Editor’s Note: This questionnaire is part of an ongoing series publishing candidates’ opinions on how they would run the government if they were elected county supervisor. All questionnaires are archived on the Voice of OC Elections Page.
Democrat OC Supervisor Katrina Foley is running for re-election to the county board of supervisors against Republican Assemblywoman Diane Dixon.
They’re facing off in the county’s fifth districts, which stretches along the southern coast and includes cities such as Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.
Most of the advertising for Foley’s campaign was paid for by a host of independent expenditures made by county employee unions, including the local firefighter’s union, general employee’s union and association of deputy sheriffs.
Dixon’s campaign received its strongest support from independent expenditures from the Lincoln Club, a coalition of Republican political donors, who’ve also spent nearly $400,000 opposing Foley.
We asked the candidates about several of the biggest issues facing their districts, including the expansion proposals for the Prima Deschecha landfill, the condition of local creeks and the disappearing coastline.
Multiple cities in your district are facing a loss of sand on the beach. What actions would you take as a county supervisor to assist them?
Diane Dixon: I have worked on this issue for years. As a Newport Beach councilmember, I advocated for sand replenishment and worked with then-Congresswoman Michelle Steel and other local leaders to help secure federal support for the Surfside-Sunset Beach project. In the Assembly, I have continued working with our coastal communities on these issues. As Supervisor, I would bring our coastal cities together around a long-term regional strategy and prioritize securing state and federal funding. We should not have to start from scratch every time our beaches lose sand.
Katrina Foley: As Supervisor, I helped secure $300M to restore sand on our beaches and protect our railroad. Additionally, I’ve worked with OC Public Works to move sediment trapped in our flood channels onto our shores, including up to 200,000 cubic yards for Newport Beach in preparation for El Nino. I’ve prioritized sand replenishment more in the last three years I’ve served than in the 60 years since building the harbor blocked the sand from flowing to San Clemente. I plan to continue this critical work to ensure wide sandy beaches, protection of the railroad, and a strong coastal economy.
Do you think the county is currently doing enough to save the coast?
Diane Dixon: We need to do more. The county has taken important steps, but the condition of our coastline shows that our current approach is not enough. I have worked on sand replenishment for years and have seen the value of planning ahead instead of waiting for an emergency. The county should take a stronger regional role by helping coastal cities secure a reliable supply of sand, coordinating funding and making beach nourishment a regular part of our infrastructure planning. Protecting our coastline requires a long-term plan, not a series of emergency responses.
Katrina Foley: No. When I began representing District 5, we found the County’s 2013 coastal erosion plan collecting dust. We updated it and began implementation. I sounded the alarm in 2022 when OCTA reported tracks shifting 28 inches in 13 months. I’ve helped secure over $300 million for coastal rail protection, including plans for 690,000 cubic yards of sand for San Clemente. I’ve championed Capo Beach dunes, created the South County Beach Coalition, supported Newport Beach’s trash interceptor, funded beach cleanups and marine research, and strongly oppose new offshore drilling. Our coast needs sustained sand replenishment.
Many of your constituents have raised complaints with the county’s landfill expansion and operations. What actions will you take to address those concerns?
Diane Dixon: I have been clear that I oppose doubling the amount of trash going into the Prima Deshecha Landfill. Katrina Foley voted for the $88 million project expanding the landfill’s physical capacity, and residents have since raised serious concerns about dust, noise, traffic and air quality around its operations. I have met with those residents and believe they deserve better oversight and communication from the county. As Supervisor, I would require stronger monitoring, enforce existing standards and make sure complaints are addressed quickly. The county needs to fix the problems residents are experiencing now before asking them to accept more trash.
Katrina Foley: I oppose landfill expansion and doubling daily trash intake at Prima Deshecha. As a key author of the County’s Climate Action Plan, I’m focused on reducing waste entering our landfills. We need more education on waste reduction, recycling, organic sorting, and repurposing usable furniture and appliances. We’re also working on a landfill flea market. My office continues advocating for funding for innovative technologies to capture landfill gas to power our facilities and the South Coast Water District’s planned desalination plant. Reducing landfill emissions while powering our facilities is a win-win for our community.
Editor’s Note: Voice of OC offered Supervisor Foley a chance to respond to Assemblywoman Dixon’s comments since they specifically targeted her past votes. Dixon was also offered the chance to respond to Foley’s retort, but did not respond.
Katrina Foley: My 2023 vote approved a construction contract implementing a plan the prior Board approved in 2001, twenty years before I joined. It included a protective liner, gas collection and drainage systems, not authorization to double daily tonnage. I oppose the expansion of Prima Deshecha’s daily tonnage. The Board has not voted on that proposal. Conflating those decisions misleads residents. Landfill closures increase pressure on remaining facilities. Dixon signed a letter, but where was her legislation addressing permitting and disposal capacity? Residents deserve solutions. On increasing daily tonnage, I remain a no.
Would you support OCTA funding more bike and alternative transportation infrastructure and how would you reimagine OC streets?
Diane Dixon: Orange County should give residents more safe and practical ways to get around, including walking, biking and public transportation. I would support OCTA investments that connect people to schools, jobs, transit and community destinations. But these projects need to create benefits for the communities they serve and should not create unnecessary congestion or remove traffic lanes without a clear understanding of the unintended consequences to traffic flow. I would work with cities and residents to identify where bike lanes, sidewalks and other improvements would actually make getting around safer and easier.
Katrina Foley: Yes. OC’s streets need protected bike lanes wherever possible, and we must convert our flood channels into active transportation pathways where possible.
Noah Biesiada is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at nbiesiada@voiceofoc.org.
