San Joaquin CountyCandidate for Supervisor, District 4

I received my bachlors in Animal Science from UC Davis.  My degree in Veterinary Medicine is also from there and I am finishing my fellowship in Emergency and Critical Care at UC Davis.  I have worked as a small animal veterinarian in our county for over 20 years both in day practice and most recently as an emergency veterinarian.  I am a member of The Rotary Club of Stockton, Stockton Hosts Lions-incoming President, Leadership Stockton 2017, Junior League, American Legion Karl Ross Post 16, Stockton Chamber, Lodi Chamber, Asain Chamber, Hispanic Chamber, Chamber Ambassador and CTA for Stockton, and an Ambassador for Toys for Tots. I'm a board member for The San Joaquin Emergency Food Bank, Pixie Woods, HOPE, and an Alternate for The Disabled American Veterans Services. I also serve on the county Homelessness Task Force and The Hunger Task Force. I have written a bi-montly pet colum in The Record since 2007, have a radio show called Tails and Tips on The Voice of Stockton which i utilize to celebrate people and organizations that are doing amazing things in our county, and I recently wrote a chaper in the best selling Anthology "Breaking Barriers".  I am a co founder and Vice President of the Delta Veterinary Medical Association. I also created an organization Loving Tails which with the students from the Carrington Veterinary Technician provides vaccines for the pets of the homeless on a rotating monthly basis at Grace and Mercy, Saint Mary's Dinning Hall, and Gospel Center Rescue Mission.  I help multiple nonprofits in our county.  Last year I chaired the Inagural Patriots Ball to celebrate and honor veterans. This year I chaired the Fire Bowl to help fundraise for the relocation of the firefighters memorial.  I will continue to help our county in as many ways as possible. 

I am running for office because I am concerned about multiple problems in our county such as homelessness, crime, shortage of water, lack of high quality/pay jobs, lack of a work force prepared for such jobs, low literacy rates, etc. within our county that are not being addressed.  I have already been working with ways to resolve some of these issues and will continue to look for unique ways to solve problems.  We cannot solely rely on the government to solve issues. We need to reach out to nonprofits, churches, and other organizations within our county to bring resolutions. As an emergency veterinarian I am used to working on multiple things at one time, and think very quickly on my feet.  I am also very innovative and persistant.  If one solution doesn't work, then I will look at several other ways to solve an issue. I'm very dedicated to our community.  I care about the quality of life for its people, and will work tirelessly to help to preserve our quality of life as well as resolve issues and make immprovements whenever possible. 

I am also very concerned about our county's reputation.  This affects businesses moving here, doing work here, and people moving and visiting here. The issues at the corner's office deeply concern me as well as the delay to separate the office from the sheriff's.  I'm concerned about the level of crime in our county.  I'm concerned about the number of gangs, and drug use as well.  All of these have a negative impact on business in our area.  We need to do as much as poosible to promote business in our county, including reducing fees when possible as well as other actions to welcome more merchants.  This translates to prosparity for our business owners as well as needed tax dollars to pay for services. 

High crime affect us on main street, in our homes, and on our farms.  It is a financlial loss for everyone.  It reduceses new commerce as well.  It also impacts our farmers with items being stolen, vandilized, and furniture/garbage being dumbed on their property. We need to support our police and sheriffs as much as possible to equip them to do their job.  

We also need to work hard to bring good paying jobs to our area that pay a fair wage.  This also means that our employees need to be trained for these jobs. Our county needs to make every effort to ensure that the maximum number of students graduate from our schools, and are equipt to attend college, a trade school or organization, start a business, or join the work force.  We need to work hard to raise the literacy rates.  Currently our third graders are almost 10% below the national average.  Education is the foundation for everything.  All students need equal opportunities for their success. 

Homelessness is a nationwide issue. It affects our entire county.  As a member of The Homeless Task Force this I have been concerned about for several years.  Our Task Force has adopted a housing first plan, with secondary wrap around support.  People become homeless for a multitude of reasons-physical injury, mental illness, loss of a family member, drugs, etc.  I have established a vaccine clinic that provides free vaccines, food, flea control and other care to the pets of the homeless on a montly basis.  We need to support our nonprofits such as Gospel Center Rescue Mission, Lodi House, Grace and Mercy, etc that are working in this area, especially those that are helping people with an hand up and not just a hand out.  I would like to see more churches involved in this area, as well as a stronger effort to unite people with their families.  Also we need to stop or reduce the constant inflow of homeless that are being sent to our county from other areas. 

And water is essential for everyone.  We need to fight any plan to ship our water out of the county.  We also need to conserve water as much as possible both above and below ground.  We need to have farmers using drip irrigation whenever possible, and look at ways to recycle water.  It saddens me that Southern California is not looking at desalinazation serously.  The tunnel plan will cost either $16 billion or $12 billion, has the potential to destroy our delta and salianate our water, and doesn't result in any new water.  Desalinaztion plants cost $500 million and would have much less of an envirnonmental impact and will provide a source of new water.  Our different county districts should also work together to have more water preserved for our area from higher up the river. 

Thank you for looking at my views.

I humbly ask for your support.