Endorsement: Patrick Lee Gipson for Assembly District 40

Voters in Assembly District 40 have an opportunity in November to improve their representation considerably.

Retired deputy sheriff Patrick Lee Gipson is challenging incumbent Pilar Schiavo, a former union organizer who is rapidly shifting her policy positions to fool voters into believing she now favors getting tough on crime. Voters should not be fooled.

The 40th district encompasses the cities of Santa Clarita, Valencia and Newhall. The boundaries extend north to Castaic and south to Northridge, Granada Hills, Porter Ranch, North Hills and Chatsworth.

Public safety is clearly on the minds of many residents in these communities. Schiavo, who previously was a “defund the police” advocate (literally) and supported Proposition 47 (2014), has now flipped to support Proposition 36 on the November ballot, which would allow state prison sentences for low-level theft and drug crimes. She told our editorial board she changed her position because she has her “finger on the pulse of the community.”

Her finger might be deceiving her on the community’s view of her economic and health care policies. Schiavo told us oil companies are “price gouging” California customers, although California Energy Commission investigations found that the state’s high gasoline prices are the result of state policies. She cited the fluctuating prices she sees personally at one Chatsworth gas station to support her view. Schiavo also said she would favor putting price controls on groceries if there was “price gouging.”

A mainstream understanding of economics would do her well. As explained by economist Christopher Neely, price controls are likely to yield the following results:

• “A government bureaucracy and law enforcement must be funded to enforce the controls.
• Goods and services are allocated inefficiently, both in consumption and production.
• Competition shifts from production to political markets as firms attempt to influence price-setting decisions.
• Widespread evasion of price controls promotes disrespect for the law. “

We don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound good to us.

Schiavo’s shoddy policy judgment goes further.

Schiavo supports a proposal for single-payer health care in California that would replace Medicare and private health insurance and require all California residents to be on the same government insurance plan. Consider how badly California government manages virtually everything, from homelessness to the high-speed rail project. Who could possibly want California state government, as it actually exists, to run your healthcare?

Fortunately, voters in the district have a serious alternative.

The results of the March 5 primary in District 40 were razor-close, with Schiavo edging Gipson 50.2% to 49.8% when all the votes were counted.

Gipson is a longtime district resident who attended Sylmar High and Cal State Northridge, where his three kids are now enrolled. Growing up, his family experienced poverty and even homelessness for a time.

Gipson told us the crime problem in California is contributing to the high cost of insurance, which has become a crisis that is driving businesses out of the state. He said he’d work with insurance companies to see what can be done to mitigate other risk factors, such as fires and land management.

On education policy, Gipson supports recognizes the value of allowing parents to send their kids to the school of their choice, unconstrained by geographical or other bureaucratic boundaries.

Patrick Gipson would bring real-world knowledge and law enforcement experience to the state legislature to shape policy on issues of public safety, homelessness and the high cost of living. He has our endorsement.