The New Class in Sacramento

CPF works with lawmakers in both political parties to support the priorities of firefighters, their families and the communities they protect. In this issue, we spotlight two new arrivals in Sacramento – a Republican and a Democrat – and get their answers on what lay ahead for firefighters and the state as a whole.

Senator Dave Cortese

represents Senate District 14, comprising much of Santa Clara County. The San Jose Democrat is the new chair of the Senate Labor Committee.

Why did you want to become a state legislator?

Serving the greater good was a value taught to me by my parents and it has informed my life choices from early on. Growing up, I would regularly visit my father, Dominic Cortese, who served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and later in the State Assembly. My local roots and deep love of this valley have fueled my passion for public service and inspired me to take on roles where I could continue give back to the community that raised me.

What is your view on the importance of California’s firefighters to the public and the state?

Our essential and frontline heroes, including our firefighters, have shown tremendous strength as they fight to keep our communities safe and healthy during this pandemic. They sacrifice so much to keep us safe. I am particularly grateful of the work of our firefighters this past year to combat the raging and historic wildfires across our state.

California faces year-round fire seasons and more extreme and dangerous wildfires. What should the state be doing to respond to that threat?

The state must prioritize restoring our ecosystem to prevent flammable vegetation, increase disaster preparedness and ensure we are adequately and properly staffing our wildfire rapid response efforts. At the state level, that means things like low-interest loans or grants for residents to improve and update their property, as well as expanding the CAL FIRE budget to hire more firefighters and investing in new technology around fire prediction and detection. The most important thing we can do is to address the core issue of climate change which would reduce the conditions that spawned these intense fires in the first place. I have introduced six bills this legislative session that will augment California’s environmental leadership efforts.

Where do you stand on protecting firefighters and other frontline responders for the risks they take on the job?

As chair of the Senate Labor Committee, my top priority will be ensuring essential workers and frontline responders are provided adequate benefits, a living wage, and safe working conditions. I have introduced SB 335, sponsored by CPF, which would require better enforcement around workers compensation presumptions for firefighters. These brave frontline heroes deserve adequate protections to ensure their own safety and the safety of all of us.

What should California be doing to help our state emerge from the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic?

The state must prioritize equitable economic recovery efforts to assist businesses of all sizes as well as workers that are the backbone of our economy. We also need adequate safety net measures and immediate relief for those experiencing economic insecurity, to keep all Californians safe, healthy, and housed. The recent relief package approved by the Legislature will distribute close to six million payments to Californians making $30,000 or less. The package also includes two measures I co-authored — SB 87 (Caballero) and AB 80 (Burke) — which, between them, will make upwards of $4 billion in grants and tax cuts available for small businesses and non-profits impacted by the pandemic.

What do you see as your own legislative priorities in the coming session?

Before serving as a Senator, I served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, the San Jose City Council, and as a trustee for the East Side Union High School District. My priorities as a Senator stem from the policies and programs I have successfully championed in these roles, including climate change, housing affordability and protecting families and frontline responders amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

What do you think the future holds for California?

To rebuild our economy and bring us out of this pandemic in a stable and equitable way, I see the state taking the needed steps to invest in our workers, the well-being our children, housing that is affordable and accessible, critical infrastructure required in our healthcare and hospital systems, resources for our most vulnerable, and a forward-thinking economic recovery package.

Assemblymember Kelly Seyarto

represents Assembly District 67, covering much of western Riverside Co. The Murrieta Republican is a retired L.A. County firefighter with 35 years on the job.

Why did you want to become a state legislator?

I want to be involved in formulating better public policy that will enable people who live here to have fulfilling lives. I think California has a lot of problems that are not being solved, or even addressed, and my lifetime of public service and experience in leadership both as a fire battalion chief and mayor can help.

What is your view on the importance of California’s firefighters to the public and the state?

The number one job of government is to ensure the public safety of its citizens. If people do not feel safe and protected, California will not be a successful place to live or do business. With the number of wildfire and other emergency threats both growing in number and increasing in severity every year, the job of a California firefighter is becoming more important than ever.

California faces year-round fire seasons and more extreme and dangerous wildfires. What should the state be doing to respond to that threat?

The state needs to stop the piecemeal fixes for dealing with wildfire threats and instead needs to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses forestry health, SRA land fuel management, and response capabilities in the near term. These are issues that we have control over. We also need to ensure adequate funding on an ongoing basis to achieve the goals that are identified as being critical to combating this growing threat. For too long, California has only reacted to our wildfire disasters. It is time we take a proactive approach, have the difficult conversations, and take the necessary actions for real change.

Where do you stand on protecting firefighters and other frontline responders for the risks they take on the job?

The job of a firefighter poses some unique challenges that many people do not fully understand unless they have lived the experience. There are a growing number of both medical and physical related health threats that need to be addressed to ensure that firefighters have the latest protections. Proper training and access to resources are key. Tackling mental health concerns also need to be a top priority.

What should California be doing to help our state emerge from the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic?

We need to have a more effective vaccination distribution program. We need to get our kids back to school, people back to work, and allow our businesses to open while encouraging continued common sense safety measures.

What do you see as your own legislative priorities in the coming session?

I will be focusing my efforts in Sacramento on issues important to our district. These include promoting public safety, forest fire management, infrastructure improvements, streamlining government agencies and improving their services, and working towards an economic recovery that supports both small business owners and workers. As Vice Chair of the newly created Emergency Management Committee, I am also looking forward to working on developing longer-term solutions for disaster planning and mitigation and ensuring the continued safety of citizens in California by supporting those that are charged with keeping them safe.

What do you think the future holds for California?

The opportunities for a bright future for California do exist, but with the current political climate and imbalance in the legislature, it will be more difficult to achieve. We need to focus on problem solving not divisive politics. I am an optimist to believe that we can address the myriad of problems that plague or state, but we need the will to set politics aside and use our common sense to solve those issues.