On the Issues
The Central Coast has one of California's most diverse economies, driven by agriculture, tourism, small businesses, higher education, and innovation. I will work to reduce unnecessary regulations and lower the cost of doing business so employers can grow and create good-paying local jobs. Agriculture remains a cornerstone of our regional economy, and I will fight for policies that ensure farmers and ranchers have reliable water, reasonable regulations, and access to a dependable workforce. At the same time, we must support our small businesses, strengthen our ports and transportation infrastructure, and expand workforce training that prepares residents for careers in agriculture, skilled trades, healthcare, technology, and hospitality. Economic growth and environmental stewardship are not competing priorities—we can achieve both with common-sense leadership.
Every family deserves to feel safe whether they live in Santa Cruz, Salinas, Hollister, San Luis Obispo, or one of our many rural communities. I support law enforcement by ensuring officers have the resources and staffing necessary to reduce crime, combat fentanyl trafficking, and address organized retail theft. I also believe we must restore our parks, beaches, and public spaces by addressing homeless encampments through a combination of enforcement, mental health treatment, addiction services, and shelter options. Public safety means holding repeat offenders accountable while providing pathways to recovery for those willing to accept help. In the State Senate, I will work to put an end to the pro-criminal policies of the past and finally restore public safety in California.
California families pay too much while receiving too little in return from state government. I will fight to eliminate wasteful spending and instead invest in priorities that directly benefit our communities. I oppose new gas tax increases and will work to reduce the tax burden on working families, seniors, and small businesses struggling with California's high cost of living. I will also stand firmly behind Proposition 13, protecting homeowners, family farms, and local businesses from higher property taxes. Taxpayers deserve a government that is accountable, fiscally responsible, and focused on delivering results—not expanding bureaucracy.
Sacramento’s failed policies have made California one of the most difficult and expensive places to insure a home, operate a business, or provide for a family’s health care. Central Coast residents are paying higher premiums, facing fewer choices, and in too many cases losing coverage altogether as insurers retreat from our state. We need to replace Sacramento’s heavy-handed regulations with commonsense reforms that encourage competition, attract insurers back to California, and give consumers more affordable options. That means addressing the underlying costs driving premiums higher while holding insurers accountable to the people they serve. In the State Senate, I’ll fight for an insurance market that protects homeowners, supports small businesses, expands individual health coverage options, and puts affordability ahead of Sacramento bureaucracy.