Elizabeth Brown was elected in November of 2015 to Columbus City Council. Brown has prior experience in economic development, nonprofit service, and state government.

Councilmember Brown’s focus on council is to fight for broad-based economic prosperity that addresses both business growth and poverty reduction. As chair of the economic development committee, Councilmember Brown has pushed for the city to add a wage floor for jobs incentives of $15 per hour and has commissioned a comprehensive study of the city’s tax incentive policies that will calibrate our economic incentives with the realities of the region’s economy and market. As chair of the education committee, Councilmember Brown passed targeted scholarships for pre-K teachers to help expand access to high-quality programs in neighborhoods that lack this critical infrastructure.

Other initiatives of Councilmember Brown aim to strengthen women and families. In response to a spike in vandalism and police calls to reproductive health clinics, she passed a law to prevent harassment of workers and patients. Councilmember Brown also negotiated the implementation of a paid family leave policy for city employees – the first of its kind in the Midwest and the third nationally. And currently, Councilmember Brown is also working to keep immigrant and refugee families together by putting together a fund to address the increased need for legal services.