JOSH HOOVER

I oppose the soft-on-crime policies coming out of the State Capitol that have made our neighborhoods less safe. It is past time to restore accountability in our criminal justice system by reforming laws that have led to rampant retail theft and the early release of dangerous  criminals. During my time in the Legislature, I have supported law enforcement, advocated for more school police officers, and introduced Ryla’s Law to close loopholes that let child abusers out of jail early.

That is why I am the only candidate endorsed by every major law enforcement organization including the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), California Police Chiefs Association, California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA), Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs Association, Folsom Police Officers Association, and the Sacramento Police Officers Association.

Over the past two years the politicians in Sacramento went on a spending binge and turned a $100 billion budget surplus into a $50 billion budget deficit. Now, some state leaders have proposed tax increases to make up for their own fiscal mismanagement. I will continue fighting back against these efforts by pushing to reduce spending, cut waste and fraud in state government, and lower taxes.

California’s highest-in-the-nation gas taxes are increasing the price of everything we buy. I have advocated for an end to our state’s never-ending gas tax increases that go up every year and make life more expensive for hard working Californians. I have also fought back against burdensome energy mandates that take away choices and increase costs for consumers. For these reasons, I am proud to be the only candidate endorsed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

As a former school board member, I led the fight in my community to reopen schools during the pandemic and my district was the first in Sacramento County to bring kids back for in-person instruction. As a father of three kids in public schools, I believe that we can fix our education system and better serve California families by putting students first, empowering parents, providing school choice, and restoring local control. I will continue to be a voice for these same values in Sacramento on the Assembly Education Committee.

California has spent $24 billion taxpayer dollars and seen a 32% increase in homelessness statewide over the past 5 years. Our state’s housing-first approach to homelessness is failing to prioritize the mental health and substance abuse issues that keep people in a cycle of homelessness.

That’s why my first action after being elected was to propose a comprehensive audit of all homelessness spending in California to identify the programs that work and stop funding the programs that don’t. That audit led to first-of-its-kind legislation to require all state-run homeless programs to track the costs and outcomes of every dollar spent. If we truly want to solve our homelessness crisis we need comprehensive reforms to improve accountability, support programs that emphasize sobriety, expand capacity for mental health treatment, and restore our public spaces.

I have been a strong supporter of small businesses in the Legislature with a 100% rating from the California Chamber of Commerce. The best way to improve our economy and boost job creation is by slashing harmful regulations that have made California one of the least friendly states to do business in the entire country. That’s why I have fought against new laws that increase costs on small businesses and make it harder for them to operate.

I am proud to be the only candidate endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Folsom Chamber of Commerce.

California is the greatest state in the nation, but unfortunately, it has also become the most expensive. The California Dream of homeownership has become increasingly unattainable for young families. As a father of three, I want California to be a place where my kids can one day afford to raise their own families. That’s why I have opposed unreasonable mandates, worked to streamline construction projects, and supported legislation to increase our housing supply so hard working Californians are able to afford a home in the Golden State.