Kern County produces around 75% of California’s oil, employing thousands of local workers while simultaneously powering the state with affordable energy. Despite this, hostile regulators have subjected projects to endless red tape — stunting the growth of a promising local industry and the new jobs that come with it.

Unfortunately, most industries face significant challenges operating in California as the state has been repeatedly ranked as the worst business climate in the nation for well over a decade. State bureaucrats and opportunistic lawyers have created a nightmare of regulations that invite endless lawsuits, which are most harmful to small business owners who are barely scraping by and cannot afford to fight litigation in court.

The best way to fight poverty is by creating new jobs and economic opportunity — not chasing them away with high taxes and stifling regulations. Getting Sacramento to focus on common sense ways to grow the economy will be one of my top priorities as an Assemblyman.