Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 38

Since launching my campaign I have come to believe that the most important job of a representative is to serve the people within his/her district. My Assembly District, the 38th, stretches across the north San Fernando Valley from a slice of Glendale all the way to Simi Valley and has a population of almost 1/2 million people. I have had the privilege of meeting many people from unique communities within this district, and over and over again, I've learned of crises that have developed because small problems have festered. In Santa Clarita, the residents suddenly learned of a Regional Water Board agreement their City Council entered into in 2008 committing them to building a costly desalinization plant. In Sunland-Tujunga, Chatsworth and Granada Hills horse property septic tank owners were suddenly confronted by a Sanitation Board decision that could have lead to costly sewer hook ups. Porter Ranch, Chatworth and Granada Hills faced blight on their streets from mobile trailer advertisers who left trailers in valuable parking spaces and turned city streets into eyesores.

I guarantee that when I go to Sacramento the lines of communication will be open and I will have a representative present at every community meeting. Of course, not all local issues can be addressed at a state level, but many can. For example, Assemblyman Blumenfield of the neighboring 40th AD did draft a bill to ban these types of mobile trailer advertisers (a bill that my opponent voted against). Blumenfield worked with Councilman Smith's office to address this issue, and often coordination with local office holders is warranted in order to make government more effective. If a representative is not there, the representative can't be of much assistance when that assistance is needed. I will be there!

Good government is not just about ideology and party power struggles. It is about listening to and respecting local communities. It is about being responsive to constituent needs so that our communities are a better place to live and our citizens believe once again that government is working for them.