Lydia Kou

Taxes / Budget We are tired of constantly dumping more and more tax dollars into solutions that seem to yield very little – if any – results. It’s time for Sacramento politicians tighten their belts and get smart about spending. Drug Policy Ensuring public safety is one of the core responsibilities of our elected leaders. And in many circumstances, we work to keep our communities safe and be compassionate at the same time. For example, if someone who is living on our street is suffering from substance abuse or mental health issues, and is a danger to themselves or others, we should – with a court order, adequate protections and a review process – mandate that they enter treatment for 90 days. That is certainly more humane. Drug Policy We need both long-term and short-term solutions. Short-term we need to look at navigation centers and proven mental health treatment programs that include full drug treatment and help keep participants clean and off the streets. Criminal Justice / Public Safety Our public safety policies should be data-driven – and researchers have found that many times people resort to letting their loved ones go through the criminal justice system in order to obtain the psychiatric and substance abuse care that they need. We need to get straight to the point – and get people the care they need to start to turn their lives around – which would in turn free up precious resources so the police can continue focusing on going after career criminals, who, in many circumstances, are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime. Housing Long-term we need to focus on building housing people can afford where it makes sense. We’ll continue to see people back on the streets without supportive services for those who experience chronic homelessness. By helping our neighbors into shelter and providing them with job training and placement, mental health support, and other services, we can help them take their lives back. Secondly, build more affordable housing. It’s that simple. In the State Assembly I’ll work with local communities to build more, and more affordable housing. And I’ll make sure it’s next to existing transit so we don’t increase traffic.