Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis was sworn in as the 50th Lieutenant Governor of California by Governor Gavin Newsom on January 7th, 2019. She is the first woman elected Lt. Governor of California. A native Californian, she visited each of the state’s 58 counties during her historic campaign. In addition to her duties as Lt. Governor, Kounalakis is California’s Representative for International Affairs and Trade, appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom by executive order.
Eleni has fought against proposed tuition increases for UC and CSU students delivery 30,000 new beds to public colleges to address the student housing shortage.
Eleni championed support for small businesses during the pandemic and led multiple trade delegations around the world to protect workers, create more jobs, and boost California’s economy.
Eleni led advocacy efforts to clean up California’s polluted rivers and returned 7,2000 acres of offshore land to the California Coastal Sanctuary to prevent oil drilling.
Eleni advocated for new laws protecting women from sexual harassment and is a vocal defender of a woman’s right to choose in California.
I’m a housing expert. I spent nearly two decades building and creating homes for middle-class families and in the Sacramento area. I know the answer to California’s housing crisis is building more affordable homes for California families. Being able to afford a home matters to all families. Also, it is essential for every healthy community that first responders, police officers, firefighters, public school teachers and health care workers are able to live near the places where they work.
A recent study found that the high cost of housing is driving California’s #1 poverty ranking, and the California Budget and Policy Center cites high rents for keeping 1 in 5 members of our population in poverty. There are countless studies and reports showing what we all can feel - California has a housing crisis.
Communities still haven’t recovered from the 2008 economic recession. Homelessness is on the rise. Middle-class Californians are being pushed out of cities where they grew up. And many families are sacrificing more so they can stay in their homes or keep up with rising rent.
As Lt. Governor, creating more affordable housing and strengthening our state’s infrastructure will be a priority. We need to continue to invest in our roads, highways, bridges, transit hubs and waterways. Building more affordable homes - and investing in the infrastructure that supports them- creates good-paying jobs and stimulates our economy.
The Lt. Governor plays an important role in California higher education as a member of the UC Board of Regents and the CSU Board of Trustees. I am committed to fighting to bring down the cost of higher education for California students. Here in California, we have one of the best systems of higher education in the world – but with costs soaring, college is out of reach for too many of our kids. It is time to change this.
Student Housing: As I traveled across California, I heard countless stories of students struggling to find places to live while going to school. As a housing expert, I realized that the soaring costs of higher education are not tuition alone - it’s housing too. Some students are forced to choose between a bed or books - and some even sleep in their cars because they have no other options. We can reduce the cost of higher education by making student housing more affordable, and as Lt. Governor, I will work tirelessly to make that a reality.
Student Debt: Many students and their families who don’t qualify for grants, and who can’t afford to pay out of pocket, turn to student loans to help pay their way through school. This means that students graduate with a pile of debt, making it much harder to buy a home, or make ends meet. Saddling our young people with debt so early in their lives and careers pushes them back beyond the starting line. California can to do better.
Free Community College: San Francisco became the first city in the nation to make community college free. Community colleges not only serve as an affordable means to higher education for students after high school, but they also serve as community hubs and adult education centers.
Value Career & Technical Education: I believe that California needs to create and support multiple pathways for people to succeed in higher learning. Allowing for more California high school kids to take Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes helps prepare students for in-demand careers, and builds a better-trained workforce to fuel our economy.
The Affordable Care Act is under assault, and many Californians risk losing their healthcare. Here in California, healthcare must be considered a human right. That’s why I support universal healthcare coverage.
A single-payer solution must be at the center of this debate. U.S. Senators Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders proposed Medicare for All, and I support their proposal. However, if there is no federal level solution soon, California must be prepared to lead the way with its own plan for universal coverage.
I will do everything in my power to ensure Medi-Cal is protected and underserved communities can access the care they need. Medicaid was founded as a program to help those most in need. It’s how we ensure everyone has access to the care they need, which isn’t just a question of human rights, it’s an investment in our people and ultimately helps our state’s economy in the long-run. As Lt. Governor, I will never back down and will stand up to the Trump Administration to protect the rights of Californians.
As a mom, mentor to other women, and hardworking activist for marriage equality and gender and racial equity, I have dedicated my entire life to public service and fighting for equal rights.
I’m proud to have intersectional support in this race, and there is no doubt that I will fight hard for racial and gender equality in policy, government and every aspect of society. We need more protections and more advocates, and we need to empower people from marginalized communities to have a louder voice in our state government.
I believe California must lead the way into the future - and that means doubling down on our California values. This starts with never tolerating discrimination and ensuring equal rights for all.
Even in 2017, we’re still fighting to protect a woman’s right to choose. We need leaders tough enough to stand up to those who threaten to undermine Roe v. Wade. I will always support our rights as women to have control over our bodies, and to make our own decisions about our health, including having access to safe and legal abortions.
My father came to the United States when he was 14 years old - alone and penniless. He became a farmworker in the fields of Lodi, California, and later attended Sacramento State University on a waiter’s salary. He started his own business, where I was proud to work with him side-by-side for nearly 18 years, rising from project manager to president. I have personally walked the path of the American Dream, and I deeply understand the value of California’s immigrant communities.
I proudly served as a member of Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante’s One California Commission, which helped lead the fight for equality for all Californians. As the daughter of an immigrant who started out in California as a farmworker, I believe we should give farmworkers a pathway to citizenship. You can join me - sign my petition here.
And as California’s next Lt. Governor, I will make it my mission to protect our immigrants, defend Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and fight for equality for all Californians. Finally, like many, I’ve been extremely concerned about the rhetoric and actions of the Trump Administration. I love California – I was born and raised here. It’s where I’m raising my sons. This is my home, and I’m going to stand up to anyone who threatens to undermine our values or the diversity and strengths that make us great.
As an outdoorswoman, avid hiker and occasional bird hunter, all my life I have marveled at the biologic diversity and natural beauty of California. I was immensely proud when President Obama signed the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016, taking a major step forward in the global effort to address climate change. But as California continues to lead the way in environmental protections, the Trump Administration sets our country backwards.
We must continue to push for smart policies that combat climate change, protect our water supply and air quality, and stop corporations from taking advantage of our natural resources. I have proudly pledged to not accept contributions from oil companies, pharmaceutical companies or soda companies.
Protecting the environment and growing your business are not mutually exclusive. During my nearly 20 years in creating affordable homes, I worked closely with environmentalists and biologists to protect sensitive habitats and wetlands. I know that you can be energy-efficient and protect the environment and still have a profitable business.
As Lt. Governor, I will serve as a member of the State Lands Commission. I pledge to be a good steward of California’s public lands. We must protect our coasts and beaches from storm drain runoff and pollution. I support the policy that no oil and gas product from new offshore drilling ever makes landfall in California, and I support an oil extraction fee so Big Oil pays its fair share.
I was proud to be a member of California’s First 5 Commission for early childhood education. As a mom of two sons, I know just how important it is to make sure kids have the care and education they need. California can - and should - do more for children 0-3 years old. We must support safe, thriving in-home daycares and daycare workers. If elected, I will also fight for universal preschool so that when our kids enter kindergarten, they are prepared and ready.
I fundamentally believe that we not only need to increase access to child care, but we also need to make childcare more affordable to California's families. In some cities, child care costs more than monthly rent, and many mothers (and fathers) cannot afford to go back to work. We know that when more parents work, it stimulates the economy and creates more economic prosperity. California should support working moms - and that starts with making child care affordable.
I spent 18 years working in the housing industry, building infrastructure and delivering master planned communities for hard working families in California. I understand the need for safe, reliable and modern infrastructure. Infrastructure projects are not only a smart investment for our future, they also create much-needed, good-paying jobs now. That’s why I support Senate Bill 1 and Proposition 69 to invest in rebuilding California’s highways, bridges, and other transportation infrastructure. It is time to seriously address California’s crumbling infrastructure by significantly increasing our investments in our roads, canals, reservoirs, dams, and bridges.
When Californians voted on the high-speed rail project, the reported cost was $40 billion. Now, costs have soared to $77 billion and could rise to over $100 billion. Billions have been spent, and billions more are committed to complete it. The first phase of the project is already under construction, and it’s too far along to turn back. Notably, it will connect San Francisco to the Central Valley, which will have many positive benefits for economic development and the environment. But before moving forward with future phases, Californians must have accurate information to answer the question - at what cost?
During last year’s Summer Road trip, I started my journey to visit all 58 counties across the state. Throughout my travels, there's one issue that has been raised almost everywhere I've been: the demand for high-speed internet access!
According to the 2017 California Broadband Adoption survey, 1 in 3 Californians lack broadband at home, and in rural areas that number is much higher. According to Jessica, a U.S. Census Bureau partnership specialist I met in Humboldt County, broadband access is so important that it is a demographic data point the Census is tracking.
Broadband is also essential for economic success. Increasing Californians’ access to broadband is one of the easiest and best policy measures that can be undertaken to boost the economy. Recent studies show that greater broadband access increases employment and job stability, speeds job searches, improves the economy of local communities, and increases the state's GDP. It’s also essential for delivering tele-medicine, and ensuring that all our students have the chance to succeed in the rapidly changing economy of the 21st century.
As Lt. Governor, I will work hand-in-hand with the state's leading broadband experts, the California Broadband Council, the California Emerging Technology Fund, and the UC Riverside Center for Broadband Policy to make sure every person in every corner of California is connected to the internet and has the skills necessary to be able to fully participate in the 21st century economy.