Chris Duncan is an accomplished Homeland Security attorney and Mayor Pro Tem of San Clemente. He has spent his career in public service bringing people together to keep our country and community safe and prosperous with honesty and integrity. He’s running for the State Assembly to find common sense solutions to help California’s hard-working families thrive and protect the future of our communities.
​
The COVID-19 crisis will have long-lasting economic effects on the City of San Clemente. Chris believes in developing a budget strategy that proactively addresses budget shortfalls and explores new and creative sources of revenue. Chris will implement a plan to attract new businesses and assist the ones we currently have so they can stay afloat through this pandemic. Chris will make sure the city works closely with the County to identify and utilize testing sites so that San Clemente residents have quick access to a test in the event they are exposed to COVID-19. Lastly, he will support efforts to bring back our hospital with an Emergency Room function.
As a former prosecutor in the Department of Homeland Security, Chris made the safety of our country his top priority. He knows that there is nothing more important than the safety of our communities and our families. Chris believes that we can always do more to make our roads safer with the expansion of sidewalks, more efficient traffic signals, and bike lanes, which he will advocate for in our budget. In addition, Chris will work hard to provide law enforcement with the tools and training to protect our community while requiring mandatory training in de-escalation tactics. Lastly, Chris will urge the County’s Health and Human Services Department to establish a transitional shelter for
homeless residents so that they are not sleeping on our streets.
Chris supports the construction of a regional facility to house people who have nowhere else to go. The facility should be managed by the county's Health and Human Services Department since they are best equipped for it. He also believes we must partner with other cities in South Orange County so that San Clemente does not bear the sole burden of its construction. Chris will advocate for fully funding the Psychiatric and Emergency Response Team (PERT) so mental health clinicians are available to diagnose and direct people with mental health issues or substance abuse disorders into the care they deserve through the implementation of Laura'a Law and the city's anti-camping ordinances.
We need to support our small businesses by investing in beautification and attracting a steady customer base to our city. He will cut unnecessary red tape, correct inefficiencies in our city’s departments, and fully fund our city's Building and Planning divisions so businesses can get the necessary approval for needed infrastructure upgrades. Chris will make sure the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business Association are given a seat at the table so we can finally fix the arduous and overly complex permitting process in our city. He’ll also fight for tax relief for middle class families and small businesses, and will invest in the 21st-century workforce to ensure no one is left behind.
Chris will spearhead a proposal to eliminate the TCA, which will save taxpayer dollars and ensure there will never be a toll road through San Clemente. The TCA is twice as indebted as when it was first created, and their corruption has cost our city millions in legal fees defending our rights and lost business opportunities. He will also vociferously oppose any plans to widen the I-5 in San Clemente, which would just result in loss of homes and businesses and increased traffic congestion. As a City Councilmember, Chris will prosecute the case against the TCA and pressure the State Controller to perform a full audit of them and their activities.
Chris is committed to ensuring the planned dismantling of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) happens in a clean, safe and efficient manner. As a former attorney in the Department of Homeland Security, Chris is well-prepared to work with our liaisons in the federal government and the Department of Defense personnel in charge of SONGS. Chris knows that it is a complex undertaking to get the required permits and move the waste, and he also knows that is a serious hazard that can't wait to be addressed years from now. That's why he will work diligently to secure the approval of our state and federal leaders for a long-term storage site — away from the coast and away from San Clemente.
Chris will make sure everyone who calls San Clemente home can afford to live here, and that starts with approving housing developments that the average family who lives here can afford. Chris will fight developers who try to ruin the historic charm of San Clemente with stack and pack housing developments. Instead, Chris will advocate smart growth, which will allow the construction of affordable housing units and keep the look and feel of our city the same. Chris believes housing structures should be strategically placed near transit hubs and shopping centers to improve walkability and not congest our roadways. Chris's plan will increase home ownership and raise the incomes of residents, which is a goal the city must always strive for.
Chris believes that climate change is real, and he’ll support reasonable and effective measures to reduce greenhouse gases, ensure cleaner air and water, and protect our coastline and oceans. To that end, Chris will fight to protect our community from the growing threat of wildfires and keep our watershed free of dangerous pollutants. He'll focus on incentives and programs to bring a cleaner environment and create green jobs, like forming a Joint Powers Authority with neighboring cities to bring Community Choice Energy to San Clemente. He'll also make sure that we replenish the sand on our beaches and save our iconic Lifeguard Tower from the constant threat of beach erosion.
As the parent of three young children in our local public schools, Chris will invest in our public schools and ensure funds are directed to the classroom, not spent on bureaucracy. He knows how the pandemic has impacted local families and kids and he'll fight to keep our teachers kids safely in the classroom.
He’ll focus on programs that are proven to be effective for academic success, personal development and creating opportunity, including STEAM, early childhood education and career technical education (CTE) programs. He’ll also work to improve our higher education system and keep costs down so California students can attend our CSU, UC and community colleges around the state.
Chris will work across party lines to improve our local and state economy, fighting to cut unnecessary red tape that prevent businesses from succeeding and regulations that are driving too many businesses out of state. He’ll also fight for tax relief for middle class families and small businesses, and will invest in the 21st-century workforce to ensure no one is left behind.
Chris understands that local families are already stretched too thin and taxed too much. He’ll oppose new state taxes and work to reduce the tax burden on middle class families. This includes opposing unnecessary and harmful fees, charges and projects, such as the toll road.
As a Homeland Security attorney, Chris has taken on corruption and examined bureaucracies for waste. In the Assembly, he’ll take that experience and be a steadfast steward for taxpayer dollars, ensuring it is used as intended and taking on waste – even when it comes from his own party. He’ll spearhead the creation of a bipartisan Special Committee focused on investigating and reducing waste in the State Government, and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of state agencies.
Chris is a vocal champion for reproductive right and will stand up for access to safe, legal abortions. As the end of Roe v Wade seems imminent, state legislatures become the frontlines for the battle for women's health. Chris knows that everyone must have access to a full array of reproductive health care services and he'll stand up to extremist efforts to restrict health choices. That's why he's endorsed by Planned Parenthood and reproductive justice advocates.
Chris has been a vocal advocate for gun violence prevention and stronger, common sense gun laws to make our kids and communities safer. In the Assembly, he will work to pass common-sense gun safety and gun violence prevention legislation like stronger background checks, protecting victims of domestic violence, prohibiting “ghost guns” and stronger safe storage policies. He will also work to keep guns out of our schools and hold gun manufacturers accountable. That's how he earned the distinction as a 2022 Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate.