear benefit to the public. I support additional public oversight measures, perhaps requiring a super-majority council vote for approval or direct voter approval once a TIF reaches a specific cost level.
TIFs are an important tool for the city to support development in areas of Norman that may be blighted or underdeveloped. But the city has a long way to go in showing the citizens they can do a TIF the right way. The UNP TIF did not provide all that was promised. The Rock Creek Arena TIF is now in the courts because citizens want to vote on an agreement they feel is unnecessary for that area and is a bad plan.
Before we make plans for other areas of the city we want to do a TIF, we need to make sure their are guardrails in place - clawbacks in the TIF if development promises are not kept, a supermajority on council for any TIF approval, or a citizen vote above a certain monetary threshold. I will push for these reforms. Because I believe that only when these are in place, and the city shows the citizens they can be good stewards with citizen tax dollars, should we be moving forward with plans for other TIFs around the city.
City Budget and Responsible Growth
Smart, practical development is key, balancing new progress with long-term sustainability, prioritizing infill development and supporting small businesses. New projects will be evaluated based on new revenue generated and their impact on neighborhoods, businesses, and infrastructure and public safety.
As I have said before, developers aren't bad, bad developments are bad. We need to prioritize infill, reducing the sprawl outward that is straining our budget regarding utilities and infrastructure. The city relies on sales tax for the general fund. With years of generally a flat budget, we either look at not being able to fulfill many of the city projects on our docket or we look to ways to increase our sales tax. That has to mean smart development. Any development has to show there is a positive tax growth for the city, not one that moves sales tax spending from one part of the city to another. I am committed to exploring new ways to increase visitors to our downtown and increasing tourism (weather museum, aviation, updated parks and new trails, better partnership with OU and their activities in fine arts, guest speakers). Every new visitor we bring to the city not only supports our city with new tax dollars, but can help support many of our small businesses.
OTA and Property Rights
I stand firmly against the turnpike expansion that impacts our property rights, watershed, and Lake Thunderbird water supply.
This is an issue that has consequences for every ward on some level, as the turnpike affects property rights, has an environmental impact on our watersheds, and many other quality of life issues that come along with having a turnpike running through our backyard. We need to hope for the best and plan for the worst with the planned turnpike expansion. I will work closely with citizens and council from the wards most affected by the expansion to make sure that we have the best outcome for them and the city.
Contact
Want to contact me or participate in the campaign?
Fill out the form below.
Thank you for your interest in Ward 4!