ISSUES
The High Cost of Utilities
The California Public Utilities Commission approved PG&E's request to raise rates four times this year. The last increase was placed on the consent calendar, not given a full public hearing, and customers had to voice their concern during the general public comment section of the hearing. This is unfair to customers, some of which have to make choices between buying groceries or paying their utility bill every month. To address this imbalance of power, I will introduce legislation that ensures accountability and transparency to the CPUC's process, and I will advocate for public ownership of our utilities, giving people and local communities - not big, for-profit corporations - control over their own power needs.
Women's Reproductive Health
There is widespread support throughout California and Assembly District 5 for women’s reproductive freedom, including the right to safe and legal abortion. Abortion and abortion medication are essential medical treatments, particularly for miscarriage management, non-viable pregnancies, and to protect a woman’s life and reproductive future. Despite this, there remains significant efforts to eliminate abortion as a healthcare option. I am committed to safeguarding a woman’s access to quality, life-saving healthcare, including abortion and abortion medication.
Our Environment and the Insurance Crisis
Insurance and utility costs are skyrocketing! Wildfires—exacerbated by climate change, poor forest management, and negligence by utility providers like PG & E—have led insurance and utility companies to raise rates. And insurance companies are canceling policies and leaving the state. To address this crisis, we must tackle the root cause—climate change—if we ever hope to stop it for good. In the short term, I will support providing incentives to increase the number of firefighters in rural areas to reduce response times and will work to ensure greater transparency and regional input in the rate increase process. Long-term, I will advocate for responsible strategies to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, promote energy efficiency, and advance solar and wind technologies.
Help for Seniors
In California, Seniors are losing their homes at a faster rate than any other demographic. Costs of housing coupled with the cost of health care, utilities, and insurance are forcing seniors, especially those on fixed incomes, into impossible decisions between housing and their health. There are resources out there, but they are difficult to access, even with help. I will work towards more access to services for seniors and caregivers, including improved transportation options, expanding services to rural and newly developed areas, and building outdoor spaces that accommodate all ages and abilities with more benches and safe walkways.
Education
A healthy democracy depends on well-educated citizens. We owe it to our future as a nation and to our children to ensure they all have access to a safe education free from violence and bullying. Additionally, all parents should feel secure that their children are receiving a quality education that will prepare them for the future. I will challenge any effort that threatens a child’s access to education, jeopardizes a student’s safety, or that compromises education quality.
Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Reform
The drug crisis in America has reached new heights, fueled by the historic overprescription of opioids and the widespread introduction of fentanyl into the drug supply. These factors are leading to deeper addictions and an alarming rise in deaths from unintentional fentanyl poisoning. While law enforcement is a critical part of the response, addressing this crisis requires a collaborative effort involving healthcare providers, policymakers, community organizations, and law enforcement. Substance Use Disorder is a disease that profoundly impacts individuals, families, and entire communities. I am committed to reducing stigma, improving regulatory standards for treatment centers, combating insurance fraud, and expanding support for those in recovery. Additionally, I will advocate for prevention initiatives, such as education on drug misuse and promoting access to non-addictive pain management options, to address the crisis at its roots.
Democracy and My Commitment to Healthy Collaboration
The last several years have seen a shift into a toxic partisanship that demonizes whole groups of people to score political points. And there is now a whole generation of leaders who believe this is an acceptable pathway to power. But this chips away trust in the process and trust in democracy. It is vital that we move past this partisan distraction because it is our diverse perspectives that will create balanced and sustainable solutions for our communities. I will continue my career-long commitment to bi-partisanship and work towards shifting toxic partisanship to healthy collaboration.