Issues
School Safety
This issue is personal to me. Saugus High and Isla Vista impacted my immediate family and countless others. We can implement practical solutions to mitigate this crisis with funding for School Resource Officers, closed school perimeters, single points of entry, and a focus on student resiliency in addition to mental health. As a teacher, I have seen how our young people want adults in their lives that can model resiliency. This is an issue we can absolutely address.
Infrastructure Development
Our district needs transportation efficiency. As the state encourages EV ownership, the state must also invest in upgrading our transportation network. Too often will a minor incident shut down the 5 / 14 interchange, or the Cajon / Tejon pass, and leave our district paralyzed. Transportation efficiency allows for economic growth, better quality of life, disaster preparedness, and environmental sustainability.
Veteran Homelessness
We need a collaborative, coordinated effort to help those who have served us. Between nonprofits, churches, and every level of our government, many veterans are not aware of the independent support services that already exist, and targeted outreach can help raise awareness of where they can seek help. Public awareness and community support is the only way we can address this issue.
Improving Public Education
Only 33% of California students meet math standards. Only 47% have reached English proficiency standards. This is a crisis that has to be the focus of our elected leaders. As the only teacher in this race, I see how we need smaller class sizes, more teachers, parental and community involvement. The last time we reformed public education funding was in 2014 and we should reform the funding again for this post-COVID era.
Taxes
Contrary to the smears from our opponents, taxes in California are the highest in the nation and only contribute to our cost of living crisis. Our “Republican” opponent is upset that when I was 16 years old, I attended an anti-teen smoking rally. She is using my comment that cigarettes should be more expensive so teenagers would not be able to afford smoking to justify her “increasing taxes” smear. As a proud supporter of the American Cancer Society, I stand by the ideas I supported almost 2 decades ago. But the idea that I support “the biggest tax increase in California history” is idiotic. Our state needs to stop spending and start investing in public works that work.
Border Security
Unlike our “Republican” opponent, I currently serve in our armed forces. I have been to, and served on, border missions. I have personally dealt with the victims of child sex trafficking and these children’s stories haunt me. My opponent supports amnesty and a pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens, and she does not differentiate between those crossing for nefarious reasons and those crossing for innocent reasons. I firmly support a robust, secure, and continuously monitored border.