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: Kate Sanchez
Current Job Title: State Assemblymember
Political Party Affiliation: Republican
Incumbent: Yes
Other political positions held: None
City where you reside: Rancho Santa Margarita
Campaign website or social media: www.sanchezforassembly.com
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?
I wish the governor would focus on Californians instead of engaging in political theater abroad. We have tremendous challenges facing us here, some of which certainly do stem from international actors. The state needs to aid in securing our southern border, crack down on international crime networks and cartels that funnel fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into our communities and help ensure that our crucial ports and supply chains are fully staffed and functioning. By taking proactive steps like these, California can improve public safety, help address the fentanyl crisis destroying families and adding to our homelessness crisis and help ensure general economic stability.
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?
California’s elections are mismanaged and drawn out. We see it every two years when it takes a month to know whether a candidate was elected. Ever-changing rules from Sacramento Democrats have made it harder for our county elections officials to process ballots in a timely fashion. We need to standardize timelines and processes for voting and clean up our bloated voter rolls of deceased and moved voters. My bill, AB 1688, would have given our election officials more tools to remove deceased voters from their voter lists — improving the efficient allocation of taxpayer resources and removing the likelihood of fraud. The bill passed the Assembly but was held by Senate Democrats. I’m committed to instilling integrity and fairness into our elections so that voters can have more faith in our electoral process.
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.
I’ve said it many times before, both in Sacramento and to my constituents: Sacramento does not have a revenue problem; it has a spending one. With one party, Democratic rule, there is little to no accountability for how the state’s massive budget is spent. And what are the outcomes of Sacramento Democrats’ unchecked spending spree? Our homeless population has increased almost 10% despite spending over $20 billion to “solve it.” During the pandemic, over $30 billion in taxpayer funds were fraudulently distributed by state officials as unemployment benefits. The over-budget high-speed rail sits uncompleted over 10 years after it was started and will likely only serve as a commuter line between Bakersfield and Merced. We need to instill accountability metrics back into our budgets, fund projects we know actually work instead of shiny new objects and cut worthless projects that drain our state reserves.
Speaking of the budget, what are your top three budget priorities?
Simply put, the state needs to get back to basics. We need to ensure accountable spending in education, in public safety and reduce tax and regulatory burdens on small businesses and individuals where we can.
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 was a proud co-author of that measure, SB 14, which will increase penalties for child sex trafficking. My Republican colleagues and I demanded that that bill be set for a hearing and passed. When it wasn’t, we took our case to the public, held multiple press conferences with survivors of sex trafficking and the public responded. Sacramento Democrats need more reality checks like this. We need to repeal Prop 47, Prop 57 and AB 109; fully fund law enforcement; and recenter conversations of criminal justice around crime victims and a public safety first mentality.
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?
A large part of our homeless crisis is fueled by mental health and substance abuse issues. The housing first policies Sacramento has presented have failed to yield results because they don’t fundamentally address these underlying issues. We need tough love. There are people dying on our streets who can no longer take care of themselves and need state intervention to ensure treatment for their underlying health issues. We cannot expect them to exit the cycle of homelessness unless they can end their drug dependence or address their mental health issues.
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?
As the daughter of a registered nurse, I understand just how hardworking our healthcare workers are. They are an integral part of our community and deserve a fair wage. I don’t believe the state should pick winners and losers and dictate what an entire industry should pay. Doing so creates unretrievable costs for small and local businesses that unfortunately prompt layoffs or automation.
What is one environment or climate policy you’d champion if elected?
We need to ensure that our forests and wildlands are subject to fuel reduction and proper management practices. For too long, California policies prioritized preservation over natural vegetation management. The buildup of biofuels in our forests and wildlands has contributed to massive wildfires that have taken lives, homes and communities. I’m supportive of policies that would streamline these essential fuel reduction projects so we can reduce the threat of these potential wildfires.
What is one capital improvement project you’d like to see financed and completed in your district?
One of the priorities I’d like to see fully funded is the construction of the I-215 Keller Interchange in Murrieta, which will help emergency vehicles and patients quickly access the Loma Linda University Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente medical offices. With medical emergencies, time is of the essence, and the I-215 Keller Interchange is a straightforward investment that will help save lives.
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?
CARE courts is a pilot program that will only serve a limited population in some counties. Should it prove to be an effective way of delivering services, I’d like to see it expanded to other counties. Until then, I believe it’s important for the state to invest in adult residential facilities for the elderly and ensure that local centers have enough beds for our veterans who are most at risk for ending up on the streets if their conditions go untreated.
Describe your political philosophy in 10 words or less.
Restore efficiency and accountability to our state government.
What is your go-to campaign trail snack or drink?
Red Vines or trail mix.
