Newly elected Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry sat down with Leanna Sweha of the Davis Vanguard for an interview on a variety of topics. The former Mayor of Winters discussed a variety of issues of interest to Vanguard readers ranging from the $15 minimum wage to farm worker OT, to environmental laws, education and pensions.
As a small business owner, you have expressed concern over the impact of the $15 per hour minimum wage law. You state that the law should have taken into account regional economic differences. What would you have proposed?
Take for instance the small crafts business in Lake County that told me straight out they will not be able to afford a single employee once the full wage law goes into effect. Many businesses are only adding part-time employees now as it is to avoid benefit costs.
I’m not sure that the legislators who crafted the law really considered all of the costs of running a business – workers’ comp, regulatory costs, for example. And most members come from the bay area and SoCal, where yes the cost of living is higher, but also customers are better able to absorb price increases than in Lake County. So perhaps we could have phased in the increases regionally.
Do you have similar concerns about the new farm labor overtime law?
Most farmers want to pay their employees well. On our 80-acre walnut farm, we view our employee as family. The problem again is the failure to consider all the costs of farming. As a farmer I get it. At a recent ag event, some farm workers spoke about how they were afraid their incomes would decrease because farmers may simply cut hours to avoid overtime. Perhaps we could have considered easing some of the regulatory burdens on agriculture in exchange for extending the overtime law.
Are there other state regulations impacting agriculture and small business that you think need revisiting?
Yes, Air Resources Board and pesticide regulations. I’ve already been approached by the grape and olive producers on these issues. I want to meet with farmers to better understand what is and what is not working. I’m also concerned about the impact of proposed methane and ammonia regulations on dairies that have already caused some smaller dairies to close.
With the democrats holding a supermajority in both houses, an increase in the gas tax seems all but certain – What would you support?
I am developing my position on this issue and will be speaking with the author of one proposal, Assembly Member Jim Frazier. Right now, everyone is wondering if with President-elect Trump’s talk of a large infrastructure plan will materialize – if so, there may be great opportunities to get more “bang for the buck” out of state funds.
I will always ask on every proposed tax measure, how will it affect rural business and seniors?
Also, it’s important to be at the table when a pot of money becomes available – it’s harder for smaller cities to get a hold of this kind of money because of small staff and time constraints.
In addition, CalTrans must change – we need to better understand why there are so many cost overruns and time delays. For example, why did a stoplight cost $1million to install in downtown Winters? I understand there’s also lots of turnover and some district offices are run better than others. Maybe we need another state audit.
You have stated that you support new storage projects like Sites Reservoir, but that you do not support CalFix (the Delta Tunnels plan). We know that action needs to be taken to protect the delta and to ensure water supply. What do you support?
Fixing the water supply problem goes back to education and outreach. For example, when I worked on the Freeport Regional Water Project, a $1 billion plan, we had extensive public outreach resulting in almost 100 percent support for the project.
Some of my new colleagues have identified me as a water expert, so I am taking advantage of this by organizing “Water 101” lunches for my colleagues at which groups like the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) will participate and where we will discuss issues affecting regions and industries.
I think this will help us to fully understand the issues. I know I will better understand Southern California’s water needs and then be better able to advocate for a particular alternative to the tunnels. Congressman Garamendi has an alternative plan that is an option. I would also look at the Endangered Species Act to make sure it is working in a way that is reasonable and fair.
You have stated that we need to once again make California’s public education system the envy of the nation. Aside from improved broadband technology for schools, which you have been heavily involved with, what else would you support?
The California Constitution guarantees a public education for all children, but not every kid fits in the same box.
I support more vocational education. The world has changed – there are many jobs for which a four degree is not needed, and there are frankly some people who should not be in a four year program. This would include workforce development programs with community colleges and internships.
On the other hand we need to make a four year degree more accessible for those who want to pursue it. For example, Solano Community College will soon begin to offer four year degree programs. Public charter schools are another option.
The City of Davis just learned that its pension liability will likely grow by almost $5 million per year more compared to previous projections. This does not even take into account the increases coming due to CalPERS decreasing its investment earnings rate. What are your thoughts on this issue?
I’ve had my eye on unfunded pension liability in Winters for six years. As a council member,I would ask other council members why the item was not on the official ledgers. Then the accounting rules changed and it appeared and got more attention. In Winters, we reduced pension costs through cutting salaries and reducing new hires. Yes, we still have pension liability, but we worked hard and city staff sacrificed.
I was advised to not talk about unfunded pension liability on the campaign, but I decided that someone needs to be a watchdog on this issue, so I did bring it up. People seemed to think this made me a conservative, but what I am is a realist. There is a real need for reform, but we also need to keep the promises made as we reform the system.
Wow. She speaks about the unintended consequences of feel-good laws.
Listen.
Such as:
• The businesses often most hurt are small businesses, that we should be encouraging
• Minimum wage means some jobs will disappear.
• Small businesses will be the ones least able to hire.
Reality. What a concept.
Alan
Nothing is free in political nice guys game .
The other reality is dropping wages, increasing income inequality, and struggling working class. The $15 minimum wage move arose out of that, but it’s probably similar to the Bernie and Trump movements as well (more generically speaking).
David
Working class struggle not because of the minimum wage but because of no jobs . I would not mind to go work for 15 dollars per hour if I would find job at my age in are where I live . It is more than my Social Security I was forced to take at age of 62. Are you going to give yourself pay raise up to minimum $ 15.00 /hr.
The Vanguard is going to pay the Vanguard employees more money as the rates go up. We have to follow the law. A law I support.
Working class people have struggled not just because of disappearing jobs, but because the jobs they get now pay less than the ones they lost. That’s going to be a key issue to watch – there have been big announcements of jobs staying here – great – but those jobs will pay less with fewer benefits than before. Is minimum wage the only answer? No. But it could be part of it.
David
We will just pay 10 or 12 dollars for hamburger and fruits and vegetables will became a luxury products .. Nothing is free . I am not against $ 15 minimum wage
Interesting interview. She sounds like the kind of centrist legislators the Valley used to produce, sometimes Democratic and sometimes Republican. More pro-ag and pro-business than their coastal counterparts would have liked in the Democratic party, but also somewhat to the left on environmental and tax issues. We’ll see if that plays well in this district over the long run. Certainly being friendly with the wine grape and ag industries will help finance future campaigns.
I would say Davis has lost influence in this district both at the assembly and senate levels.
I met with some of the consultants from the campaigns, and they showed how this was really a centrist district and it would always be hard for a liberal Davis Democrat to win. It’s still a Democratic seat because of registration, but there is a difference between liberal Davis Democrats and more centrist valley Democrats.
The fact that we keep having two viable Davis progressives in the primary doesnt help either. I dont think its as bad as some people think.
But look at the senate, Mariko Yamada got passed the primary there but was no match for the more moderate candidate.
Aguiar-Curry: The California Constitution guarantees a public education for all children, but not every kid fits in the same box.
I support more vocational education. The world has changed – there are many jobs for which a four degree is not needed, and there are frankly some people who should not be in a four year program. This would include workforce development programs with community colleges and internships.
On the other hand we need to make a four year degree more accessible for those who want to pursue it. For example, Solano Community College will soon begin to offer four year degree programs. Public charter schools are another option.
It looks like she’s showing deference to her big donors from EdVoice in voicing specific mention of charter schools. But no specifics on policy there.
Increased pre-school access to lower income families/communities would be an even better longterm investment.
In fairness, that statement is pretty similar to what she told me last fall (2015) when she announced her run.
…and also in fairness I should acknowledge that they were not direct donors, but independent expenditures.
But the issue of charter schools, in particular those that are privately run, is not so controversial a topic for her, because the issue hasn’t affected her (our) assembly district as much as it has affected lower income urban districts.
Ill say this for Cecilia, she is consistent, and honest. When I spoke with her about a laundry list of issues before the primary in 2015, I asked her about some of these issues, and her answers were the same as the ones she gave Leanna. Obviously I do not agree with her reasoning, but I do think she does genuinely care about low income people, and her record in Winters shows that. She looks at these issues the way a CEO would, for better or for worse, because that is the world she comes from.
With that said, I think she will fit somewhere in the “Mod” or “ValleyCrat” world, although I dont think its fair to group them all together. I think shes going to have a pretty strong voting record on environmental issues, a center position on labor issues, particularly right on Public Charter Schools (gross). I say all this because the “Mods” are not some cohesive caucus on issues, and represent a variety of opinions on all kinds of different issues. Some are good on labor issues and not so good on the environment, while with others its the opposite.
I will say one other point of strength for Cecelia besides her consistency and honesty. In several conversations that we had she demonstrated a willingness to listen and comment thoughtfully on ideas differing from her own. While I do not see this as resulting in the kind of liberalism that I would favor, I do believe that she has the ability to listen and consider with respect which I consider crucial to a constructive approach to governance.
I definitely felt that way too Tia. I was part of a labor panel that interviewed her during the endorsement process, (a process I found to be tremendously unfair to her) and I thought a follow up conversation was in order. She really was a good listener, and while I vehemently disagree with her on many issues of labor and poverty, I think she will be a good representative for our district. I particularly like that she wants to pay attention to cleaning up Clear Lake, and bring broadband to rural communities as a way to spur economic development in those economically depressed areas. I am surprised Leanna or Cecilia did not bring that up. I think thats a winning issue for her.
The lack of internet connectivity was an issue she was well aware from Winters. It’s a good point, I go to a lot of small towns when I travel to do photography and in a lot of places you can’t get a cell signal let alone connect to the internet. That’s can’t be good for those locations.
Theres a good 45 minutes of drive time between here and Clear Lake where there is no cell reception and there is no good internet. I think access to high speed internet is essential to education. How the hell are people supposed to innovate or expand their economies if they dont have the basic infrastructure to make that happen?
You are suggesting good cell and internet service where there is limited population? Assistance for small towns I understand, but along a rural highway?
I drive Highway 16 a lot and often drive through Clear Lake, I’m always concerned what happens if the car breaks down or there is an emergency.
Last week I was in the little town of Coloma in Gold County, couldn’t get any cell signal. It’s not a big town, but it is a town.
Well, it was more of a statement of how far the infrastructure needs to go. The fact that there isnt cell service out there for 45 minutes has got to be detrimental to potential economic growth, same as the pollution in Clear Lake, same as the lack of high speed internet.
I don’t see it that way. There just isn’t any return on the dollar for investment with so little population.
On the other hand, maybe it’s your provider. I experience the same signal loss, but I don’t care much. I have friends who get signals in the middle of freaking nowhere with other carriers.
Well, Alan its kind of a nasty cycle right? Inadequate infrastructure in an economically depressed area (Lake County is literally the poorest County in the state) prevents economic investment, which keeps poverty high, which makes life difficult for government revenues, which makes investment in infrastructure difficult etc etc etc.