Melissa Fox For Assembly

As a middle class homeowner and businesswoman, Melissa knows the financial burden that California’s unfair tax system – including hidden taxes such as increased road tolls, vehicle fees, and college fees and tuition – imposes on middle class families and small businesses.

While our professional politicians in Sacramento have promised to say “No” to taxes, they have said “Yes” again and again to raising the toll road fees, raising the gasoline tax, and raising fees and tuition for our state colleges and universities. These are taxes by another name – and unfairly hit middle class taxpayers and small businesses.

Melissa will fight against any tax, toll or fee increase that unfairly and disproportionately hits our already overburdened small businesses and middle class.

As a member of the Assembly, Melissa will fight for tax fairness –  and make sure that our economy is stimulated by real tax relief for hardworking, overburdened families and the small businesses that are the real creators of jobs and prosperity in our community.

Cuts to public safety affect every one of us.

As the daughter of a former police officer and as a volunteer Ranger with the Orange County Parks Department who trained with the Orange County Sheriff and Fire Departments, Melissa knows the incredible commitment and dedication to duty of Orange County’s public safety officers.

She is just as dedicated to fighting for those who protect us.

Melissa believes that the cuts to our police, sheriff and fire departments are dangerous. We cannot afford these cuts – which put our lives and the lives of our loved ones in danger.

As a member of the Assembly, Melissa will fight for our police, sheriffs, and firefighters and fight to keep all of them on the job.

As a camper, hiker, volunteer Ranger with the Orange County Parks Department, and advocate for new green jobs and new American sources of energy, Melissa knows the need for responsible stewardship of our land, water and air -- not only for all the recreational opportunities we enjoy, but also for our economic wellbeing now and in the future.

Melissa strongly opposes boondoggle government schemes that threaten to destroy our world-class surfing, our watershed, and our beautiful beaches and coastline.

These incredible resources are both a responsibility and a gift. They bring millions of dollars to our community from all over the nation and the world.

They are an essential part of the California Dream.

As a member of the Assembly, Melissa will fight for new local green jobs, the development of new American sources of energy, and responsible stewardship of our natural resources, including our ocean, waves, and beaches.

As the daughter of seniors, and the granddaughter of a wonderful woman who had Alzheimer’s, Melissa knows the special needs – and special gifts – of our senior citizens.

The population of Californians over the age of 60, which was 4.74 million in 2000, is expected to nearly double by 2020.

These senior members of our state and community are among our greatest treasures. They are also one of our greatest responsibilities. For Melissa, respecting and serving our seniors is more than a matter of policy; it is a moral issue. Our character as a community is defined in large part by how we treat those who have served and protected us.

As a member of the Assembly, Melissa will fight for seniors, retirees, their families and their communities.

Melissa believes that seniors deserve peace of mind about their health care and their homes.  She will fight to ensure that seniors obtain the health care they need, are free from abuse and exploitation, and can maintain their independence.

She strongly opposes cuts to home health care. Melissa will fight to ensure that our seniors are not forced from their homes.

As the great-granddaughter of immigrants, Melissa knows the contribution that immigrants from all over the world have made to California and Orange County.

Melissa believes that one of the greatest strengths of our community is its diversity. Orange County is now home to immigrants from every part of the globe, and is a better, more inclusive and more economically powerful place because they have come here to share in our heritage of freedom and to pursue the American Dream.

Melissa also knows that it is essential to our public safety and national security that our borders be secure.

As a member of the Assembly, Melissa will fight for secure borders, responsible, legal immigration, and for the needs of our immigrant communities.

The solution to UC Irvine's budget crisis begins in Sacramento. For too long, our representatives in Sacramento have ignored the interests of UC Irvine, its students, staff and faculty.

UC Irvine is the most prestigious institution of higher learning in Orange County. It is also the County’s third largest employer –  the largest in the District – and the primary engine spurring local economic growth, development, and innovation. Cutting funding for UC Irvine will have a potentially devastating impact on the economic wellbeing of our community.

As the wife of a college teacher who received his Masters and Ph.D. from UC Irvine, Melissa knows the crucial role of UC Irvine in creating jobs, stimulating local business growth, and ensuring a brighter future for Orange County and California.

As a member of the Assembly, Melissa will fight for the students, staff and faculty at UC Irvine.

Our community colleges are crucial gateways to success and prosperity for millions of Californians.

More than any other institution, our community colleges provide the educational opportunities necessary for millions of working and middle class Californians, including adults and returning veterans, to achieve the California Dream. 

In fact, three-quarters of California’s more than 20,000 Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans who are attending college are enrolled in a community college. 

The devastating cuts to California’s community colleges imposed by the state budget have come at exactly the wrong time – when unemployment is rising, veterans are returning home from deployment, and more people are seeking the educational opportunities and workforce training necessary for success in the 21st century. 

As a member of the Assembly, Melissa will fight to improve our community colleges as they work to provide educational and workforce training programs to millions of students.