There are two candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot running for a two-year term to represent this district: Democratic Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath and Republican CEO/financial adviser Dan Downey. Here are Boerner Horvath’s answers to a 14-question survey The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board emailed candidates.
Q: Why do you want this job and what would be your top priority?
A: Getting up in the morning is easy because I know that every day I have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of my neighbors, my district and my state. The future of California, and the planet, is unwritten, and I believe that we are at an inflection point that will set the course for our children and for future generations. We have an opportunity to turn the corner on the climate crisis if we make smart investments in renewable energy that will pay dividends for decades. We have the chance to support small businesses that will create jobs and drive innovation. And we can invest in our citizens: in public education, health care and public safety to improve the quality of life for millions of Californians. My top priority will always be advocating for the people I represent and delivering results for them.
Q: What is the biggest accomplishment of your career?
A: I am proud that San Onofre State Park and Trestles Beach are protected today because of Assembly Bill 1426, legislation I wrote to preserve and protect that area in perpetuity. Our coastline is a national treasure, and our communities fought for nearly 20 years to protect their right to access the beach and park. I hope my biggest accomplishment lies ahead of me, which is finding a meaningful way to protect all of our coastline from the threats posed by sea-level rise and the climate crisis. We can and must make changes now to protect future generations from devastating wildfires, coastal erosion and the economic and personal costs caused by catastrophic sea-level rise.
Q: Assess what the state is doing now to address the changing climate. What would you support to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California?
A: California is indisputably a national leader in efforts to combat the climate crisis, but we are still behind the problem, not in front of it. We need to stay focused on building our renewable energy infrastructure and moving towards a clean energy economy. When we make our own energy, we will no longer be dependent on foreign countries or energy sources that fuel the climate crisis. That’s why I authored bills like Assembly Bill 2204 to keep us on track to meet our state goal of transitioning to 100 percent renewable electricity generation by 2045, Assembly Bill 1738 to help expand our electric vehicle charging infrastructure and Assembly Bill 1873, a tax credit that will help fund that expansion. We also have to diversify our modes of transportation, including electric bicycles, pedestrian walkways and rapid mass transit.
Q: Assess what the state is doing now to address the drought. What would you do differently?
A: We have always had peaks of precipitation and valleys of drought, but as the climate crisis accelerates, those peaks and valleys are going to get worse. In San Diego County, we’re working to improve our water infrastructure and usage, including desalination, water storage and retention, and efficiency. I’d like to make sure that the state government recognizes the investments that San Diego ratepayers have made and that we get our fair share of water resources. San Diego County residents have led the way on a number of metrics, including diversification and indoor and outdoor efficiency. We can always do more, but we shouldn’t lose access to state water resources as a result of those efforts.
Q: The California Air Resources Board has adopted a policy that would ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035. What would you do to ease the transition to electric vehicles and ensure affordability, equity and practicality?
A: California’s goal to transition away from selling internal combustion cars by 2035 is mirrored by the auto industry, which has recognized that the future is no longer in fossil fuels. All of the major automakers have released and are releasing more electric vehicles in their lineups, and Audi has publicly announced an intention to stop designing internal combustion cars by 2025. As battery technology continues to improve, it is clear that soon the cost competitiveness and capabilities of electric cars are going to give consumers good reason to make the switch. One major barrier to electric car adoption is the availability of electric vehicle charging stations, particularly for people who don’t live in detached single-family homes. I introduced Assembly Bill 1738 to help people living in apartments and multifamily dwellings get access to charging stations. As part of that legislation, which has already passed in the Assembly and Senate, we’ve secured $300 million to help assist installing charging stations in low income and middle income multifamily housing.
Q: What can the state do to get more people to use public transit?
A: The way to make mass transit a viable option for commuters is to keep the focus on functionality. I am a big believer in a transportation system that works for everyone and that includes cars, bikes, electric bikes, pedestrians and public transit. That’s why I am working to create a pilot shuttle system to connect people and kids to the businesses, schools and other places they need to go. It’s also why I’ve pushed for funding to help trench the tracks from Oceanside to the Mid-Coast trolley.
It takes about 20 minutes to drive from La Jolla to the airport, but it takes about an hour to get there by bus, which is about as long as it takes to ride a bike there. By adding more express bus routes, bike routes, dedicated bus lanes and light rail options, we can make commuting faster for everyone, drivers included. I believe investments in infrastructure and public transit connecting North County to Central and South San Diego County, as well as creating better connections between inland and coastal communities, are essential to the region’s continued economic growth. It is also critical that we are proactive about making regular maintenance a part of our infrastructure planning, so we get the most out of our investment of tax dollars and stop kicking the can down the road.
Q: Housing affordability is a huge issue in California. What can you do to help renters or homeowners who are struggling now?
A: We need to build more housing of all kinds that is compatible with the character of our existing communities and that includes apartments, single-family homes, shelter beds, long-term supportive housing and other multifamily housing. I authored Assembly Bill 803, a new law already in use to facilitate the development of smaller, affordable-by-design, single-family homes on mid-range density multi-family lots. The law was designed to help boost the supply of starter homes for first-time homebuyers while respecting the unique character of the surrounding neighborhoods. We also need measures discouraging displacement of lower income communities and the overuse of homeowners associations — another financial barrier to homeownership. I remain committed to supporting creative solutions and significant investments that give communities throughout California a variety of options to tackle this housing crisis and help make keeping a roof over our heads more affordable.
Q: More and more resources are being dedicated to the homelessness issue, yet California has more homeless people than ever. Do you see progress? What solutions are working?
A: I see the seeds of progress. This problem didn’t happen overnight; it was caused by decades of policy failures on housing, mental health, development, health care, opioids, criminal justice, veterans and domestic violence, all of which play a role in homelessness. We have years of work ahead to fix these policies, but we can’t allow the scope of the challenge to dishearten and discourage us. The first order of business must be getting people off the street and into appropriate care fast. I continue to support more resources and policies that deliver temporary shelters to house people quickly and then transition them into long-term housing. This has to include appropriate wraparound services on-site so that people have the support they need to avoid falling back into homelessness. That’s why I worked to secure $1 million in state funding for homelessness intervention and prevention locally, to support programs that break the cycle of homelessness before it starts. I am proud to have supported Senate Bill 1338, which created the CARE Court program, to help people struggling from mental illness get help and treatment rather than prison time for minor offenses.
I also worked with local leaders and successfully fought the closing of Tri-City Medical Center’s emergency psychiatric beds, which would have left North County residents without access to emergency mental health care. We need more facilities dedicated to treating mental health, incentives to ensure an adequate supply of trained mental health professionals, and health care coverage that does not short-change mental health services.
Q: California’s crime rate is going up. Do you blame recent criminal justice reforms, other factors or some combination? How would you keep Californians safe?
A: As a mom and an Assembly member, public safety is important to me. As with most things, criminal justice reform is a balancing act of competing goals, including protecting public safety, ensuring justice is served, rehabilitating offenders and safeguarding tax dollars. All of these are important goals, and I have worked to have a balanced approach that leads with public safety. I think that much of our recent discussions on crime as a state have overlooked the essential role of rehabilitation. I believe that if we can invest in effective rehabilitation programs, we can reduce crime, recidivism and the prison population at the same time.
Q: How would you help California students who suffered from learning loss associated with the COVID-19 pandemic?
A: I worked as part of a legislative group reporting to Gov. Gavin Newsom on this issue, and we had a number of recommendations for the state, many of which are being implemented. I wanted to do that work because it’s very important to me that we address the effects of the lockdown on our students, and that we do everything we can to help kids get the start in life that they deserve. As a PTA mom, I’m always going to fight to for California students. I’m proud that we helped secure over $7.9 billion for helping students through learning loss mitigation and helped teachers with specialized training and educational tools. I’ve worked closely with our local school districts to make sure they have programs in place and the resources they need.
Q: The state has had giant surpluses in recent years yet there are worries about a potential recession. How would you ensure the state is prepared to weather an economic downturn? What will you do for Californians who are struggling economically now?
A: I’m glad to say that we now have the strongest reserves ever in the state of California, but of course that does not mean we are immune to a downturn; we’re not. An economic downturn is possible, and it’s something I am worried about, particularly for struggling families and our most vulnerable residents. One area I want to focus on is ensuring that our public utilities have robust programs for helping low-income families. San Diego County has some of the highest utility rates in the region and in the country, and those rates affect everyone, but they have the greatest impact on the people who can least afford it. I have requested a state audit of San Diego Gas & Electric to review our rates and fees. Once we have those findings and recommendations from the state auditor, I plan to work to implement and enact those recommendations in the state Assembly.
Q: California has the nation’s most strict gun laws and among its lowest gun death rates. What is your philosophy toward gun legislation? Have you or your family been directly affected by gun violence?
A: Since California began enacting commonsense gun safety legislation in the 1990s, gun deaths have fallen dramatically, particularly compared to other states. These results show that gun safety legislation works, despite what the gun lobby argues. I am fortunate that my family has not suffered from gun violence, but thousands of California families lose a family member every year to gun violence.
I believe we need to invest more time and resources into better enforcement of our gun laws to keep firearms out of the hands of people who have a demonstrated history of violence or pose a threat to themselves or others. While our state has red flag laws, they are not universally enforced, and there are thousands of Californians currently in possession of firearms they should not legally be able to own. There is always more we can do to make it harder for weapons to get into the hands of people that should not have them. I was a proud co-author of Assembly Bill 893, which made firearm sales at Del Mar Fairgrounds a thing of the past, and the governor recently signed legislation (Senate Bill 915) that did the same thing for all other state fairgrounds throughout California.
Q: What is your position on Proposition 1, which would establish the rights for Californians to an abortion and to contraceptives in the state Constitution?
A: I co-authored Proposition 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the California Constitution. Proposition 1 is an essential step to protect the right to abortion health care and birth control, but alone, it is not enough. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade removed federal protection of abortion rights, but unfortunately it did not prohibit the federal government from taking away abortion rights. Republicans in Congress are already fighting for legislation (H.R. 1011) that would deprive every American, Californians included, of the right to control their own bodies, overturning any protections passed by California’s Legislature. Even while we work to stop the efforts of congressional Republicans, our state government can and must do more to ensure that no one is deprived of their reproductive rights because of a lack of access to health services.
Q: Why should voters elect you over your opponent?
A: In the state Assembly, I work hard every day to ensure that our district gets its fair share of resources and investment, and that our residents have a voice in Sacramento. I’m very proud of the work my team does to help residents access state government services, and of the legislation that started with a constituent walking into my office with a problem and ended with the governor signing a bill into law in Sacramento.
For me, it all started with a stop sign. Traffic at my kids’ school was a real problem, and twice a crossing guard had been hit by a car. I couldn’t walk my kids to school safely, so I got involved. I worked with the PTA, neighbors and school leaders, and we developed an entire traffic safety plan, including the stop sign, and proposed it to the Encinitas City Council. I believe it’s still true that no crossing guard has been hit by a car since that sign went up. I’ve never stopped looking for problems, coming up with solutions and fighting to get things done. I believe that my experience makes a difference in delivering results, and that my record reflects my commitment to our communities. I would be honored to be given the responsibility of serving our communities in the state Assembly once again.