County Supervisor Anderson Featured at June Annual Meeting
By Gail Murray
Contra Costa County has scheduled a TRUTH Act Forum on July 24 at 2 p.m. for residents interested in the County’s contract with ICE, the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, according to District II Supervisor Candace Anderson. The sheriff and the probations department will be on hand to answer questions about the County’s implementation of the Transparent Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds (TRUTH) Act.
Supervisor Anderson announced the upcoming forum at the LWVDV Annual Meeting on June 2, where she was the featured speaker. She gave a wide-ranging description of her duties as county supervisor representing the communities of San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Canyon, Rossmoor, Parkmead, Saranap and a portion of Walnut Creek. The County provides many services that the cities do not, such as animal control, libraries, foster care, and hazardous materials oversight. Supervisor Anderson also represents her constituents on 24 different committees, including responsibilities as varied as the Family and Human Services Committee, the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority, the Tri-Valley Transportation Council and the East Bay Regional Communications System (EBRCSA) Governing Board.
Referring to the 2014 ballot initiative in which voters lowered the penalties of many drug and theft crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, Supervisor Anderson indicated the change has resulted in some unexpected criminal justice problems. For example, shoplifters who steal under $900 worth of merchandise are now only given a citation instead of being arrested. Some shoplifters go through stores with a calculator to make sure they are under the $900 threshold to avoid arrest, she said.
Supervisors are now grappling with the consequences of marijuana legalization. Where cannabis has already been legalized in Colorado, Washington, and Oregon, usage by youths has doubled. The County has a Social Host ordinance which can fine parents $1,000 if underage youth are breaking the cannabis law in their homes.
Stackable shipping containers will be converted into studio apartments for the homeless in Richmond through a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant the County has received. Supportive services will be provided on site, including help for the 33-40% of the homeless with mental health issues. She noted that more people with mental health issues are in jail than in the hospital. Supervisor Anderson advised attendees to call 211 if they see a homeless person so the County can reach out with help.
Because of the lack of housing, the county has a ratio of 7-10 jobs per one housing unit. Supervisor Anderson discussed housing projects that are or will be coming before the Board of Supervisors at Tassajara Parks, Saranap Village and the Seeno development in Alamo.
Supervisor Anderson noted that the County has 10,000 employees to serve a countywide population of 1.1 million. She indicated that she loves her job as supervisor by serving not only the people of her district but the whole of Contra Costa County.
