In 1976, at the age of 34, I moved to Tulare County to marry my native-Visalia-born husband, Greg, an Army Veteran who was working as a correctional officer at the County road camp at the time, was a lifelong jazz and big band musician and became my partner in rehabbing and managing our low-income rental houses in North Visalia, until his death in 2008.
Before settling in Visalia, I had graduated from UC Berkeley, got a Master's Degree while living in Germany for 18 months, a teaching credential from Cal State Long Beach, taught high school and college classes, and traveled extensively. Prior work experiences include, as a teen, helping my parents in their auto repair and patio furniture businesses,then hotel maid, and waitress. I protested the Vietnam War and campaigned for George McGovern for President in 1972 against Richard Nixon.
California has never had enough water to satisfy the claims made against the supply, for communities, agriculture and industry. To protect our diminishing precious groundwater from contamination and depletion, I support California's plan to ban fracking in the Central Valley. Sacramento should incentivize water-sparing residential and commercial landscaping, planting of low-water tolerant trees, and technologies for grey water (kitchen, laundry, sink) capture. I support new/improved technologies for extracting home use water from the atmosphere. Existing dams and levees need to be repaired and updated, and where feasible, I support new dam construction consistent with environmental concerns. . Technologies need to be developed to minimize evaporation from our canals, including possibly covering sections with solar panels.
Consuming 80% of our water, agriculture has already begun implementing more efficient water technologies; this needs to be supported vigorously. With continuing drought and water shortages, increased acreage will need to be fallowed; farmers need support to manage drought resistant cover crops on fallowed land to minimize air pollution and conserve water. Promote changing the mix of agricultural products from our great valleye to crops demanding less water. Solar power farms can coexist with some crops, so let's do both. Dairies can use science to produce less and to capture methane. Science based pest and weed control, phasing out harmful chemicals.
Attract more primary care providers. Support increased access to mental health services. Fight federal interference with women's reproductive services, including abortion. Mobile clinics.
Trees, trees, trees. Power lines laid underground, beginning in high fire danger areas. Universal residential solar energy. Yes, on the bullet train. Promote strong climate change measures. Work with communities dependent on oil and gas production to insure controls on carbon emissions and phase in alternate industries/jobs.
Keep California's strong gun control measures. Continue ban on assault weapons. Gun education along with birth control education in public schools.
Keep California's strong support for contraception, perinatal care and access to abortion. More resources for the Valley.
Require adequate nutrition for county jail inmates and access to quality fairly priced commissary food and products. Reduce jail and State prison populations by assessing and diverting both sentenced and unsentenced inmates to ankle monitors, mental health, rehab facilities, job training and education. Parity for public defenders with district attorney staffing.
Increase direct grants/support to cities and counties for low-cost housing for homeless/unhoused people, including models with social services component. Promote innovative measures to pressure/incentivize landlords to stop/limit price gouging and profiteering on rental apartments and housing.
Emphasis on computer literacy. Bilingual education leading to bi-literacy. Civics education to strengthen civic participation. Comprehensive, age appropriate sex education. Promote school funding equity.