My name is Paula Villescaz and I am running to represent our Placer and Sacramento County communities and families in the California State Senate. I am a public servant and an advocate, with extensive experience in the fields of education, health care and emergency response. After serving as President of the San Juan Unified School District (SJUSD) and as an Assistant Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency during the pandemic, I understand firsthand the opportunities and challenges our communities are facing as we try to keep schools open and our economy moving.
Paula believes everyone deserves to feel safe in the communities where we work, live, and recreate. Paula is a firm believer in preventing crime by stopping it at its roots. Criminal activities are the result of multiple social, economic, cultural and family conditions – this includes poverty and social environments. The way to reduce crime is to invest more in our schools and communities to meet the needs of all children and families. Additionally, we must fund and support sensible programs that target and reduce the proliferation of criminal behavior in our community such as severe substance abuse and the lack of economic opportunities.