Candidate for
County Supervisor; County of El Dorado; Supervisorial District 5

When I moved to South Lake Tahoe in 1982, I felt a bit disconnected from the rest of the community. In spite of this, in 1984, I made a very conscious decision to make South Lake Tahoe my home. As a person who takes her social responsibility very seriously, it became apparent to me that in order to connect with this community I had to become involved. I've spent 20 years as a committed volunteer to make a difference--to be the change I wish to see. This commitment has improved my skills in project management, building collaborations among diverse interest, and managing project budgets. I do so with passion, enthusiasm, and energy.

Also as a result of this dedication to making a difference, I have been given an opportunity to connect and respond to the concerns of the people who just like me want to live, work, and raise their families here. And while I have connected with the community, unfortunately, a disconnect now exist between the addressing the concerns of the people who live in District 5 and the policy being advocated at the county level. It is time for that to change. We need a voice that expresses our concern about our public health and safety, our economy, and our environment while working hard to implement public policy that best addresses these concerns. I am that voice.

As a single parent, who, like you, is a voice for her children, it was a message from my son that solidified my decision to run for office. My son, Earl Peck, is a senior in high school. Last summer, one of his assignments was to complete an autobiographical questionnaire. One of the questions he had related to his traveling experience. After stating that he really had not traveled much, he wrote that how this would be an eventuality because his plans include obtaining a degree in chemical engineering from U.C. Berkeley (my alma mater) and, given limited job possibilities here in South Lake Tahoe, he would not be able to come home. This saddened me because I felt that my son should at least have that choice. Why not take the mandate to keep the Lake Tahoe blue as an opportunity to create an economic base that would bring forth profitable economic prospects; strengthen our struggling middle class; and help our local small businesses? While tourism will always be our primary economy, it needs to be stabilized with a second economy.