FLIPPABLE: Anna Cabllero for CA-SD12
Assemblymember Anna Caballero has a legacy of fighting for all rural Californians. She graduated from law school and moved to the Salinas Valley, the “Salad Bowl of the World”, to provide legal services to farm workers. In her life as a public servant, she has also fought to give farmers the resources they need, including access to water, to maintain agriculture as a vibrant industry, to preserve employment for tens of thousands of farm workers and to serve as an economic engine for small businesses in rural California.
In the California State Assembly, Anna Caballero represents three heavily agricultural regions: the Salinas Valley, the Pajaro Valley and San Benito County. The area grows more berries, lettuce, artichokes, asparagus and other salad vegetables than most other parts of the United States. Anna serves as the Chair of the Agriculture Committee in Assembly. She was selected as the Legislator of the Year by the Rural Counties Representatives of California (RCRC).
Assembly Woman Caballero raised her family in the Salinas Valley. And, she has devoted her public service to representing California’s agricultural communities; first as the Mayor of Salinas (the first woman Mayor and the first Latino Mayor), then in the State Legislature and, additionally, as a Member of Governor Brown’s Cabinet (Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency). Anna knows agriculture and she knows the people of rural California.
Anna was elected to the State Assembly in 2006 and reelected in 2016, after serving for 5 years in Governor Brown’s Cabinet. In the Assembly, she has focused her efforts on meeting the needs of rural, agricultural communities. She made it easier for farmers to utilize their land to build farm worker housing, gave local government more time to commit redevelopment dollars to rehabilitate affordable housing units in their communities and created a parks grant incentive for park poor communities who build affordable housing. She facilitated the transfer of state land to a local community to assist in the expansion of the waste water treatment facility, and facilitated in obtaining funds for a water agency to assist in upgrades and much needed technology. She was also able to access much needed gang intervention funds to help reduce gang violence in the region, creating a partnership with the Highway Patrol and the Department of Justice. She voted to extend state student aid to undocumented students applying for citizenship. And she took a 10% pay-cut in her Assembly salary to show solidarity with other government workers whose salary was cut due to the budget.
From 2011-2016, Anna served on Governor Brown’s Cabinet as the Secretary of Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. Under her leadership, 65 million dollars were allocated to build housing and provide services for homeless veterans, provide struggling families access to home refinancing assistance, and establish new funding criteria for affordable housing and sustainable communities, including rural communities. As Secretary she was responsible for the largest state civil rights department in the country, the protection of consumer rights through the licensing of over 3 million individuals and businesses in California, and the development and maintenance of affordable housing statewide. When she left the Cabinet to return to the State Assembly, Anna was the highest ranking Latina in the Brown Administration.
Anna Caballero became the first female Mayor of Salinas in 1998. On the City Council, she focused on affordable housing, strengthening the business and commercial opportunities for growth, the redevelopment of downtown, and providing more parks and recreational space for kids and families. When the State raided municipal revenues in the early 2000’s creating a financial crisis for cities, Anna raised $800,000 from the private sector to preserve the Salinas libraries. She subsequently championed a successful municipal ballot measure in Salinas to raise money for essential services during the state budget crisis.
During her tenure as Mayor, Anna founded and directed a private on-profit called Partners for Peace to develop strategies to reduce youth and gang violence. The City of Salinas experienced record low crime rates while Anna was Mayor.
Anna is a successful small business owner. She was a partner in her own firm for over 25 years, before being elected to the State Assembly. She was recognized as the ‘Business Woman of the Year” by the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Anna has been a tireless advocate for children, families, farmers, veterans, workers, the disabled, seniors and teachers. She has been a mentor to many young local leaders and community activists, many of who now serve in elected office in their cities and counties. Her leadership has inspired generations of young leaders to work hard, and help build a strong community for the future.
http://annaforsenate.com