The issues we face are all interconnected. For instance, we cannot attract businesses to invest here if our roads are crumbling and congested or if people do not feel safe living here. We need to understand how the issues affect each other and how our efforts to address one issue will impact the others. Talking isn’t enough. We need to act now.
Homelessness
This issue is at the top of the list when I ask my neighbors what concerns them the most. I believe we need a humane approach to this problem because most people experiencing homelessness suffer from mental illness, addiction, or physical disabilities. I support increasing efforts at the state and local level to target resources toward these individuals to get them treatment and create a path toward transitional and permanent housing. I support responsible affordable housing programs to help get families off the streets and into homes.
I also believe we should not have to sacrifice our public safety to accommodate people living on our streets or allow our treasured American River Parkway to be jeopardized by homeless encampments that damage the environment. Our public assistance for individuals experiencing homelessness should be balanced with support for law enforcement efforts to make sure homelessness does not become a license to harm others or damage property.
Economic Development
I have family members who are retail entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. My father represented property owners during a 60-year career at the Sacramento law firm started by my grandfather in 1938, a firm where I also worked as an attorney. These connections give me a good understanding and appreciation for challenges affecting local businesses.
I want to cultivate a culture rooted in economic opportunity, empowering our local businesses and opening doors for community investment in Sacramento.
The creation of several Property and Business Improvement Districts has resulted in more inviting roadway corridors, more security, and improved county services for local businesses. This investment creates a sense of identity and pride and represents a commitment to the commercial future of these areas. We need to continue to expand PBIDs to other commercial corridors while also finding new ways to encourage and incentivize businesses to invest here.
We need to support more projects that reshape our commercial areas into properties that are more viable for modern business uses. Including, exploring development opportunities that convert some vacant retail properties into housing that will attract young families to the area. I will partner with strategic commercial planners and leaders in our business community to identify the best way forward, the best way to modernize our commercial spaces, and the best way to attract quality businesses so we can keep our dollars here and strengthen our local economy.
Public Safety
I have devoted most of my adult life to public safety and service. The most important function of government is to keep people safe, and I am proud of my accomplishments as a law enforcement officer. We are extremely fortunate to be served by highly professional, responsive and effective law enforcement, fire, and medical first responders in our community. As your Supervisor, I have worked closely with our emergency response agencies to make sure they receive the resources they need to keep us safe. I will continue my involvement in innovative and highly successful programs like the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Problem Oriented Policing and Homeless Outreach Teams. These programs demonstrate a real commitment to our community and the unique challenges we face as an urban unincorporated area.
Roads and Traffic
There’s no way to sugarcoat the horrible condition of our roads in Sacramento County. When I discuss potholes and crumbling pavements with fellow residents, the conversation usually ends with an expletive!
As a result of years of deferred maintenance from inadequate funding, many of our local roads are crumbling under the weight of traffic they were never designed to hold. I am committed to filling the potholes and making our roads smooth again. As your Supervisor, I have secured more funding for road repair. But there is still a long way to go. Additional state funding will help fill some of the funding gaps, but this issue demands attention and focus. I know the importance of keeping our roadways in good condition, both from an economic and safety standpoint, and I will continue to work hard on this issue.
The longer-term issue is roadway congestion in our area. During my 24 years in the CHP and 3 years on the Board of Supervisors, I have worked closely with local and state transportation planners on projects that improve mobility safely. I know a former Caltrans Director who used to say, “We are here to get you there.” That is the mentality I demand in our local Department of Transportation. The link between transportation infrastructure investment and productivity has long been established.
I start from the fundamental premise that people deserve to be able to travel safely from their homes to the places where they work, shop and play. I believe in a balanced approach to transportation infrastructure that provides safe access for all users, regardless of their mode of transportation. We need to maximize mobility and efficiency for all roadway users, including commercial vehicles, transit, and bicycles.
Going Back to Work
The economic impact of the Coronavirus has been devastating to many if not most, people in our community. Local businesses, the backbone of jobs in our community, have been hit hard, and many will never re-open their doors. Thousands of people are out of work. We need a Supervisor who has the support of the local business community and who will work with them to keep their doors open and employees working. We need to continue the construction of new homes, to help businesses cut through unfair regulatory burdens, and to make it as easy as possible to hire new people and get them back to work.
Trust in our Public Safety Partners
While I will always strive to keep our communities safe, I will also work hard to build better relationships between law enforcement and our diverse communities. As the legislative liaison for the CHP, I had the privilege of working with leaders in the African American community, the Governor's Office legislators, law enforcement, and labor organizations on reforms related to use of force standards, mental illness training, transparency, and accountability. We need to continue to improve law enforcement practices in our community and create a culture of empathy and understanding.