Energy

1. What energy policies would you sponsor/support that are consumer friendly to transition to sustainable/renewable energy for energy, building/home, transportation use,etc.? What specific policies or programs would you sponsor or support to engage residents in multi-family housing or the commercial sector?

I support programs like AB 693 (2021-2022), which provides incentives for solar energy photovoltaic systems for multifamily affordable housing. I would like to increase the amount of money spent annually for the program. I would also like to study a proposal for a similar program to provide support for houses that are not deed restricted affordable housing so that new construction is also incentivized. Our goal should be to maximize the amount of renewable energy for multi-family units.

Another example is that I worked in the city of Los Angeles to make it easier for ground mounted solar. The city requires a conditional use permit for ground mounted and that effectively meant no projects were being approved. We are working to make it easier to install ground mounted solar projects in the city.

Plastics

2. What specific “upstream” policies would you sponsor/support to address the plastics problem, NOT involving recycling, which has been a failure?

I worked on the legislation in Los Angeles to ban single use plastics and polystyrene. That includes bottles, straws and utensils on City property, including LAX as well as the ban for polystyrene in food and beverage establishments in 2024.

I’ve also worked with our city’s waste disposal contractors to increase the efficiency of waste diversion so that these materials don’t end up in our landfills. But the best way to keep these problematic materials out of our waste stream is to ban them statewide.

3. More than half of California’s population lives in jurisdictions that have banned or restricted expanded polystyrene, sometimes referred to as EPS or Styrofoam. Glendale City council took nearly a year to adopt its own ban because of concerns about possible cost & supply impacts to small restaurants. What solutions will you propose or back to help small businesses and rest restaurants. What solutions will you propose or back to help small businesses and restaurants transition away from EPS?

If we can reach a critical threshold where enough businesses rely on alternative packaging, I believe we can eventually reduce the cost of more sustainable options once they become the only alternative. Mass production will lead to manufacturers figuring out ways to deliver sustainable options at a more affordable price point. There will be a transitory period and we should offer incentives and work with small businesses who might suffer during that period. There should be grants and educational programs that help these businesses transition to a more sustainable model.

Artificial Turf

4. Artificial Turf is plastic, contains carcinogens, gets dangerously hot, harms biodiversity, contributes to the urban heat island effect, can cause and exacerbate sports injuries, and has many other negative impacts. Governor Newsom just signed SB-676 (Local ordinances and regulations: drought-tolerant landscaping), which allows cities to define drought tolerant landscaping as NOT including artificial turf. Other bills limiting or banning artificial turf have encountered serious industry push back. Would you support instituting a policy prohibiting artificial plastic turf installations in CA? Why or why not? If not, would you support a bill incentivizing real grass (for active uses such as sports fields and picnicking) and discouraging the use of plastic grass?

Absolutely yes – artificial turf is a poison that slowly infects groundwater.  All jurisdictions must do all that they can to eliminate these items which have proven disastrous impacts on soil, wildlife and, as I mentioned, water runoff and groundwater infiltration.

Transportation

5. Do you think the existing state funding allocations for active transportation and transit are sufficient? If not, what % increase do you support, and how would you propose that the additional funding be used?

No, the current funding levels are not sufficient. I think we should target a higher percentage, but I also believe that we should be flexible. Too often when it comes to budget priorities, we set percentage goals and that becomes both the floor and ceiling for spending in perpetuity.

We should be setting goals and guidelines and then trust our legislature to budget accordingly to meet them while having the freedom to set spending priorities on ever changing criteria.  I don’t have an exact percentage for growth, but I do support many more investments in incentives that get people out of cars and allow for safer bikes and multi-modal options.

6. Would you support state-subsidized free mass transit throughout the state to increase transit use and decrease vehicle miles traveled?

Absolutely, increased mass transit utilization is part of how we are going to meet our climate goals.

Waste

7. SB 1383, which mandated diversion of organic waste, has not been effectively implemented in most localities. Glendale is shipping organic waste long distances to waste-burning and other undesirable hubs on diesel-burning trucks. How do you plan to address this? What types of programs, local composting initiatives and/or facilities, and funding streams will you support to increase beneficial composting in localities including Glendale?

I believe the law needs significant changes and local jurisdictions need to demand more of haulers, and themselves in order for the State to achieve its goals.

For a city like Glendale, that would mean a focus on incentives to not use “digesters” at landfills, and instead mandate diversion of organics towards composting and soil remediation.

Los Angeles as a region is doing more than most, but the State needs to up its game in order to ensure proper soil growth is the preferred option, eliminating less desirable carbon-use programs.

Open Space

8. South Glendale is park deficient and in need of greater access to open space and parks. Compared to 2.2 acres of park space per 1,000 residents north of the 134, south Glendale only has 0.3 acres per 1,000 residents. What specific strategies and funding streams will you pursue to ensure that neighborhoods in South Glendale gain in park space, and that they see a proportional investment in parks and open space when they absorb population growth?

I’ve walked through many neighborhoods in South Glendale and the lack of park space and tree cover is an issue that has come up repeatedly. As the Assemblymember that represents South Glendale, I want to work closely with local elected officials to increase the amount of open space and parks available.

That means working closely with them to take advantage of already existing programs like the Office of Grants and Local Services and the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program. Both provide support for community park access, and I will be a resource for local leaders in Glendale to maximize these programs for South Glendale.

Further, my work with the City of LA means that I come with friendships and relationships that can foster even more growth between south Glendale residents and Northeast LA residents.  I hope to take my knowledge of over 13 years in running the second largest city in the nation to ensure more dollars go further in Glendale.

Divestment, Subsidies, and Clean Energy Incentives

9. We must end the fossil fuel era and transition to clean, zero-carbon energy as fast as possible. What divestment, subsidy-ending, and incentive proposals will you support to end fossil fuel extraction and use and to incentivize green technologies, industries and products? Please indicate whether or not you have taken the No Fossil Fuel MoneyPledge (https://nofossilfuelmoney.org/). Local Context

I have spent the last 13 years developing legislation that will lead the Los Angeles city power system to be 100% green and renewable by 2035, install 130,000 level 2 and level 3 charging stations throughout Los Angeles by 2030 for electric vehicles, decarbonize over 1,200 buildings, over 440 parks and 16,000 acres of green space by 2035 and  ban single-use plastic & Styrofoam™.

I want to implement the programs and ideas that have made Los Angeles a leader on 100% green and renewable energy and implement these ideas statewide.

I have not signed the pledge yet but will be signing and publishing it soon.

Local Context

10. Tell us about your knowledge of the Glendale community and its environmental concerns. How do you plan to work with Glendale to accomplish its climate and environmental goals?

I’ve had extensive conversations with Mayor Dan Brotman, who has endorsed my campaign, as well as many environmentalists throughout Glendale. My legislation on the plastic bag and polystyrene ban was used as a model for Glendale’s ban. I will be a climate champion in Sacramento and want to work with Glendale leaders to assist them with the following priorities:

• Electrifying our transportation and transit systems
• Decarbonizing our buildings
• Reducing waste
• Building climate resilience into our cities and energy grids

Together we can meet our goal of a clean and sustainable future and I look forward to working with you as your representative in Sacramento.

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