We asked each candidate to answer a few questions so that you can know a little more about their priorities. See responses from other candidate Dawn Addis.
Which Assembly committee has the biggest impact on our region and why?
Utilities and Energy Committee: write laws and policies that have a notable impact on our district including climate and environment, renewable energy, battery storage facilities, and the proposed closure of Diablo Canyon. These policies will impact the economy, housing, government regulations, and fire prevention.
Rank the issues in order of importance for our city:
If elected, what will you do to address the issue you identified above as most significant?
California’s electric prices are among the highest in the country and out of line with utilities across the nation. As California moves toward its goals of 100 percent clean energy, I’ll advocate keeping Diablo Canyon online as we secure equal sustainable carbon-free power to replace its energy production.
Serving the people of our district I will work to make sure we have laws and policies in place that reflect competitive rates of distribution (CPUC), safety, and properly maintained infrastructure and transmission lines on the grid, connectivity, and public safety of renewables, short-and long-term goals, oversight while advocating more local control.
Do you think the state government is doing enough to support housing in our region? If not, what would you do to change it?
Sacramento’s one size fit’s all approach is not working, and I will advocate for more local control.
The state has mandated more housing stock without increasing our statewide water storage while choking growth with CEQA laws and regulatory processes which have become the single biggest impediment to residential housing development in the state. California’s housing prices have skyrocketed driving families and businesses to leave the golden state. To grow a healthy sustainable economic future, we need housing that’s affordable to accommodate and attract new businesses and maintain community growth. Property taxes support our budget, better education opportunities, and filled potholes!
Which theme in the Chamber’s economic vision, Imagine SLO, do you think deserves the most focus in the next four years and why?
California’s State of Emergency orders brought lockdowns, mandates, and enforcement of laws calling attention to the impact of statewide policies and legislative leadership.
The resilience of DOERS and DREAMERS’ vision, hope, and creativity helped to unite the community to pivot out of an unstable economy toward recovery.
That tenacity with vision, focus, and collaborative regional planning will promote a stronger healthy economy and thriving community. Those goals can be achieved by increasing job creation, building renewable energy sources, reforming and constraining CEQA requirements to increase our housing stock, expanding education opportunities, and strengthening our infrastructure while advocating for local control.