We need leaders on the Orange County Board of Supervisors focused on residents and businesses first, protecting our neighborhoods and public spaces, addressing homelessness, keeping our tax dollars secure, and our families safe. My experiences as a Mayor, small business owner, former School Board Member and PTA president are unique qualifications that will benefit the residents of Orange County as we navigate these challenging times.
As your Supervisor, I will:
● Protect public health, including more COVID-19 testing, vaccinations and treatment.
● Support businesses.
● Partner with cities to tackle the root causes of homelessness, provide transitional and
permanent housing, and clean up our neighborhoods.
● Combat the climate crisis.
● Sunshine the more than $7.5 billion budget for better transparency, accountability, and effective management of our tax dollars.
Expediting Vaccine Roll Out
The health and safety of Orange County residents must be the primary focus this year. Relying on experts and community leaders, we will advocate for a more equitable system where everyone has access to the care they need, especially those communities hardest hit by COVID-19.
As Orange County Supervisor, my office and I will collaborate with our Congressional and State Colleagues to increase vaccine supply and enact a better plan to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine efficiently and equitably throughout Orange County to achieve herd immunity within 100 days. This is the only way to truly recover our public health and economic welfare so we can return to living our best lives.
Supporting Local Businesses for Economic Recovery
As a small business owner myself, I know what it’s like to make a payroll and rent. I understand the struggles our local businesses face and I will support businesses so they can create and retain jobs. As Mayor, I fought for and secured emergency assistance and grants for local small businesses struggling to keep their doors open during the COVID-19 pandemic. We developed creative ways for businesses to operate safely, including South Coast Plaza. As a result, Costa Mesa is one of the few cities with a budget surplus and retention of more than $50 million in reserves during the pandemic. As Supervisor, I will continue to advocate for an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top, and support small businesses through the initiation of additional grants and temporary licensing or fee waivers.
Creating a Climate Action Plan for a Sustainable Future in Orange County
Here in Orange County, we must take meaningful action to ensure a healthy, sustainable environment that increases middle class jobs for future generations.
My experience as Mayor of Costa Mesa, where we prioritized and implemented sustainable and toxic free community programs, will help us create a Climate Action Plan for Orange County, including investing more in clean, green, and renewable energy, such as wind and solar and updating our county’s infrastructure to expand access to electric vehicle charging stations and expansion of our public transit systems. I’m already partnering with Congress and the airline industry to promote cleaner, quieter air travel which we must continue to prioritize.
I am committed to ensuring that Orange County will continue to be a leader in environmental protection.
Initiating More Accountability & Transparency with the County’s $7.5 Billion Budget
I will sunshine the more than $7.5 billion county budget the Board of Supervisors oversees for better transparency, accountability, and effective management of our tax dollars. My team will engage and seek input from people in the community while educating residents on the services, funds, and resources the Board of Supervisors is responsible for overseeing. We will host community budget workshops with constituents to gather input and help hone priorities. I’m not afraid of dissenting ideas. I’m known to bring together unlikely coalitions to solve community problems. That’s how we protected our budget during the pandemic, saved the OC Fairgrounds, built support for a homeless shelter with Newport Beach, and stopped abusive sober living home operators from taking advantage of patients and taking over neighborhoods. I will solicit input from differing perspectives to achieve outcomes that benefit more people.
Over these last few months we’ve learned of secret contracts for millions of dollars with no public bidding. This can’t continue. I strongly believe in transparency and accountability. An interactive budget tracking system for “budget to actual expenses” is the modern, transparent approach for local government. We can do better and we must.
Better Partnerships and Supports for our Cities and School Districts
As Orange County Supervisor, I will work directly with the cities in District 2 by hosting meetings and roundtable discussions with local city managers, superintendents, mayors, city councilmembers, and school board members to collaborate with them on the challenges facing our district. The primary job of the Board of Supervisors is to support the cities and residents, and I will take that responsibility very seriously. Instead of political appointees, I plan to hire a team of expert policy advisors who will partner with cities to tackle the root causes of homelessness, develop plans to provide regional solutions to transitional and permanent housing, identify positive, community oriented solutions to keep our neighborhoods safe, and to create a climate action plan.
My team will host monthly town halls, provide weekly pop up locations for constituent services and gather community feedback. Resident input is invaluable, and allows me to better understand the needs of our district.
Life Experience & Community Support for Better Leadership in District 2
Over the past two decades, I diligently served in District 2 as the Mayor, a Councilmember for Costa Mesa and a School Board Trustee for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. I am a proud graduate of HeadStart, earned my Bachelor’s Degree from UCLA and my law degree from Seattle University. My husband Casey is a school teacher. Our two sons are in college and graduated from local public schools. I’m honored to be endorsed by Orange County firefighters, paramedics, nurses, teachers, Veterans groups, grocery workers, healthcare workers, Deputy District Attorneys and Public Defenders, the Orange County League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, building trades organizations, and more than 200 community and elected leaders. They know that new common sense leadership is needed on the Board of Supervisors.
As your Supervisor, I will find new and innovative ideas to solve the unprecedented challenges we face. I’m not afraid to take on the bureaucracy and fight for meaningful change. My experience, energy and work ethic are needed to get things done.
I would be honored to earn your vote.
Learn more at www.KatrinaFoley.com or call me at (714) 367-6126. Follow me on social media @katrinafoleyoc
Katrina Foley is a candidate for Orange County Board of Supervisors, District 2 in the March 9th Special Election. She is the first directly elected Mayor of Costa Mesa, small business owner, attorney, former City Council and School Board Member, wife of a local teacher, and mother of two sons.
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