Candidate for
State Senator; District 28

A Life of Service and Enterprise

With children born on Military bases and raised in a Law Enforcement family, Public Safety and service have long been a tradition in Bonnie Garcia's household.

As our State begins to recover from a historic recession, it is imperative elected officials have the experience, knowledge, and ability to make strategic decisions for the future of California.

Bonnie Garcia has a degree in workforce development and education, taught at the university level and is the only candidate in this race that has public employee experience + local government (10 years), state government (4 years), as a state policymaker (6 years-elected to the state legislature) and managed a $100 million budget for a state agency with 700+ employees (4 years).

During her diverse career as a businesswoman and public servant, Bonnie has coordinated strategies on the local, state, and national level to drive policy change resulting in increased funding for public safety, reduced regulations, educational improvements, increased job opportunities, and greater investment in housing and economic development.

Demonstrated Leadership for California

First elected to the California State Assembly in 2002, Bonnie quickly established a reputation as a consensus builder that worked across party lines and with business, labor and other groups to benefit our state. She played an instrumental role in advancing bi-partisan legislation to protect children from sexual predators, create and preserve jobs in our state, improve healthcare access in rural zones, and to build affordable housing.

Bonnie has taught public policy at the university level, has written legislation on complex issues, and battled on behalf of constituents to protect their rights.

Recognizing her strength with workforce development, Garcia was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger and served under two administrations as Chairwoman of the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. There she managed a team of 700+ employees to resolve disputed unemployment, disability, and tax claims. During the highest unemployment period in California's history, Bonnie utilized her fiscal and legislative experience to adopt new technology and push through regulatory changes resulting in reduced costs and expedited claims for sick and unemployed workers.

Prior to being elected, Garcia led bilingual constituent services for a member of the California State Assembly and Senate. She also worked in the Fire, Building, and Planning Departments of local cities, where as Director of Housing and Neighborhood Services, Bonnie focused on grant writing, housing development, and establishing micro-business loan programs to help local businesses expand.

Throughout her career, Bonnie has served on local, state and national boards and to eliminate hunger, increase access to healthcare, help small businesses grow and to increase pathways to higher education.

Bonnie Garcia twice served as a delegate for Presidential candidates and was a key member of Governor Schwarzenegger's transition team. There she helped recruit a diverse group of candidates to lead state agencies and to serve as Superior Court judges.

As a State Senator, Bonnie Garcia will continue to work to create efficiency within State Government, fight higher taxes that serve to hurt hard working families and small businesses, and provide incentives for employers to locate in California and create jobs.