Ahead of the March primary, The Orange County Register compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide
Name: Diane Dixon
Current Job Title: State Assemblymember
Political Party Affiliation: Republican
Incumbent: Yes
Other political positions held: Former Newport Beach City Councilmember and mayor
City where you reside: Newport Beach
Campaign website or social media: Website: www.dianedixonforassembly.com; Instagram: @Diane_Dixon_
Gov. Newsom has been front and center lately in global affairs, from a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping discussing climate action to a trip to Israel where he met with victims of the Hamas attack. Aside from the governor’s trips, what do you see as the role California should play when it comes to foreign affairs?
California is the fifth largest economy in the world. While I do believe international relations should be handled at the federal level, in extreme circumstances as well as international conflict, constituents should know where their representatives stand.
I immediately condemned the Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7 and co-authored Assembly Concurrent Resolution 119. This resolution calls for the release of all hostages as well as condemnation for Hamas’ theft of relief supplies intended for Gazan civilians among many other atrocities.
There have been recent efforts at the local level to change voting requirements — from a proposed voter ID requirement in Huntington Beach to an effort to open up voting to noncitizens in Santa Ana. What changes, if any, should be made to California’s voting laws?
Voting is a right for all American citizens, and while guaranteeing that every vote is counted accurately should be our top priority, we must ensure that the right to be heard is not encroached upon for any voter. Every voter should be able to verify their identity simply to limit any potential fraud and restore faith in our system.
The latest state budget projections show California’s deficit has swelled to a record $68 billion, leading to calls for spending cuts. Give us two specific ways California could address the deficit.
Sacramento politicians have created a bloated government with excess spending, and taxpayers have little to show for it. We must take swift action to address the $68 billion budget shortfall. Let’s start by ending taxpayer-provided healthcare for illegal immigrants which will only encourage more illegal immigration and exacerbate this financial burden.
Our state agencies brag about spending $9.8 billion on a failed high-speed rail project and hundreds of millions of dollars converting the San Quentin Correctional Facility into a resort for criminals. As a member of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, I see almost every bill that has a cost associated with it. On some of these bills, I simply ask my Democratic colleagues where the funding will come from. After telling me they aren’t sure, they still vote in favor of the bill.
Speaking of the budget, what are your top three budget priorities?
Simply put, we need to reel back frivolous spending, and we need to do it now. That is priority No. 1.
Second, we should be focused on eliminating fraud that has impacted state programs like EDD.
Finally, we should consider zero-based budgeting, and every program should justify its need and effectiveness. Overall, the legislature needs to do a better job of prioritizing the dollars we do have to ensure taxpayers get the most bang for their buck. Unfortunately, California has become unaffordable for middle-income residents. We have the fourth-highest income taxes and the highest gas taxes in the country. These taxes and regulations are driving businesses and their jobs out of California. There is much work to be done.
The legislature garnered national headlines when an effort to increase penalties for child sex trafficking initially stalled. How would you, in the legislature, balance criminal justice reform with public safety concerns?
I am married to a 40-year career major crimes prosecutor; public safety is a dinner table conversation. Our lawmakers need to stay focused on victims. When my colleagues in Sacramento didn’t want to increase penalties for child sex traffickers, I was proud to be one of the few to spotlight their pro-criminal policies, and as a proud coauthor, helped pass SB 14.
Legislators need to focus on helping victims of crime, not harming them further. For example, in a reverse situation last year, my colleagues introduced SB 94 which would allow for the early release of the worst of the worst criminals sentenced to life without parole. My fellow Republicans and I were prepared to share victims’ stories to shine a spotlight on how these convicted murderers and rapists could be released into our communities if this legislation was passed. At the last minute, Democrats caved and the bill was pulled from a vote. Policies like this come year after year; this one included. We need to let victims’ families as well as all voters know that their voice matters in opposition to criminal-friendly legislation. We all need to be an activist to keep our communities safe.
Homelessness continues to be a concern for Californians. While there is no simple solution, what is one proposal you have that could reduce homelessness in our communities?
Homelessness is not an issue that the state government can afford to continue burning money with little to no results. More than $20 billion has been spent in the last four years while the problem has become much worse with nearly 50% of the nation’s homeless population living in California. Homelessness has always been an issue handled most effectively at the local and regional levels. In Orange County, sadly, the fastest-growing homeless population is our seniors. I have long been a supporter of increasing affordable senior housing opportunities in my district.
The governor recently signed a law that set a first-in-the-nation minimum wage standard for healthcare workers. Should minimum wage standards vary by industry? Why or why not?
While I do not support government-mandated minimum wages, they certainly should not vary by industry. SB 525 is one of the most costly laws the state has seen in decades. After signing the bill, the governor’s administration projected this wage hike would cost private healthcare providers approximately $4 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year alone. In California, the public healthcare provider costs are an additional $4 billion.
In addition, hospitals that cannot afford to include these higher wages in their razor-thin margins are anticipated to outsource work to people outside of California. We cannot afford to lose these jobs, especially in rural communities that would be the hardest hit, and hospital closures are now becoming real. Over the next year, you will start to see everything increase in cost — driven by the ripple effect of higher wages throughout the workforce. At a time when high inflation is already impacting the average Californian with high food costs and high fuel costs, these wage increases will ultimately be passed to the consumer in the form of higher prices.
What is one environment or climate policy you’d champion if elected?
I represent more than 30 miles of Orange County’s beautiful 42-mile coastline. These coastal cities attract approximately 30 million tourists each year and support our local economies. There is much to be done to protect our beautiful beaches and our economies.
Seal Beach began a long overdue sand replenishment project in December to combat our coastal erosion. In the 2023 budget, I brought in nearly $3 million in state funding for beach protection and accessibility. Part of this funding helped complete the Newport Beach Trash Wheel, a project I started as a councilmember in Newport Beach which will prevent garbage from entering the Pacific Ocean.
In 2024 and beyond, I plan to bring the same technology to Seal Beach where the San Gabriel River collects garbage from 19 inland cities and dumps that waste into Seal Beach. I will also be introducing a coastal package this legislative cycle with the intention of cleaning our beaches and oceans.
What is one capital improvement project you’d like to see financed and completed in your district?
I regularly meet with the elected officials and city staff in each of the eight cities I represent to discuss what I can be doing to help them. Many of the cities have great community projects that I am working to help fund. A key project that would have a significant impact would be a community center in a low-income and English-as-a-second language region of Lake Forest. Built near the 5 Freeway, this community center would benefit residents from Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods and Aliso Viejo.
The state recently began rolling out the CARE Court program in some counties, the state-funded effort that allows first responders, family and other designated people to petition a court to have someone with untreated severe psychotic disorders receive treatment and services. What other ways can the state prioritize mental health care for its residents, including those with less severe disorders?
I led the charge on an audit of the Department of Health Care Services because we need to know what works and what doesn’t. This audit should be completed this year and my colleagues and I plan to use this information to identify and streamline operations that waste taxpayer dollars and promote the programs that help people recover and get the treatment they need.
Describe your political philosophy in 10 words or less.
Fiscally responsible conservative working to make Californians’ lives affordable.
What is your go-to campaign trail snack or drink?
Whether I am running between committee meetings in Sacramento or district events in Orange County, I can’t live without my protein bars.
