2020 election: Q&A with Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, candidate for California’s 77th District

The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board recently emailed a series of questions to Brian Maienschein, D-San Diego, who is running for California’s 77th Assembly District against June Cutter, R-San Diego. Here are the questions and responses.

What more can be done to limit the financial and environmental damage of climate change and wildfires especially?

I led the recovery efforts for the 2003 Cedar Fire and the 2007 Witch Creek Fire and will not forget the faces of families who lost everything. I never want to see our community experience that again. To that end, I supported legislation to hold utility companies accountable for modernizing their infrastructure and reducing fire risk. We need to make sure fire departments have the resources they need to battle fires when they start. And we need to get serious about climate change. We must stop denying that climate change is real. The evidence is around us every day.

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I am proud to have an A rating from the Sierra Club for my record of supporting policies that combat climate change including bills that would fight back against federal rollbacks of California’s hard fought environmental policies. I supported taking the Trump Administration to court to preserve California’s clean air laws. I have stood up to the oil industry to pass legislation that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and I authored legislation to get more money for recycling centers. These are not two separate conversations. We must talk about combating climate change as a part of preventing wildfires otherwise we will continue to experience crises like the ones we are seeing now.

Read our Q&A with the other candidate in this race below:

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2020 election: Q&A with June Cutter, candidate for California’s 77th Assembly District

June Cutter is running for California’s 77th Assembly District.

Sept. 25, 2020

Has the pandemic and so many people working from home made you rethink housing and transportation policies? If so, how?

The lack of affordable housing has always been a challenge in California and the pandemic has only put a spotlight on these problems. That is why throughout my career I have supported legislation to make funding available to local governments to invest in affordable housing. I support comprehensive transportation policies which include equitable access to mass transit, electric vehicle infrastructure and improvements to streets and highways.

What specific policy changes do you support after months of racial justice protests to improve law enforcement practices or racial equity?

I was appalled by the senseless murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and too many others. I know that the vast majority of law enforcement officers are good people who only want to protect and serve our communities. However, it is clear that policies and procedures need to change. In the Assembly, I have supported legislation to change the standards for when officers use lethal force; to require a state prosecutor to investigate officer use of force complaints; and to eliminate racial disparities in the criminal justice system that disproportionately impact persons of color. In addition to policing policies, we must also address the systemic issues that drive inequality such as pay disparities and barriers to education, employment and home ownership. As a member of the Assembly Human Services Committee I have authored and supported legislation to expand social safety net programs that help to bridge some of these gaps. But more work needs to be done to truly address the issues that are at the root of inequality.

What more should the state be doing to improve student distance learning and public education overall?

I have two school-aged daughters and I empathize with every parent who is trying to figure this out. I supported sending emergency funding to school districts to help with distance learning. Education has always been a priority for me. I have supported increasing funding to local school districts, maintaining local control and preserving school choice.

Should taxes in California be increased? If so, which ones?

I do not support tax increases.

What is the most important issue we have not raised and why?

Mental health is an issue that is too often overlooked and is of critical importance, especially now as we all face a global pandemic. In the Assembly I have been a champion of addressing mental health care needs, especially maternal mental health. One in five women will develop a mental health disorder during or after pregnancy. Unfortunately far too many women are being misdiagnosed or not receiving appropriate care. I am proud to have authored legislation that would require treating OBGYNs to screen mothers for post-partum depression and other mental health disorders at least once before birth and once after birth. I have authored laws that provide doctors with more training on how to identify and treat disorders. Recognizing that mental health issues are a significant driver of homelessness, I have advocated for policies that invest in supportive housing. As San Diego’s Commissioner on Homelessness, I created Project 25, which identified several of the county’s most vulnerable chronically homeless individuals who were costing the county millions of dollars in hospital visits and other resources. We were able to get them into supportive housing and the necessary resources. The project saved millions of dollars in its first year. We need to end the stigma surrounding mental health and continue to raise awareness of how successful programs can be when they are adequately funded.