On this long Memorial Day weekend, please join me in honoring the brave heroes who have given their lives in military service. Amid the festivities and fun of the summer kickoff, let's all take a moment to reflect on the incredible sacrifices made by our fellow Americans and San Diegans. Their dedication to protecting our values is what makes our nation strong, and it's up to us to ensure their legacy lives on. 

Here’s a sneak peak of a video we’ll post on my social media channels Monday in honor of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Not Such a Good Neighbor, After All

I’ve been inundated lately with concerns from constituents throughout District 3 regarding State Farm and other insurance giants pulling the rug out from under homeowners and renters. Starting this July, these companies are set to discontinue coverage, leaving many homeowners and renters scrambling for alternatives.

This decision appears to be an attempt by insurance companies to use policy cancellations as leverage to secure friendlier state regulations. The state is working in good faith to revise regulations by the end of the year. 

This week, I introduced and passed a measure to call on State Farm and other insurance providers to change their tune. The Board of Supervisors approved my resolution to oppose the abandonment of policyholders by large insurance companies, and urge a transparent and fair rate-setting process under the oversight of the State Insurance Commissioner.

While our ability locally to affect change on this issue is limited, that won’t stop us from standing up to corporate bullies. Severing ties with homeowners and renters in San Diego County is not very neighborly of State Farm, or any other insurance provider. Home insurance is not a luxury – it's a necessity here in California, and it's imperative that we protect households.

Better Data, Better Representation

In a significant move towards addressing long-standing disparities, the Board of Supervisors also approved on Tuesday a policy I introduced aimed at improving representation and the accuracy of racial and ethnicity data for San Diego County’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.

These communities have often been lumped into broad categories, masking the unique challenges they face – from health, to social issues, to economics. But not anymore.

Why is this important? This is not one monolithic community, but rather individuals from more than 50 countries and over 100 different preferred languages. Aggregated data puts them all in the same category. When you disaggregate the data, important information comes to light, such as the fact that Samoans experienced a COVID-19 death rate twice as high as the overall population in California.

This accurate and detailed data is critical to equitable governance and building a County that works for all of us. It will help us recognize the unique challenges and contributions by moving beyond the overly broad categories that have historically masked true experiences.  

The policy also focuses on representation in County government leadership. County staff will be working to enhance support for initiatives that will support professional development and foster a more inclusive environment where cultural values are respected and leadership opportunities are accessible to all.

In service,

Terra