John Laird served as California Secretary for Natural Resources by Governor Jerry Brown from January 5, 2011 until January 7, 2019. Laird also served as a member of the State Integrated Waste Management Board from 2008 to 2009 and taught state environmental policy at University of California Santa Cruz. In 2002, he was elected Assemblymember for the 27th District, which included portions of Monterey, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties, and reelected in 2004 and 2006. While serving the maximum three terms in the Assembly, Laird authored 82 bills that were signed into law. 

Prior to serving in the State Assembly, Laird was an elected member of the Cabrillo College Board of Trustees from 1994 to 2002. He also served as executive director of the Santa Cruz AIDS Project from 1991 to 1994. 

In 1981, Laird was elected to the Santa Cruz City Council, and served nine years until term limits ended his council service in 1990. He was a two-term mayor from 1983 to 1984 and from 1987 to 1988.

The son of teachers and raised in Vallejo, Laird graduated with honors in politics from the University of California – Santa Cruz in 1972. He has been a long-time resident of Santa Cruz with his spouse John Flores. He has traveled extensively, is fluent in Spanish, enjoys conducting family history research, and is a life-long Chicago Cubs fan.

I’m running for the State Senate because I want to build on that leadership to protect and invest in the Central Coast and California during these difficult times – not just in the area of natural resources, but also with critical priorities including health care, education, the economy and housing.  

Specifically, I pledge to work on major challenges including: the impact of a changing climate on California; affordability for the middle class; providing health care to all; providing adequate support for education; adequate and affordable housing; wild fires as California’s “new normal”; protecting California’s leadership in ocean policy; embracing and protecting California’s diversity; and fighting for the needs of the Central Coast. 

The impact of a changing climate on California.

We have no time to spare in lowering our carbon emissions and in readying our state for the effects that will happen because of the carbon emitted already.

Affordability for the middle class in California.

Whether it’s affording housing, higher education, transportation or the standard of living – California has become difficult to afford for the middle class. This is a daunting challenge, but one that we must address. The state has enacted a higher minimum wage and we must see through its implementation.

Providing health care to all.

While in the legislature I co-authored single payer health care and was the advocate for health coverage for all children. Given the federal assault on health care, we have to protect those Californians who recently secured health coverage as we work to make sure everyone is covered.

Providing adequate support for education.

In my past legislative service, I helped fight off attempts to weaken financial protections for K-14 education. We have to continue to protect K-14, as well as our higher education systems – and work to reduce financial barriers for students.

Adequate and affordable housing in California.

I worked on the 2006 affordable housing bond and am glad voters approved another bond last November. The legislature must do more to partner with local government, housing non-profits and the private sector to provide more affordable housing.

Wild fires as California’s “new normal.”

A majority of the biggest fires in California history have happened since 2000. Santa Rosa, Redding and Paradise have been devastated in just the last year and a half. Leadership will be needed to take necessary steps to be ready for this “new normal.”

Protecting California’s leadership in ocean policy.

I was honored to head California’s oceans program, which produced the most recent science on sea level rise and the largest network of marine protected areas off the continental U.S. The program also joined Washington and Oregon to organize nations across the globe to fight acidification. I vow to help continue that leadership.

Appreciating and protecting California’s diversity.

As one of the first openly gay Mayors in America, I have always appreciated the recognition of different voices in building a successful state. Our diversity is a strength and we must work together to protect the rights of all.

The needs of the Central Coast.

Our local area has a large number of state parks, major transportation corridors, higher education campuses, agricultural production centers, and satellite facilities of Silicon Valley-based industries. I pledge to work with local officials to meet the needs of these local stakeholders.

I have worked the last 40 years to be ready for the next eight as a senator. I’ve served in public policy, as a congressional assistant, local government analyst, mayor, city councilmember, transit board member, transportation commissioner, community college trustee, community activist, state legislator and governor’s cabinet secretary. I want to bring that experience and leadership to meet our challenges.

Maria get things done by focusing on what matters most – people and planet. She is the only Democratic woman, only immigrant, only Latina, and only candidate in this race who will not accept corporate money.

Born in Mexico and raised in California, Maria is a first generation college graduate who works hand-in-hand across the Agriculture, Tech, Government, and Nonprofit communities to ensure people and planet are at the center of solutions that improve the quality of life for everyone. Most recently, as the Executive Director of Santa Cruz Community Ventures (SCCV), she has focused on supporting local economic development, including the development of local capital and cooperative structures. She has also led efforts to create college savings accounts for all newborns in Santa Cruz County, and design ways to integrate financial coaching and education as a key metric of family health.  Under her leadership, SCCV raised funds and provided support to ensure Dreamers had free resources to apply for DACA status and educated families in danger of deportation on how to protect their assets.

In her role as Associate Director of the ACLU of Wisconsin she oversaw outreach to immigrant Latino communities after the 9/11 attacks. She also worked closely with health and government partners to advocate for domestic partner benefits and environmental justice issues facing the City of Milwaukee.

During her tenure as Executive Director of the Cream City Foundation she led an initiative to address youth homelessness in the area, including the development of new housing units for LGBTQ youth aging out of the foster care system. In that role she also led efforts to successfully adopt LGBTQ inclusive policies and cultural competency training at global companies headquartered in Wisconsin, including Harley Davidson, Manpower, and Northwestern Mutual, among others. She was a key advocate in the Marriage Equality fight and led a three year public education campaign focused on increasing acceptance of LGBTQ families, including her own.

As Driscoll's Senior Community Involvement Manager, Maria focused on investment and partnerships between government, education, and corporate partners to create career pipelines within agriculture that would allow economic mobility for farmworkers. She worked closely to also strengthen benefits and resources for seasonal workers.

Maria is a Fellow of the Women’s Policy Institute and Hispanas Organized for Political Equality Leadership Institute. Maria received her MBA from Alverno College and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Beloit College.

People and Planet First