There are two candidates on the June 7 ballot for the newly drawn state Assembly District 77, which runs from Carlsbad south through Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, University City, coastal San Diego neighborhoods from La Jolla to Point Loma, and the city of Coronado. Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath, a Democrat, and CEO/financial adviser Dan Downey, a Republican, will automatically advance to a Nov. 8 runoff election. The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board sent each a 13-question survey and is publishing their responses here.
If you have comments or questions about the election or any of the candidates after reading this interview, please email Editorial and Opinion Director Matthew T. Hall at matthew.hall@sduniontribune.com.
Below are Tasha Boerner Horvath’s responses and a link to other responses.
Q: From wildfires to sea level rise, the climate emergency is increasingly affecting California. What immediate steps should California lawmakers be taking to address it?
A: One of my top priorities is addressing catastrophic wildfires and sea level rise. I chair the Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy, and have already held informational hearings to highlight the tragic impact climate change will have on our state. I also successfully championed Assembly Bill 66, which funds research into early warning systems to detect coastal erosion and imminent sea cliff collapse, in the hope that we can save lives and prevent disasters like we experienced in my district. I have also worked to increase investments in our state’s ability to fight wildfires, including money for brush management, firefighter training and equipment, firefighting aircraft and early fire detection systems. There is always more to do, though, especially hardening our energy transmission systems to prevent power lines from starting fires in the first place.
According to the best science available, the wildfires and coastal erosion we are now experiencing are only a preview of what catastrophic climate change could look like in 50 or 100 years. We need to wean ourselves off fossil fuels with renewable energy sources like solar, wind, tidal and hydropower. My current bill, Assembly Bill 2204, will help California move towards our clean energy goals thoughtfully and collaboratively, ensuring not only that we have enough projects in the pipeline to meet California’s sustainable energy needs, but that we also provide opportunities for the skilled workforce from the fossil fuel industry to be part of the millions of new clean energy jobs we will create.
2022 election: Q&A with Dan Downey, California State Assembly District 77 candidate
Dan Downey is one of two candidates running for California State Assembly District 77
Q: The governor’s pleas to reduce water use have been widely met with indifference. What, if anything, should state lawmakers be doing to address drought conditions?
A: Climate change has exacerbated a series of historic droughts for our state, and the only responsible path forward is to treat drought as the new normal. We can hope for rain, but we need to plan for drought. I support additional incentives to help residents replace water-intensive landscaping with sustainable alternatives, but we need to find other ways to conserve as well, including increased investment in water capture, reclamation, groundwater cleanup and storage. Even while we conserve the water we have, I believe California needs to find new sources of water to prepare for the future. I think that solar-powered desalination holds promise, particularly for our region where we have plenty of sun and salt water. The technology for efficient solar desalination is not scalable yet, but I support targeted research and development in this area.
Q: What would you do to address the surging gas prices in California?
A: While real people are being hurt by surging gas prices, oil companies are laughing all the way to the bank. Oil production is being manipulated to lag behind increased demand, and big oil companies are using the war in Ukraine as an excuse to artificially jack up the price at the pump and rip off American consumers.
Of course, knowing these gas hikes are bogus is of little comfort for drivers paying the all too real prices at the pump. That’s why, in the short term, we should be looking at ways to ease the burden on the consumer, including direct rebates to car owners. We should also step up pressure on oil companies to act responsibly and stop gouging drivers.
In the long term, though, California needs to stay focused on building our renewable energy infrastructure and moving towards a clean energy economy. When we make our own energy, we will no longer be dependent on foreign countries or energy sources that fuel climate change. That’s why I’ve authored bills like Assembly Bill 2204 to keep us on track to meet Senate Bill 100 and other clean energy goals. I’m also working on legislation like AB 1738 to help expand our electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and AB 1873, a tax credit that will help fund that expansion.
Q: How do you strike a balance between reducing the state’s dependency on fossil fuels and addressing energy affordability issues, including the high cost of gasoline?
A: I believe that’s a false choice. As California reduces its dependence on fossil fuels by building renewable energy infrastructure, consumers will pay less for gasoline, not more. Californians are about 12 percent of the U.S. population and we use about 9 percent of the total petroleum consumed in the U.S. annually. As we use more renewable energy sources for transportation and industry, there is less demand for fossil fuels like petroleum. Basic economics and common sense tell us that as demand falls, prices should fall as well. Investing in public transportation options that get people out of their cars will help everyone, as will supporting more energy-efficient modes of transportation like e-bikes. That’s why I authored Assembly Bill 117 and fought successfully for the allocation of $10 million towards a means-based voucher program for everyday Californians to purchase an e-bike.
I wrote AB 1738, which will make electric vehicle charging more accessible, particularly for people living in multifamily buildings like apartments, so more Californians can avoid filling up at the pump altogether. I’ve also worked, through legislation like AB 1854, to encourage more businesses to allow work from home.
We have more to do to unshackle workers from the pump and reduce the costs (both environmental and financial) of commuting, but I am committed to making the investments we need to get the job done right.
Q: How would you bring down the high cost of housing, both for homeowners and renters?
A: We need to build more housing of all kinds that is compatible with the character of our existing communities, and that includes apartments, single-family homes, shelter beds, long-term supportive housing and other multifamily housing.
I authored Assembly Bill 803, a new law already in use to facilitate the development of smaller, affordable-by-design, single-family homes on mid-range density multifamily lots.
The law was designed to help boost the supply of starter homes for first-time homebuyers while respecting the unique character of the surrounding neighborhoods.
We also need measures discouraging displacement of lower income communities and the overuse of homeowner associations — another financial barrier to homeownership.
I remain committed to supporting creative solutions and significant investments that give communities throughout the state of California a variety of options to tackle this housing crisis and help to make keeping a roof over our heads more affordable.
Q: Homelessness is growing dramatically across the state. How would you address it?
A: We need an “all of the above” approach to homelessness because the current crisis was created by a vortex of previous policy failures in California. Our policies on housing, mental health, development, healthcare, opioids, criminal justice, veterans and domestic violence all play a role in homelessness. We have years of work to fix these policies, but the first order of business must be getting people off the street and into appropriate care fast. I continue to support more resources and policies that deliver temporary shelters to house people quickly and then transition them into long-term housing. This has to include appropriate wraparound services on-site so that people have the support they need to avoid falling back into homelessness. That’s why I worked to secure $1 million in state funding for homelessness intervention and prevention locally, to support programs that break the cycle of homelessness before it starts.
I also worked with local leaders and successfully fought the closing of Tri-City Medical Center’s emergency psychiatric beds, which would have left North County residents without access to emergency mental health care. We need more facilities dedicated to treating mental health, incentives to ensure an adequate supply of trained mental health professionals, and health care coverage that does not short-change mental health services.
Q: What, if anything, should the state do to make mass transit a viable option for commuters?
A: The way to make mass transit a viable option for commuters is to keep the focus on functionality. I am a big believer in a transportation system that works for everyone and that includes cars, bikes, pedestrians and public transit. That’s why I introduced Assembly Bill 2620 to create a pilot shuttle system to connect people and kids to the businesses, schools and other places they need to go. It’s also why I’ve pushed for funding to help trench the tracks from Oceanside to the Mid-Coast Trolley.
It takes about 20 minutes to drive from La Jolla to the airport, but it takes about an hour to get there by bus, which is about as long as it takes to ride a bike there. By adding more express bus routes, bike routes, dedicated bus lanes and light rail options, we can make commuting faster for everyone, drivers included. I believe investments in infrastructure and public transit connecting North County to Central and South San Diego County, as well as creating better connections between inland and coastal communities, are essential to the region’s continued economic growth. It is also critical that we are proactive about making regular maintenance a part of our infrastructure planning, so we get the most out of our investment of tax dollars and stop kicking the can down the road.
Q: How will you balance public health with economic and educational concerns going forward in this pandemic or the next one? What specific steps and strategies, from lockdowns to mask mandates, would you recommend or rule out if there is a new surge in deaths and hospitalizations?
A: With about 220 million Americans fully vaccinated, including 83 percent of eligible San Diego County residents, we’ve already seen the impact that free, widely available vaccinations can have against COVID-19. Whether we’re talking about this pandemic or the next one, we have built up a host of other tools that we know work, including testing, masking and social distancing.
I was proud to champion measures that allowed local businesses to adapt to the changing conditions during the pandemic, including my bill Assembly Bill 1731, which streamlined the state’s Work Sharing program to make it easier and faster for employers to get the assistance they needed to retain employees during the pandemic. I have sought, and will continue to seek out, policies and programs that help our local businesses, schools and other integral community organizations more easily flex with the changing conditions we now know can come in the wake of a pandemic.
At the end of the day, our best results came with an engaged community, working collaboratively to follow public health guidelines informed by the science around the virus. That kind of collaboration is what allowed my office, working with the city of Vista, the Vista Unified School District and the county of San Diego, to help fast-track a much needed testing center in that community at the height of the pandemic.
Q: California has the strictest gun laws in the nation yet has had some of the nation’s worst mass shootings this year. What more, if anything, should be done to reduce gun violence in California?
A: I believe we need to invest more time and resources into better enforcement of our gun laws to keep firearms out of the hands of people who have a demonstrated history of violence or pose a threat to themselves or others. While our state has red flag laws, they are not universally enforced, and there are thousands of Californians currently in possession of firearms they should not legally be able to own. We also need to look at cracking down on the proliferation of ghost guns and gun modification kits that allow people to build untraceable, homemade firearms or illegally modify their weapons. There is always more we can do to make it harder for weapons to get into the hands of people who should not have them. I was a proud co-author of Assembly Bill 893, which made firearm sales at Del Mar Fairgrounds a thing of the past, and there is currently legislation pending in the state Senate (Senate Bill 915) that would do the same thing for all other state fairgrounds throughout California.
Q: California has adopted a number of criminal justice reforms in recent years. What would you change and why to ensure justice is equitable and effective?
A: Our criminal justice system has inadequate resources and programs for rehabilitation. For too long, we have moved backwards, as decades of cost-cutting measures have stripped out our rehabilitation programs from prisons. We cannot spend millions of dollars incarcerating someone for years only to send them out unprepared and unsupported once they’ve completed their sentence. It is a recipe for failure. I believe that spending money on rehabilitation is a good investment — if we can reduce recidivism, we’ll protect people, save lives and also save money in the long run. The vast majority of currently incarcerated people will be released at some point to return to life outside of prison, and rehabilitation is the best tool we have for ensuring that they lead productive, healthy lives on the outside.
Q: What single change would you make to improve California’s K-12 public school systems?
A: As a parent of two children and a PTA mom, I have spent my time in the Legislature working to secure the resources to set this next generation up for success. Obviously, the pandemic presented serious challenges that we have been working to come back from. That said, I have been glad to support major investments in things like universal prekindergarten and transitional kindergarten throughout our state over the last couple years. I would also look to expand after-school programs and childcare availability on our K-12 campuses. Evidence shows that children who can participate in high-quality after-school programs do better than their peers. These programs are especially important for students who would not otherwise be supervised at home. The extra hours of learning and engagement are helpful for a child’s development, and they also can allow working parents time to get to school to pick their kids up.
Q: Should taxes in California be increased? If so, which ones?
A: Taxation should be seen as a tool, not the goal. The people of California have been pretty generous over the years, repeatedly voting at the state and local level to raise taxes to fund schools, road repairs, transportation infrastructure, hospitals and homelessness prevention. For that reason, my first thought when evaluating a proposed tax increase is to make sure we are making the best use of the tax revenue we are already generating before asking for more. It’s why I’ve been honored to serve as a member of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee since 2019, where we have the ability to seek out answers to questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of government programs and policies.
Q: What is the most important issue we have not raised and why?
A: The overall cost of living for everyday Californians is growing, especially here in San Diego County. An 8.5 percent inflation rate driven by artificially high fuel prices and lingering supply shocks from the pandemic are only driving that cost of living higher. We need to be looking at ways to provide more relief for struggling families, and that includes not adding to the problem. That’s why when I saw the spike in my energy bill earlier this year and learned that San Diego County had some of the highest energy costs in the nation, I demanded to know why. I am authoring an independent audit request through the Joint Legislative Audit Committee that will focus on San Diego Gas & Electric and the California Public Utilities Commission to learn exactly why rates are spiraling out of control.
Get Weekend Opinion on Sunday mornings
Editorials, Commentary, Reader Reaction and a touch of Steve Breen delivered every Sunday.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
2022 election: Q&A with Chris Ward, California State Assembly District 78 candidate
Endorsement: Flemming, Kanter, Murray and Lawson for San Diego County Superior Court judge
Chula Vista mayoral candidates clash on trash strike, policing, equity and development
District 2 City Council candidates clash on housing, building and communications in forum
Opinion: Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis discusses changing role of her office as she seeks re-election
2022 election: Q&A with Brian Maienschein, California State Assembly District 76 candidate
Opinion: Anza-Borrego’s bighorn sheep need our help as drought, development threaten
No effort should be spared in providing water for desert bighorn protection.
Meet the candidates for California State Assembly District 77
Dan Downey and Tasha Boerner Horvath are running for California State Assembly District 77
Opinion: Police officer’s killer should not be allowed to go free
Parole ordered for killer of SDPD Officer Archie Buggs
Meet the candidates for California State Assembly District 76
June Cutter and Brian Maienschein are running for California State Assembly District 76
Endorsement: Nathan Fletcher for San Diego County supervisor, District 4
The chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors deserves to be re-elected.
2022 election: Q&A with June Cutter, California State Assembly District 76 candidate
June Cutter is one of two candidates running for California State Assembly District 76
Get Weekend Opinion on Sunday mornings
Editorials, Commentary, Reader Reaction and a touch of Steve Breen delivered every Sunday.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
2022 election: Q&A with Jonathan Peck, candidate for San Diego County Sheriff
2022 election: Q&A with Michael Flemming, candidate for Superior Court Judge, Office 35
2022 election: Q&A with Chris Lawson, candidate for Superior Court Judge, Office 36
Commentary: It’s time to end United States police training in Israel
Chula Vista mayoral candidates clash on trash strike, policing, equity and development
Privacy Policy Terms of Service Sign Up For Our Newsletters