Sonia's Top Priorities:
There is a long list of issues of interest to Sonia for improving the quality of life for all Californians and making a brighter future. The list includes public safety, insurance, taxation, business retention/attraction, housing, education, protecting our environment, water and air quality, budgets, social services, fire control and so much more. While Sonia will have a vote as an assembly member on ALL issues and legislation moving through the legislature, Sonia will stay focused on driving her top priority areas of public safety, education, mental health, water, state spending/budgets, and housing policies to reduce bureaucracy and drive improvement in our quality of life.
Improving Public Safety
Sonia's top priority in Sacramento is improving public safety in our communities and reducing criminal recidivism. Her plan includes a comprehensive 4-part approach that includes a focus on Police, Prosecutors, Judges, and Rehabilitation.
Sonia will work for:
- Better recruitment, training and technology programs for our police departments,
- Tougher mandates for prosecution of criminals by our district attorneys,
- Stricter sentencing guidelines for our judges, and
- Mandated rehabilitation and transition services for first time offenders and those who have served their time.
Improving Education
Sonia is not endorsed or funded by education labor unions. Sonia will take a balanced approach to improving the education system with prioritization of the needs of our children first, while tackling:
- Over-crowded and under-funded classrooms, particularly in our poorest communities,
- Lack of budget competence and the wrong priorities by county and local education board trustees,
- Creating more opportunity in high schools for industry pathways and skilled trades programs for those not college bound.
- Excessive control over local school boards, state legislators and their elections by labor interests.
- Opposing state legislators and special interest groups that prioritize social issue agendas over mastery of academic fundamentals by students.
We can and must do a lot better in education if we are to empower our California youth for a better future.
Improving Mental Health and Disability Services
Sonia raised twin boys with autism, who will likely be dependent on her for life. Sonia's personal interest in early intervention and improved adult services for the mentally and physically disabled community come from her own lived experience.
Sonia will also focus on more support and a streamlined process for assistance to people in crisis. There is a broad area of unmet services among those with severe mental and physical impairments, that could be from congenital, accidental, degenerative or addiction-related causes. Sadly, many with disabilities are left unable to retain permanent housing as they age. No matter the cause, these people need more help and Sonia will spend time on ways to improve their quality of life.
Improving Housing Availability
Let’s face it, housing affordability has been an ongoing issue for decades. Sonia will fight back against the special interests and local governments that are making the construction of new housing unaffordable. If we want affordable housing, we must work to streamline the process and reduce the cost of building it. We must provide an environment where builders want to build to increase the supply of available housing. Our workforce depends on it, and our legislators can help do that in partnership with the city leaders.
For the past three decades, Sonia has worked directly with first time home buyers in achieving their dreams of home ownership, both as a mortgage lender utilizing first-time home-buyer programs, and as a realtor negotiating on behalf of her first-time buyer clients. Sonia’s unique insight into the housing market is needed in Sacramento.
We can and must have solutions that work!