Illegal Immigration

Enough with the Sacramento politicians who refuse to enforce our laws and let illegal immigration run rampant. We need to secure the border, enforce our immigration laws, and always put American citizens first. I have a proven record of fighting illegal immigration, such as introducing legislation requiring state prisons to verify the immigration status of any felons, for example. As Supervisor, I’ll prioritize securing the border and always putting Orange County first.

Homelessness & Mental Health

Reducing homelessness requires addressing mental health, substance abuse, and criminal recidivism. California has an inadequate mental health hospital system, and the State’s soft treatment of drug crimes has pushed many of the problems to the county and cities. Orange County began to build a shelter and supportive housing system when we cleared out the homeless encampments along the Santa Ana Riverbed, as well as in the City of Santa Ana.  I will continue this work to get homeless people the shelter and treatment they need.

Over the past several years, I have been working with Supervisor Andrew Do to create the Care Coordination approach to homelessness, “Be Well OC” to address mental health, and “OC Care Plus” to help reduce recidivism.  I used my experience while in the California Assembly to help craft the policies guiding these initiatives.

This work is necessary as these problems are a significant financial drain for Orange County and our cities.  Research has identified 1,500 individuals who are booked and rebooked in our jails 6 to 10 times a year, who use up 20% of our jail beds.  80% of these individuals suffer from either mental health or substance use disorders, often both.  This revolving door translates to a cost of nearly $200 million.  It has to stop.

Public Safety

The State has released half of its prisoners early and transferred them down to the counties. Orange County has faced the same onslaught of hardened criminals who are either housed with less serious offenders or released early onto our streets.  The problem became worse in recent years as California passed laws, that tied the hands of law enforcement and the Courts in dealing with drug and property crime offenders.

I believe the government’s first priority is keeping you safe. Public safety requires enough well-trained and equipped police officers, with high morale and a strong, compassionate commitment to their jobs.  While serving on the city council and in the California Legislature, I have fought and will continue to fight for adequate resources for law enforcement and work to address the root causes of criminal recidivism.  Under our OC Care Plus Program at the County, we work to reduce recidivism by providing treatment to inmates while in custody and preparing them for successful re-entry after incarceration.

Taxes & Budget

I am a committed, proven fiscal conservative.  Working as a chief of staff on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, I help manage the County’s $9 billion budget with the same sense of prudence and responsibility as I do my own personal finances.  In the State Legislature, I opposed any and all new taxes, or higher taxes, and signed the “No New Taxes” pledge. I was endorsed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Association each time I ran.

Transportation and Infrastructure

Coming out of COVID, I believe Orange County is poised to thrive in a new economy where our highly trained workforce can have a wider national reach because of telework.  This requires that our infrastructure keeps up with the evolving needs, from education to remote workspaces.  While roadways and highways remain a critical need, a more insightful view of transportation is needed.  I will bring my regional planning experience from my time in the California Assembly to the task. I am committed to fighting for projects that will translate to you spending less time sitting in traffic, and more time doing the things you want to do.

Community Services

I know how important county services are to the lives of many of our friends and neighbors. Delivering these services effectively and compassionately is important, particularly to our seniors, veterans, and people with physical or mental health conditions. The quality of life in our community is my top priority, whether it’s no-kill-easy-adoption animal shelters for our pets or job training for people in the community who are changing careers or jobs. I am committed to working on the Orange County Board of Supervisors to ensure our services are easily accessible and effectively delivered to our residents in need with compassion and care.