Petition drafts are available at www.nwpcca.org.

The NWCP is a non-partisan organization and welcomes both men and women to membership although they focus their endorsement process on women.  I am looking forward to staying in tune with the local pulse through my work in this organization and welcome any one who is interested to get in touch with me and I will guide you to the most appropriate person or group to become a member.

My family gave up a lot for me to run my campaign.  They adjusted schedules, filled in on commitments, gave up certain savings, and always cheered me on.  If I didn’t have their real support I would never have been able to keep it going.  I also learned that my family grew as the campaign grew.  I have people here in Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona, Coachella, Temecula, Perris, and Murrieta who have counseled me, taken on assignments for me, and kept me real through out the campaign.  I can never thank all of you enough and I know I’ll never be able to fully repay you.  At this time it is my responsibility to give back to my family, to be there when they need me, and to cheer them on as they push through their challenges.

I haven’t given up my plans though.  I want to remain involved and available to other candidates and campaigns.  I have accepted a position on the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC) as Vice President — Political Action Committee.  It will be my job to insure that all female candidates within the Inland Empire receive the necessary paperwork and encouragement to seek the NWPC endorsement and then to make sure that they are supported with training and as much other assistance as can equitably be managed.  In the future I may run for another elected office but that’s not going to happen right now.

I learned a lot from the campaign.  I learned that to be really effective you have to be seeking the office you campaign for for at least a year before the election date.  I learned that endorsements and base support (including funding) are vital to carrying on a successful campaign.  Finally, I learned that running for office can fill one with an oversized idea of their own self importance.  It is easy to lose track of the particular talents you have and begin to think that you could be anything.  It is important that people of integrity run for office but also they should be people of appropriate knowledge and experience, people whose life experiences have naturally brought them to the place where they can best serve their fellow citizens by being in this particular office.  It is too often that people are in the office for the prestige and the name without true regard for the responsibilities.  When you vote in November look for the experience, the knowledge, and the service dedication — not the glory seeker.

In Riverside County there are several groups in place — the Latino Network, The Group, the Friday Morning Network, and over 20 neighborhood associations, that can inform and involve citizens and elected officials with citizens.  The problem is unless you know someone in those groups, you don’t know about the groups. The Press Enterprise could go along way by publicizing the meetings and agendas and speakers.  The Latino Network meets at Bordwell Park’s Casa de Ninos twice a month — 7-8am on the first and third Wednesday (off for the summer).  The Group meets at the Coffee Depot downtown Riverside on the first and third Thursdays (off for the summer).  The neighborhood groups generally meet at night at various community centers. 

Our survival as a country depends on involved citizens — it always has.  We have so many wonderful gifts that need to be used, exercised, nurtured, and protected.  For my part, I want to approach the high schools again (I did it years ago.) and see about presenting a forum to the senior government/economic classes regarding such things as government budgeting, voting, and taxes.  I’ll continue to teach my governmental accounting class at the UCR Extension but this will be for that somewhat younger group who are just coming of age and getting involved.  Hopefully we can get them interested in the Value of the Vote.

I know we can weather the storm but we have to work together.  I know we can address the budget crisis successfully but we will have to adopt an attitude that makes our work a personal commitment to effectiveness and efficiency.  I know we can keep an open communication between the public and the officers of government.  I am dedicated to working hard with others in an open dialogue to bring this great County and the people who live here through the next four years of challenges.

In the 1990s we had some difficult times and we adjusted how we approached services and changed things for the better.  Now some ten years later we need to look again.  I believe there are procedures that are ten years old or older that need revision.  I believe there are processes that are being used that are inefficient and ineffective.  I believe that with my talent and your vote we can make our government function better for each of us.  I believe that we can make Riverside County the most responsive local government with the best informed populace.  I believe that we can make small changes to save big bucks!

I encourage everyone to be involved.  Reach out in your communities.  There are some really great people living just down the street — don’t miss them!  Government is only as good as the least person served.  It’s not the office holders who make government good.  It’s the people who elect them to the office and the people who voted against them.  Sometimes its the ones who vote against us that make us want to be better than we thought we could be.  I encourage everyone to look at the candidates in every race and push us to be everything you need us to be — You’re the boss!  If the whole ballot seems to much, pick an issue, pick a race, and help to make your communities everything they should be…