(PUEBLO, Colo.) — FOX21 is your local election headquarters and the race for Pueblo Mayor is heating up. In a race of nine candidates, Regina Maestri looks to win with her plan to restore Pueblo.

Pueblo City Councilor Regina Maestri was the last candidate to enter the competitive race, saying that she was waiting for a candidate who truly wanted change. Maestri firmly believes that she is that candidate.

“We can restore this community, fix its foundation, fix the things that aren’t working for us, and increase our revenue through sales tax,” Maestri explained. “People wanting to spend their money here, people wanting to move here and make it a better community.”

Maestri describes herself as a fiscally conservative candidate who values transparency.

“I stand my ground in representing my constituency that doesn’t like to see their tax dollars wasted,” Maestri said. “I’m not prone to vote for things that I feel that aren’t beneficial for the city.”

The current City Councilor says while many candidates promise immediate change, day one in office for Maestri looks a little different.

“I plan on sitting down with my administration, immediately auditing the books, auditing the departments, making sure that my administration is going to want to work with me,” Maestri explained.

She has a vision of a cleaner, safer Pueblo. Maestri plans to reduce homelessness by supporting addiction recovery efforts and enforcing city ordinances.

“I don’t see our Mayor currently enforcing the ordinances that we have already in place,” Maestri said. “Just by simply enforcing the ordinances, we can take care of a lot of this.”

Maestri told FOX21 that with a more than 50-officer shortage currently impacting the police department, the root of the problem is administrative and morale issues.

“Through their own survey, through the police department, there was a high percentage which was in the mid-thirties of administration issues and morale issues,” Maestri explained. “That’s a pretty high percentage. You cannot fix this until you look at every factor involved.”

Maestri wants those living in Pueblo to have more say in their community, and as mayor, would entice officers from neighboring municipalities to come work in Pueblo.

Maestri has detailed her plan on her campaign website.

“I see a lot of elected leaders and leaders in this community caring more about themselves than they do with the people,” Maestri said. “I am a ‘we the people’ champion because that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”