Off To A Great Start

I was honored to be appointed by the Governor to represent Southern Marin on the Board of Supervisors in June, 2011. I have deep roots in Marin County and have called southern Marin “home” for more than 55 years. Since assuming this office, I have devoted all my time and energy to meeting the people I serve, to listening to your concerns and to building a bright future for generations to come. I have worked with my colleagues on the Board to ensure the highest quality of community services. Below are a few key initiatives and accomplishments of the last year.

Fiscally Responsible Government

• Meeting our budget challenges while maintaining our AAA bond rating, among the highest of all 58 counties in California.
• Restructuring government to reduce over $30 million of a projected $50 million budget shortfall.
• Implementing long-range strategies for a balanced and sustainable local economy that supports clean technology, green jobs and Marin-sized solutions.
• Controlling pension costs by introducing new lower-cost pension tiers for new employees, supporting the Governor’s 12 point pension reform program along with necessary changes in state law, and establishing a pension trust fund.

Environmental Stewardship

• Serving as Vice Chair of the Marin Energy Authority, overseeing the Marin Clean Energy program, the first of its kind in California. MEA procures a minimum of 50% renerwable electricity for its customers. This effort alone has reduced Marin’s greenhouse gas emissions by 15,420 tons annually, the equivalent of removing 2,743 cars from the road every year.
• Working closely with County Parks & Open Space, State Parks and the National Park Service to protect and preserve our vital parks and open space resources.
• Collaborating with Richardson Bay Audubon Sanctuary to restore native species and enhance habitat on the Aramburu Island Preserve, located off of Strawberry Point. When completed, the island will provide nesting, resting and foraging for migratory birds as well as our local marine mammals.
• Expanding the Muir Woods Shuttle service, which takes 15,000 cars off local Shoreline Highway during the peak summer tourist season.
• Unveiling three electric vehicle charging stations, two at the Civic Center and one at the Health and Wellness Campus in San Rafael. We are working to create a comprehensive EV system countywide.

Transportation and Infrastructure Improvements

• Improving roadways on Almonte Blvd, Donahue St, Marin Ave and Lomita Ave, and implementing sidewalk repairs, speed calming projects and increasing enforcement along Flamingo Rd and East Strawberry Dr.
• Building bicycle and pedestrian pathways throughout the County, and in nearly every community in Southern Marin, including the Tennessee Valley Multiuse Path connecting Tam Valley with the Mill Valley-Sausalito Multiuse Path, our most popular pathway in the County.
• Adding a local pilot shuttle route 222 from Marin City to Marin General Hospital that stops at Strawberry, Larkspur/Greenbrae, Bon Air and other points in between.
• Remodeling the Marin City Transit Hub at Gateway Shopping Center, delivering a community amenity planned with the help of Marin City residents.
• Leadership on SMART: After receiving $171 million from the sale of construction bonds in December 2011 and the defeat of the Repeal SMART measure, work has begun on the first 37 miles of the planned 70 miles of train, bicycle and pedestrian pathway linking Marin and Sonoma counties. Contracts have been and will continue to be awarded to local and regional construction firms creating 1,000 jobs and keeping money in the local economy.

Supporting Youth

• Bringing Bridge the Gap to Golden Gate Village, expanding its award-winning after school tutoring and college readiness program to the students of the Sausalito Marin City School District.
• Approving the Across Ages Mentoring Program that trains people 55 and older to mentor middle school students.

Better Healthcare Services

• Assisting the Marin City Health and Wellness Clinic in receiving Federally Qualified Health Clinic status bringing significant ongoing funding, making it a first-class community clinic that serves all of southern Marin. The clinic is open five days a week, providing community outreach and education, health care screening, and medical, dental and other health services for both walk-ins and by appointment.

Equity and Housing

• Working with regional agencies to fashion housing policies that assess local need, build support for affordable housing, encourage a variety of housing choices for people of all ages, and help preserve our cherished open space and sensitive habitat and wetlands.
• Completing a thorough and visionary Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing in response to a challenge from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to ensure the diversity of our communities by welcoming all people regardless of race, age, gender, marital status, disability or other protected categories.