TALK OF THE TOWN — LIVE — with Mike Aguirre and Co-host Arthur Aguirre Sat 11am

THE MIDWAY RISING PROJECT SINKING? TAXPAYER MONEY. SOLUTIONS.

GUEST LORI SALDAÑA, FORMER CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER

Join us in an in-depth discussion about this project, local and state consequences and more.

Send in your questions and comments to KNSJ’s Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KNSJfm

Photos Lori Saldaña

About Lori Saldaña

Lori Saldaña is a lifelong San Diegan who grew up in Clairemont, in a Marine Corps family. After a surprising “come from behind” grassroots victory in 2004, she was elected to the California Assembly and served three terms, from 2004-2010.

Assemblymember Saldaña served as Speaker pro Tempore, and presided over Assembly floor sessions. She was also Chair of the Legislative Womens Caucus (2008-2010) and chaired the Housing and Community Development Committee. She served as a member of Elections and Redistricting, Rules, Veterans Affairs, Judiciary and the Water, Parks & Wildlife Committees and was appointed to the Assembly Ethics Committee, to investigate complaints within the legislature. She authored bills on gun safety (to end “Open Carry” in California), hate crimes, climate change and energy efficiency.

Lori and her three sisters were the first in their family to attend college. Her father, Frank Saldana, was a career Marine (1944-64) and respected journalist who retired from the San Diego Evening Tribune (1965-1992). Her mother, Virginia Saldana, had an early career in banking, before focussing on raising 4 daughters and enjoying 8 grandchildren.

Lori earned her BA and MA from SDSU and is retired as a Professor of Business Information Technology for the San Diego Community College District. She managed US Department of Labor grants to develop technical/vocational programs for low-income students, and help bridge the digital divide.

She taught in the Communications department at the University of California San Diego, and was a Research Fellow in Environmental Policy at the UCSD Center for US-Mexico Studies; her research article- “From Litigation to Legislation: Challenges to Binational Water Infrastructure Development in the San Diego-Tijuana Border Region” – was accepted for publication in the 2003 Journal of Environment and Development.

Lori also taught at San Diego State University, and was a Dean of Service Learning at San Diego Mesa College and managed a State Chancellor’s grant.

Lori served as a Mayoral and Presidential appointee, working on water quality issues and infrastructure development. In 1992 she was appointed by San Diego Mayor Maureen O’Connor to serve on the city’s Wetlands Advisory Board. She was Chair of the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club (1995-97) and successfully lead litigation to force the city to better manage its water and wastewater, culminating in agreements to reclaim wastewater that lead to the Pure Water program now under development. From 1999-2003 she was President Clinton’s appointee and Chair of the Border Environmental Cooperation Commission (BECC), which has invested billions in water, air quality and transportation infrastructure along the US-Mexico border.

She was also a named Plaintiff in a federal lawsuit to force the EPA and IBWC to redesign the international wastewater treatment plant in the Tijuana River Valley, and measure toxicity from industrial sources.

Lori considers herself a Progressive leader and advocate for social justice and policing reform. She has consistently used  science-based research analyses and government policies to protect and manage environmental resources, address and reduce the risks of Climate Change, provide affordable housing for those who cannot afford market-rate homes, and reduce criminalization and racial profiling by law enforcement.

As former Chair of Housing and Community Development, she adjusted state funding levels to provide additional money for affordable housing for seniors and veterans throughout California.

She authored bills to improve gun safety, and reduce and track hate-motivated behavior throughout California.

Lori was name ProChoice California/NARAL’s “Champion of Choice” for her work to maintain funding for maternal and reproductive healthcare programs under the Title X federal program.

Lori belives in accountability and transparency in government, and has requested significant audits on issues at the state and local level, as a legislator and advocate. These addressed inequities in hiring practices in the California State University system, and high rates of deaths in custody in the San Diego County jails. Both audits were approved and conducted by the California State Auditor. Each lead to broad, specific policy recommendations for changing the practices that created academic inequities and deaths. The audit re:deaths in San Diego jails contributed to the resignation of Sheriff Bill Gore, who left office the same day the findings were released, and was followed by legislation authored by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber called “Saving Lives in Custody” (AB 2343).

Lori continues to advocate on public policy issues. She has successfully sued the city of San Diego and state of California to enforce people’s rights under state open meeting laws, leading to more transparency and accountability, and increasing the public’s rights to participate in legislative and policy making decisions.