Salinas mayor joins 28th Assembly race
Anna Caballero has entered the race for the 28th Assembly
district, bringing the candidate total to four. She has served as
the first woman and Latina mayor of Salinas for four terms and won
her fourth term with 69 percent of the vote. During 2005, she
started the
”
Rally Salinas!
”
campaign to promote a 2005 library initiative to keep the
Salinas library system open. The measure passed and a half-cent
sales tax increase will keep libraries open in the city.
Salinas mayor joins 28th Assembly race
Anna Caballero has entered the race for the 28th Assembly district, bringing the candidate total to four. She has served as the first woman and Latina mayor of Salinas for four terms and won her fourth term with 69 percent of the vote. During 2005, she started the “Rally Salinas!” campaign to promote a 2005 library initiative to keep the Salinas library system open. The measure passed and a half-cent sales tax increase will keep libraries open in the city.
Caballero, a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles law school, lives in Salinas with her husband Juan Uranga, who is also an attorney. She opened a law practice, Caballero, Matcham and McCarthy, in 1982 with the intention of providing excellent legal represenation at a reasonable price. The Salinas Area Chamber of Commerce awarded Caballero the “Athena” award in 1996 for entrepreneurial excellence.
More recently, Caballero has taken a sabbatical from her law practice to focus on her role as executive director of a non-profit organization, Partners for Peace that works to develop effective violence prevention strategies.
The 28th assembly district candidate answered questions for the Pinnacle about her goals for the region if she is elected.
Q: Our region has some of the worst air quality in the Bay Area. Is there anything the Assembly should be doing to address the issue of pollution?
A: Absolutely. It is clear that the air quality in the 28th District is impacted by the Bay Area. Part of the responsibility for curbing one of California’s most notorious problems-air quality-falls on the legislators in Sacramento. The key is to combat it with something for which the Bay Area is also well known: front-line, cutting edge innovation. The Assembly should work both with federal and local governments to make it easier for citizens to help (notice this year’s hybrid tax cuts), and with companies to find ways to limit emissions. I support creating additional tax credits for consumers who take the initiative to limit emissions in the Bay Area.
Q: What have you accomplished as Mayor of Salinas and a council member that will help you if you were to win the 28th district Assembly seat?
A: First and foremost, I am proud of my ability to bring Salinas together as one community. There are many specific accomplishments that I am proud of, such as revitalizing downtown, passing a major initiative to support vital public services, and opening the Steinbeck Center, but each was a result of rolling up my sleeves and working hard with representatives from all corners of our community. This will be my biggest asset as a member of the Assembly. I know how to get things done and bring people together. My past experience in public service will allow me to hit the ground running as a state assembly member.
Q: Agriculture is a big part of the economy in California and in parts of the region you hope to represent. What are some of the issues facing agriculture that you hope to address if you become an Assembly member?
A: There are a great number of issues pressing our agriculture industry today and they play a central role in the lives of many of our citizens. From labor issues to rising business costs, including healthcare, workers compensation and immigration, I hope to tackle any and all agricultural issues while representing the 28th District in the Assembly. As a state assembly member, I will have an open-door policy. My office will always be open to growers, labor unions, and other key groups to discuss pressing issues facing our agricultural industry. There is tremendous potential for innovation in this area, and I will be a leader in creating future opportunities.
Q: The issue of affordable housing is one that is of concern for many residents in this district. How would you address the issue and what solutions do you see to increase affordable housing in the district?
A: My history as mayor of Salinas plainly shows my dedication to affordable housing. I have consistently pressed for expanded affordable housing since being elected to city government in 1991. As an Assembly member, my goal will be to support communities financially that build affordable housing and limit the often-cumbersome state regulations. I will make affordable housing a priority for the 28th District, just as I have done in Salinas.
Q: What do you see as the biggest challenges facing local education and what are you plans to address them?
A: Unfortunately, this is a question that is posed year in and year out. Each year it seems we need more and get less. Yet we cannot become discouraged. Superior public education is the key to our future, and to get that we need renewed dedication-monetary and otherwise. Federal restrictions have placed an unfair burden on our schools and it falls on the state to help rectify the problem. California needs to be a leader in public education. As a state assembly member, I will be a leading advocate of smaller class sizes, improved technology in every classroom, greater incentives for teacher recruitment and retention, and increased resources for art and music programs. We must invest in our schools and support our children.
Q: What are your plans to help local citizens who do not have health insurance?
A: Our health insurance system is in dire need of top-to-bottom reform. Employers can no longer afford to cover employees, and independent health coverage is too often out of a family’s price range. We must first ensure that no child, no matter where they are born, lives without health insurance. This is non-negotiable. Then we must tackle making it more affordable for employers and, in turn, employees. In the long run, we must provide health insurance for all Californians.
Q: The 28th district is a diverse one that incorporates south Santa Clara and San Benito counties, incorporating cities with unique needs and challenges. How do you plan to stay connected to the district if you are elected and how will you keep in touch with the needs of residents?
A: I am well aware of the diversity of our district, and I plan to use the same approach I have used in Salinas. I will be in constant contact with leaders in every part of our district and will hire staff from each area of the District. I plan to dedicate staff and resources across the 28th Assembly District. I will also hold regular office hours in towns and cities throughout the area. I will be in touch with every corner of our district just as I have been doing for the last fifteen years in Salinas.
Q: What do you see as the top three issues facing the 28th Assembly district?
A: Improving our educational system, solving our state budget problems, and bringing health coverage to many more citizens.
Q: Many of your opponents announced their candidacy last year. Why did you wait to announce your campaign until January?
A: The election is not until June – five months is more than enough time to talk with the voters and communicate my vision for the future. I was committed to passing a ballot measure in Salinas to help save our local libraries and other vital public services. Only after my local goals were accomplished could I think about Sacramento. There will be plenty of time to campaign; Salinas needed my full attention.
