Raymond Riehle

[{"question": "Ballotpedia survey responses", "answer_html": "<p>See also: <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a></p>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Raymond Riehle completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Riehle's responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-353721-2026-04-29\" id=\"heading-bio-353721-2026-04-29\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-353721-2026-04-29\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-353721-2026-04-29\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho are you? Tell us about yourself.\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-bio-353721-2026-04-29\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-353721-2026-04-29\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tRay Riehle is a lifelong Northern California resident and proud small business owner of A-Applied Marketing Solutions, a printing and marketing company he has built and operated for over 35 years. For the past decade, he has served on the Citrus Heights Water District Board of Directors, where he has worked tirelessly to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable water for families today and for generations to come.\r\n<p>A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and an active Rotarian, Ray has also served his community through the local Chamber of Commerce and on a school bond oversight committee. Ray and his wife Diane, they are blessed with six children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.\r\n</p><p>Ray is the Republican candidate for Congress in California’s 4th District. He is running to put California families first by fighting federal overreach, slashing burdensome taxes and regulations, and delivering real results on the issues that matter most: safe streets, affordable and reliable energy and water, secure borders, a strong national defense, and an education system rooted in school choice and the fundamentals of reading, writing, and arithmetic.\r\n</p>\nRay is committed to restoring the American Dream so that the next generation enjoys the same abundance of opportunity, freedom, and prosperity that he has been fortunate to experience.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-353721-2026-04-29\" id=\"heading-key-message-353721-2026-04-29\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-353721-2026-04-29\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-353721-2026-04-29\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tPlease list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-353721-2026-04-29\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-353721-2026-04-29\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>A free markets economy, limited government, and pro-growth policies will unleash prosperity. Cut wasteful federal spending and burdensome regulations, deliver broad tax relief, achieve energy dominance, and protect workers and farmers from unfair foreign competition.\r\n<p>Government’s proper role is to get out of the way so families, small businesses, and entrepreneurs can thrive. Fight inflation with spending cuts and oppose new taxes including federal gas tax increases. Bring fiscal accountability by cutting bloated programs. \r\n</p>\nEffective financial management will, support agriculture and manufacturing, create good-paying jobs, lower costs for food, energy, housing, and deliver economic opportunity to all Americans</li><li>We must rebuild and modernize aging infrastructure to deliver safe, reliable services for every family and business.\r\nWe need a positive, results-driven plan that includes major investments in water storage and delivery systems, levee strengthening, road and bridge repairs, and wildfire resilience through smart forest management and fuel reduction, with broadband brought to every part of the district.\r\n\r\nMoney will be spent with strict accountability, streamlined permitting, and local priorities based on a thoughtful community needs assessment. We will restore strong infrastructure, reduce wildfire risk, secure clean water, and create a stronger, more resilient future for our communities.</li><li>Median home prices in CA-4 exceed local wages in most areas. Regulatory requirements, population growth, and wildfire recovery have limited housing supply making it difficult for families, young workers, and lower income workers the opportunity to find comfortable homes near their jobs.\r\n\r\nI will support reforms to reduce federal permitting delays, including the SPEED Act. I will also work to expand tax incentives for new construction. These steps will help increase housing supply without expanding government programs.\r\nThe goal is to improve housing availability and affordability for residents throughout the district.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-353721-2026-04-29\" id=\"heading1-353721-2026-04-29\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-353721-2026-04-29\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-353721-2026-04-29\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-353721-2026-04-29\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-353721-2026-04-29\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tEconomic Opportunity, Infrastructure, Water, Energy, Public Safety, National Security, Education, Healthcare\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-353721-2026-04-29\" id=\"heading2-353721-2026-04-29\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-353721-2026-04-29\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-353721-2026-04-29\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading2-353721-2026-04-29\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-353721-2026-04-29\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tReform California - (www.reformcalifornia.org/voter-guides/california) <br/>\n<p>Sacramento County Republican Central Committee - (www.saccountygop.com/)<br/>\r\nPlacer County Republican Central Committee - (placergop.org/)<br/>\r\nYolo County Republican Central Committee - (yologop.net/)<br/>\r\nNorth Bay Young Republicans - (www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576007862153)<br/>\r\nColusa County GOP - (www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=615752453736) or Colusa - GOP ​(Via CALGOP)<br/>\r\nLincoln Hills Republican Club - (https://www.republicanclubsclh.org/)<br/><br/>\r\nJohn McGinnis - Retired Sherriff / Radio Host<br/>\r\nRoger Niello - State Senator<br/>\r\nJosh Hoover - State Assemblyman<br/>\r\nDoug Ose - Former Congressman<br/>\r\nKelly Brothers - Business Owner<br/>\r\nCaryl Sheehan - CHWD<br/>\n</p>\nDavid Wheaton - CHWD\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.</i></p></div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"></div>\n<p>Raymond Riehle did not complete <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection</a> survey.\n</p>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nRaymond Riehle completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Riehle's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. Ray Riehle is a lifelong Northern California resident and proud small business owner of A-Applied Marketing Solutions, a printing and marketing company he has built and operated for over 35 years. For the past decade, he has served on the Citrus Heights Water District Board of Directors, where he has worked tirelessly to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable water for families today and for generations to come. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and an active Rotarian, Ray has also served his community through the local Chamber of Commerce and on a school bond oversight committee. Ray and his wife Diane, they are blessed with six children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Ray is the Republican candidate for Congress in California’s 4th District. He is running to put California families first by fighting federal overreach, slashing burdensome taxes and regulations, and delivering real results on the issues that matter most: safe streets, affordable and reliable energy and water, secure borders, a strong national defense, and an education system rooted in school choice and the fundamentals of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Ray is committed to restoring the American Dream so that the next generation enjoys the same abundance of opportunity, freedom, and prosperity that he has been fortunate to experience. Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? A free markets economy, limited government, and pro-growth policies will unleash prosperity. Cut wasteful federal spending and burdensome regulations, deliver broad tax relief, achieve energy dominance, and protect workers and farmers from unfair foreign competition. Government’s proper role is to get out of the way so families, small businesses, and entrepreneurs can thrive. Fight inflation with spending cuts and oppose new taxes including federal gas tax increases. Bring fiscal accountability by cutting bloated programs. Effective financial management will, support agriculture and manufacturing, create good-paying jobs, lower costs for food, energy, housing, and deliver economic opportunity to all Americans We must rebuild and modernize aging infrastructure to deliver safe, reliable services for every family and business.\r\nWe need a positive, results-driven plan that includes major investments in water storage and delivery systems, levee strengthening, road and bridge repairs, and wildfire resilience through smart forest management and fuel reduction, with broadband brought to every part of the district.\r\n\r\nMoney will be spent with strict accountability, streamlined permitting, and local priorities based on a thoughtful community needs assessment. We will restore strong infrastructure, reduce wildfire risk, secure clean water, and create a stronger, more resilient future for our communities. Median home prices in CA-4 exceed local wages in most areas. Regulatory requirements, population growth, and wildfire recovery have limited housing supply making it difficult for families, young workers, and lower income workers the opportunity to find comfortable homes near their jobs.\r\n\r\nI will support reforms to reduce federal permitting delays, including the SPEED Act. I will also work to expand tax incentives for new construction. These steps will help increase housing supply without expanding government programs.\r\nThe goal is to improve housing availability and affordability for residents throughout the district. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Economic Opportunity, Infrastructure, Water, Energy, Public Safety, National Security, Education, Healthcare What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign? Reform California - (www.reformcalifornia.org/voter-guides/california) Sacramento County Republican Central Committee - (www.saccountygop.com/) Placer County Republican Central Committee - (placergop.org/) Yolo County Republican Central Committee - (yologop.net/) North Bay Young Republicans - (www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576007862153) Colusa County GOP - (www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=615752453736) or Colusa - GOP ​(Via CALGOP) Lincoln Hills Republican Club - (https://www.republicanclubsclh.org/) John McGinnis - Retired Sherriff / Radio Host Roger Niello - State Senator Josh Hoover - State Assemblyman Doug Ose - Former Congressman Kelly Brothers - Business Owner Caryl Sheehan - CHWD David Wheaton - CHWD\nNote: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.\n\nRaymond Riehle did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey."}, {"question": "Campaign website", "answer_html": "<p>Riehle’s campaign website stated the following:\n</p>\n<div style=\"height:400px;overflow:scroll;border:1px solid gray;margin:20px;padding:10px;\">\n<table data-nosnippet=\"\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none;background-color: transparent; auto; ;\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"border:none; color:#B2B7F2;font-size:35px;font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: left; padding: 10px 3px;\" valign=\"top\" width=\"20\">“\n</td>\n<td style=\"border: none; padding: 4px 10px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p><b><u>Ask yourself three questions:</u></b>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Are you better off today than you were 10 years ago?</li>\n<li>Is California better off today than it was 10 years ago?</li>\n<li>Is the Nation better off today than it was even 3 years ago?</li></ul>\n<p>Committees of the U.S. Congress / Congress.gov / Library of Congress websites show the current list of Standing Committees, Sub-Committees, Select Committees, Joint Committees, Special Committees, and Archived Committees.\n</p><p>There are many laws and policies that pass through each of these committees. \n</p><p>Ray has identified 7 areas he thinks are important to most Californians. They are all important, but he has laid them out in the order he finds most compelling. Please let Ray know what YOU think is most important, and WHY.\n</p>\n<ol><li>Economy</li>\n<li>Public Safety</li>\n<li>Education</li>\n<li>Healthcare</li>\n<li>Infrastructure</li>\n<li>National Security</li>\n<li>Government Accountability</li></ol>\n<p><b>ECONOMY</b><br/>\n</p>\n<dl><dd>Ray believes in free markets and the opportunity to create new businesses without unnecessary government interference. As your U.S. Representative, he will fight for policies that grow the economy and create good-paying jobs. He opposes policies that drive up inflation, hurt small businesses, and push companies out of California. Free markets are the best way to create prosperity for all Americans.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>INFLATION</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>Out of control spending supported by Bera/Biden/Pelosi has caused the inflation crisis. Ray will work for fiscal accountability to manage spending and debt by targeting bloated and unnecessary federal programs. Congress must work to reduce the costs of food, energy, and shelter for all Americans.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>Here is a link to the Consumer Price Index - this graph shows the inflation rate (as a percent change between two time periods - typically measured yearly).</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY</b><br/></dd>\n<dd><u>Defined:</u> Support from society that is given to individuals to help them live their best lives.</dd>\n<dd><u>Examples:</u> Economic Growth, Fair Compensation, Education, Employment, Free Markets, Affordable Housing, etc.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>Ray supports policies that grow economic opportunity for all Americans. Congress must prioritize economic opportunity to help all Americans live in abundance.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>TAXES</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>The Federal Government has taken in $4,444,000.000 but spent $6,130,000,000. Bera/Biden/Pelosi have created a money management problem. Ray will oppose any new taxes until we have a real understanding of how our money is spent. He will oppose any attempts to increase the federal gas tax, and will work to restore the state and local tax (SALT) and mortgage interest deductions (MID). Tax relief means no federal gas tax and protecting the mortgage interest deduction.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>Here is a link to US Fiscal Report - this report shows how much money the Federal Government has brought in (revenue) and how much has been spent (expenses).</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>JOBS</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>Ray supports policies that create and support jobs for all Americans. This includes supporting educational programs and trade schools as well as policies that support good-paying jobs.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>SOCIAL SECURITY</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>The Federal Government has no right to borrow money from Social Security. Hard working Americans have contributed to Social Security and often depend on it in retirement. Ray will support policies that protect this investment for all Americans.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>AGRICULTURE</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>Ray supports American Agriculture. We must continue to support \"home grown\" agriculture to lower our dependence on foreign food sources.</dd></dl>\n<p><b>PUBLIC SAFETY</b><br/>\nAll Americans deserve to feel safe in their homes and communities. Ray supports policies that will help to keep all individuals safe.\n</p>\n<dl><dd><b>HOMELESSNESS</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>The US Congress has failed to implement effective policies for supporting the homeless population across the United States. The Housing First Policy fails to provide the homeless population with the support they need to effectively reintegrate into society. Ray supports the implementation of effective processes to address the root cause of each homelessness situation. The solution to this problem is not to continue to fund housing placement for individuals who need more help than just a place to live. Ray supports programs that treat mental illness.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>CRIME</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>Americans shouldn’t worry about understaffed police and emergency medical services due to a lack of funding on an overstressed system. Businesses shouldn't worry about being the target of \"smash-and-grab\" incidents. Families shouldn't worry about the potential impact of drugs making their way into their lives. Ray supports policies that are tough on crime and fund our public safety services (police, fire, and emergency medical services).</dd></dl>\n<p><b>EDUCATION</b><br/>\nEvery child deserves a world-class education that prepares them for success and satisfaction in life. \n</p>\n<dl><dd><b>PARENTAL RIGHTS</b><br/></dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>Parents are the first teachers of their children and in almost every case, they know what is best for their children. To that end, parents have the right to participate in and direct the education of their children. They have the right to know what their children are being taught and know how well the schools are performing. Parents should have easy access to the school budget to evaluate how tax dollars are spent. Education options should include Charter Schools.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>TRADE SCHOOLS</b><br/></dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>We need to encourage trade schools as much as we encourage college degrees. Without the trades, this great nation will fade away as machines and infrastructure fail. It is hard work that should be encouraged and rewarded. Ray will support policies that encourage the completion of trade school</dd></dl>\n<p><b>HEALTHCARE</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Medicare</li>\n<li>Obamacare</li></ul>\n<p><b>INFRASTRUCTURE</b><br/>\nInfrastructure includes the basic facilities, services, and installations needed for a functioning community. Transportation systems, communications systems, water systems, and energy systems all serve to provide the goods and services we need to support private enterprise and public institutions. We must plan on how we will maintain our infrastructure for the next 50 to 100 years.\n</p>\n<dl><dd>​Ray includes the following key areas in any discussion about infrastructure.\n<ul><li>Energy (see the Energy Issues page)</li>\n<li>Water (see below)</li>\n<li>Transportation</li>\n<li>Forest Policy</li></ul></dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>WATER</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>In CA6, we need more storage of surface water and more storage in ground water. In spite of drought, we don’t have a water supply problem, we have a water management problem. Ray can find solutions that will make our water supply plentiful for the environment, farms, and residential/business uses.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>Good Water Policy</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>My experience with infrastructure repair comes from my time on the Citrus Heights Water District (CHWD) Board of Directors. The district has been well managed for many years and is not facing any significant infrastructure issues. In fact, we are approaching the end of a 25 year plan to maintain the existing infrastructure.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>In the Citrus Heights Water District (CHWD) there is approximately $650 million dollars of water pipe in the ground. If the pipe has a life expectancy of approximately 70 years, that means we need to replace just over $9 million dollars of pipe every year to maintain the system and ensure water is delivered to our customers. To that end, the Citrus Heights Water District (CHWD) Board of Directors put together Project 2030. This is a 50 year plan to maintain the critical infrastructure and ensure that future generations will not face a catastrophic failure of their water delivery system.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>California's Failing Infrastructure</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>There is a list and plan available (downloaded and linked here from ca.gov) called the California Five-Year Infrastructure Plan that is a very detailed and fails to address the most important, immediate, and critical issues facing the state.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>On page 23:</dd>\n<dd><i>“Historically, due to budget constraints and other fiscal challenges, the state has not consistently funded either the cost of maintaining its new capital investments or the deferred maintenance on existing infrastructure. Although billions of dollars have been invested in the construction of new state facilities over the past decade, permanent funds have not been made available to maintain existing facilities. The reported statewide deferred maintenance need is $84.2 billion, as shown in the Identified Statewide Deferred Maintenance figure Since 2015, approximately $4.1 billion ($3.2 billion General Fund, $872 million Proposition 98 General Fund, $29 million Proposition 68 bond funds, and $18 million Motor Vehicle Account) has been allocated to address the most critical statewide deferred maintenance projects. The Administration continues its commitment to addressing infrastructure deficiencies by allocating one-time resources of $409.4 million ($300.7 million General Fund and $108.7 million Proposition 98 General Fund) in the Budget to statewide deferred maintenance needs.”</i></dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>This legislature and administration think that $4.1 billion spent over 7 years (roughly $586 Million Dollars per year) is sufficient while $20 Billion is going to the projects listed in the Five Year Plan. They are wrong. $586,000,000 is only 0.69% of what is needed for deferred maintenance. At the proposed rate of repair, it will take somewhere around 150 years to complete the projects. Of course, that doesn’t consider that some repairs will need to be completed sooner because of dam, bridge, or road failures requiring immediate attention at a much higher cost. Examples of costly repairs after system failures are the Oroville Dam failure in February of 2017 am the flooding of Pauley Pavilion at UCLA in July of 2014. How many events like these will it take before the state and federal government leaders take infrastructure maintenance and repair seriously?</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>The Importance of Understanding Big Numbers</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>Many people have a difficult time understanding big numbers. The state legislature, governor’s office, and federal government are willfully blind to the difference between thousands, millions, billions, and trillions because these numbers tell a story that doesn’t suit the narrative that infrastructure is not a problem. I’ve included a presentation called \"12 Zeros 2022\". It takes a bit of time to go through, but to appreciate the magnitude of the problem it is critical to understand how big numbers impact the real cost and timing of deferred maintenance of our infrastructure.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>TRANSPORTATION</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>Ray believes transportation is key to supporting Americans in their jobs and day-to-day lives. Supporting programs to build and maintain roads, rails, airports, and public transit is essential to keep Americans moving!</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>FOREST POLICY</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>Good Forest Policy should help prevent wildfires and landslides. We must maintain our forests to help preserve the landscape for future generations and keep our communities safe. Wildfires and landslides have a significant impact on the environment and we need to do what we can to prevent these impacts.</dd></dl>\n<p><b>NATIONAL SECURITY</b><br/>\nRay defines National Security as \"the safety of a nation against threats to its citizens, economy, and borders.\" As a congressperson, one of Ray's most important jobs will be to ensure our national security.​\n</p>\n<dl><dd><b>IMMIGRATION</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>With a combination of pragmatism and understanding I will seek a solution that ensures our national security and that those who want to come to the United States for a better life have that opportunity.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>Addressing immigration issues requires a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to the problem. We must respect the rule of law and national security first. Economic, social, and humanitarian factors will be considered as we uphold the principles of justice and compassion.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>Policies that bring families together and offer employment opportunities are of primary importance. Streamlining the bureaucratic processes involved in legal immigration will create a more efficient immigration system that offers equal opportunities to everyone seeking to come to the USA. We must effectively manage border crossings.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>A major goal of the policies is to reduce unlawful immigration at the border. At the same time, we must be aware of and manage individuals who arrive in the United States legally and overstay their visas.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>A thoughtful approach to immigration policy will benefit legal immigrants and enrich the nation.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd>Please send your thoughts on immigration reform to ray@rayriehle.com</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>NATIONAL DEFENSE</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>National Defense includes ensuring the United States has the resources to support essential defense, industrial, and military emergency requirements to protect citizens and the economy from foreign military or economic threats. Ray takes a firm stance on \"America First\" policies to ensure our defense. We can be of no help to our Allies if we do not first ensure our safety.</dd></dl>\n<dl><dd><b>MILITARY &amp; VETERANS</b><br/></dd>\n<dd>Ensuring the mental and physical health of our active military and veterans is key to National Security. We must continue to invest in programs to ensure our military personnel and veterans are well taken care of.</dd></dl>\n<p><b>GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY</b><br/>\nRay believes Government Accountability to be one of the most important jobs of any member of Congress. The United States government is accountable to its citizens regarding spending and no policy should be put in place that infringes on the rights granted by the Constitution.\n</p>\n<ul><li>Deficit/Debt</li>\n<li>Policies<sup class=\"reference\" id=\"cite_ref-quotedisclaimer_16-0\"><a href=\"#cite_note-quotedisclaimer-16\">[16]</a></sup></li></ul>\n</td>\n<td style=\"border: none; color: #B2B7F2; font-size: 35px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: right; padding: 10px 1px;\" valign=\"bottom\" width=\"20\">”\n</td></tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"cquotecite\" colspan=\"3\" style=\"border: none; padding-right: 4%\"><cite style=\"font-style: normal;font-size: smaller; float: right;\">—Raymond Riehle’s campaign website (2024)<sup class=\"reference\" id=\"cite_ref-17\"><a href=\"#cite_note-17\">[17]</a></sup></cite>\n</td></tr></tbody></table>\n</div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"></div>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Raymond Riehle completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Riehle's responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-120363-2022-06-04\" id=\"heading-bio-120363-2022-06-04\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-120363-2022-06-04\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-120363-2022-06-04\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho are you? Tell us about yourself.\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-bio-120363-2022-06-04\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-120363-2022-06-04\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tRay has lived in the newly drawn Assembly District 7 for most of his life. He has owned A-Applied Mailing Service for 30 years. ​A-Applied Mailing Service is a small business that offers direct mail services. \r\n<p>Ray attended public schools and after graduating from San Juan High School attended the University of Notre Dame and graduated with a BA in History. \r\n</p><p>Post college and before he became business owner, he worked for Nimbus Medical, Inc. Nimbus was a medical device company developing a type of artificial heart called the \"Hemopump\". \r\n</p><p>Ray has raised 4 children who went to local public schools. He is active in the Rotary Club, Local Chamber of Commerce, and Toastmasters and he served on the local school district Bond Oversight Committee. \r\n</p><p>For 7 years he has served as an elected board member of the Citrus Heights Water District. As a Board Member, Ray has worked with the other board members and with staff on the development of annual budgets and several significant projects. The most important project has been a long-term water main replacement program. The pipes that deliver water to customers have a limited life expectancy. By looking ahead 50 to 70 years, the CHWD will ensure that safe and affordable water will be available for future generations. \r\n</p>\n Ray’s experiences as a business owner, community leader, and Water Board Member have prepared him to be a thoughtful and effective member of the state legislature.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-120363-2022-06-04\" id=\"heading-key-message-120363-2022-06-04\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-120363-2022-06-04\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-120363-2022-06-04\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tPlease list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-120363-2022-06-04\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-120363-2022-06-04\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>Public Safety is the foundation of a civil society. We must ensure that Law Enforcement has the resources to protect the public.</li><li>We all have a real interest in the success of every student. Every child deserves an effective education that prepares them for college or a vocational training.</li><li>The key to a great California is economic growth and job creation. One of the most important jobs of the legislature is to focus on issues that impact economic recovery and job creation. \tTaxes, fees, and assessments must be low, fair, stable, predictable. \tRestore control of economic development tools to local government.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-120363-2022-06-04\" id=\"heading1-120363-2022-06-04\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-120363-2022-06-04\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-120363-2022-06-04\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-120363-2022-06-04\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-120363-2022-06-04\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tWater<br/><br/>\n<p>There have been no new dams built in the last 50 years. In 2014, Proposition 1 was passed by a 2-1 margin authorizing the construction of new water storage and a more effective conveyance infrastructure. It included $2.7 Billion for water storage, dams, and reservoir projects. Since it was passed, we have gone though one severe drought and are now in a second with not one drop of new water storage built. The will of the people has been thwarted by a bureaucracy that blatantly follows their own agenda while ignoring state laws.<br/><br/>\r\nEvery decision the state makes includes unfunded mandates on water districts which always leads to rate increases. AB 1668 and SB 660 were passed in May of 2018. These laws force the people to reduce water consumption to 50 gals per day by 2030. Water agencies will be responsible for ensuring that the overall water consumption meets he requirements. Water agencies will have to create water budgets for their customers. The costs of creating the water budgets will be borne by the customers. The exact process for creating a water budget is undefined. “Just Do It” is a great slogan for Nike. It doesn’t work quite as well when it is the direction coming from the state setting policies and procedures that impact 40,000,000 people.<br/><br/>\n</p>\nIf we had a more robust water supply (more dams) we could meet the demands for agricultural, municipal, and environmental uses. Without new supply, the state will not be able to provide the water we need.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-120363-2022-06-04\" id=\"heading2-120363-2022-06-04\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-120363-2022-06-04\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-120363-2022-06-04\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat was your very first job? How long did you have it?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading2-120363-2022-06-04\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-120363-2022-06-04\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tMy first job was cutting the grass. I'm still doing it today. <br/><br/>\n<p>My first paying job was delivering newspapers. <br/><br/>\r\nThrough high school and college, I worked at a veterinary clinic as an assistant in the rooms and also in surgery. In college I worked in an encephalitis research lab mostly taking care of the laboratory animals. I also worked a couple of summers in a lumber yard.<br/><br/>\r\nAfter college, I took a job at Nimbus Medical, Inc., a medical device company that was developing an artificial heart. I was responsible for managing the laboratory space to allow the engineers to run a variety of experiments and tests on the devices. My experience as a veterinary technician was important because we were doing pre-clinical animal tests of the device. Being comfortable in a surgical setting was critical for the job.<br/><br/>\r\nMy experience in the animal studies allowed me to be the prime author of the directions for use. Before the FDA gave approval for human trials, thousands of pages of data, protocols, procedures, informed consent, the directions for use, and manufacturing drawings and product details were submitted and reviewed.<br/><br/>\r\nAfter the device was approve for use in people, I became one of the trainers. I worked with physicians, nurses, and technicians teaching them how to set up and run the device. My part of the training class was about 4 hours of class work and hands on set-up and operations of the device. We also trained hospital staff on how to fill out and collect the necessary data to support the clinical trial.<br/><br/>\r\nAs the trial moved forward, I had additional responsivities of reviewing and auditing patient data to ensure that the reports to the FDA were complete and accurate.<br/><br/>\r\nI worked at Nimbus for 6 years. When the device was sold, I worked 2 years as a part-time consultant for J&amp;J and later Medtronic.<br/><br/>\n</p>\nAfter Nimbus sold the device, I became a business owner and have spent the last 30 years as the owner of A-Applied Mailing Service.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.</i></p></div>", "answer_text": "Riehle’s campaign website stated the following:\n“ Ask yourself three questions: Are you better off today than you were 10 years ago? Is California better off today than it was 10 years ago? Is the Nation better off today than it was even 3 years ago? Committees of the U.S. Congress / Congress.gov / Library of Congress websites show the current list of Standing Committees, Sub-Committees, Select Committees, Joint Committees, Special Committees, and Archived Committees. There are many laws and policies that pass through each of these committees. Ray has identified 7 areas he thinks are important to most Californians. They are all important, but he has laid them out in the order he finds most compelling. Please let Ray know what YOU think is most important, and WHY. Economy Public Safety Education Healthcare Infrastructure National Security Government Accountability ECONOMY Ray believes in free markets and the opportunity to create new businesses without unnecessary government interference. As your U.S. Representative, he will fight for policies that grow the economy and create good-paying jobs. He opposes policies that drive up inflation, hurt small businesses, and push companies out of California. Free markets are the best way to create prosperity for all Americans. INFLATION Out of control spending supported by Bera/Biden/Pelosi has caused the inflation crisis. Ray will work for fiscal accountability to manage spending and debt by targeting bloated and unnecessary federal programs. Congress must work to reduce the costs of food, energy, and shelter for all Americans. Here is a link to the Consumer Price Index - this graph shows the inflation rate (as a percent change between two time periods - typically measured yearly). ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY Defined: Support from society that is given to individuals to help them live their best lives. Examples: Economic Growth, Fair Compensation, Education, Employment, Free Markets, Affordable Housing, etc. Ray supports policies that grow economic opportunity for all Americans. Congress must prioritize economic opportunity to help all Americans live in abundance. TAXES The Federal Government has taken in $4,444,000.000 but spent $6,130,000,000. Bera/Biden/Pelosi have created a money management problem. Ray will oppose any new taxes until we have a real understanding of how our money is spent. He will oppose any attempts to increase the federal gas tax, and will work to restore the state and local tax (SALT) and mortgage interest deductions (MID). Tax relief means no federal gas tax and protecting the mortgage interest deduction. Here is a link to US Fiscal Report - this report shows how much money the Federal Government has brought in (revenue) and how much has been spent (expenses). JOBS Ray supports policies that create and support jobs for all Americans. This includes supporting educational programs and trade schools as well as policies that support good-paying jobs. SOCIAL SECURITY The Federal Government has no right to borrow money from Social Security. Hard working Americans have contributed to Social Security and often depend on it in retirement. Ray will support policies that protect this investment for all Americans. AGRICULTURE Ray supports American Agriculture. We must continue to support \"home grown\" agriculture to lower our dependence on foreign food sources. PUBLIC SAFETY All Americans deserve to feel safe in their homes and communities. Ray supports policies that will help to keep all individuals safe. HOMELESSNESS The US Congress has failed to implement effective policies for supporting the homeless population across the United States. The Housing First Policy fails to provide the homeless population with the support they need to effectively reintegrate into society. Ray supports the implementation of effective processes to address the root cause of each homelessness situation. The solution to this problem is not to continue to fund housing placement for individuals who need more help than just a place to live. Ray supports programs that treat mental illness. CRIME Americans shouldn’t worry about understaffed police and emergency medical services due to a lack of funding on an overstressed system. Businesses shouldn't worry about being the target of \"smash-and-grab\" incidents. Families shouldn't worry about the potential impact of drugs making their way into their lives. Ray supports policies that are tough on crime and fund our public safety services (police, fire, and emergency medical services). EDUCATION Every child deserves a world-class education that prepares them for success and satisfaction in life. PARENTAL RIGHTS Parents are the first teachers of their children and in almost every case, they know what is best for their children. To that end, parents have the right to participate in and direct the education of their children. They have the right to know what their children are being taught and know how well the schools are performing. Parents should have easy access to the school budget to evaluate how tax dollars are spent. Education options should include Charter Schools. TRADE SCHOOLS We need to encourage trade schools as much as we encourage college degrees. Without the trades, this great nation will fade away as machines and infrastructure fail. It is hard work that should be encouraged and rewarded. Ray will support policies that encourage the completion of trade school HEALTHCARE Medicare Obamacare INFRASTRUCTURE Infrastructure includes the basic facilities, services, and installations needed for a functioning community. Transportation systems, communications systems, water systems, and energy systems all serve to provide the goods and services we need to support private enterprise and public institutions. We must plan on how we will maintain our infrastructure for the next 50 to 100 years. ​Ray includes the following key areas in any discussion about infrastructure. Energy (see the Energy Issues page) Water (see below) Transportation Forest Policy WATER In CA6, we need more storage of surface water and more storage in ground water. In spite of drought, we don’t have a water supply problem, we have a water management problem. Ray can find solutions that will make our water supply plentiful for the environment, farms, and residential/business uses. Good Water Policy My experience with infrastructure repair comes from my time on the Citrus Heights Water District (CHWD) Board of Directors. The district has been well managed for many years and is not facing any significant infrastructure issues. In fact, we are approaching the end of a 25 year plan to maintain the existing infrastructure. In the Citrus Heights Water District (CHWD) there is approximately $650 million dollars of water pipe in the ground. If the pipe has a life expectancy of approximately 70 years, that means we need to replace just over $9 million dollars of pipe every year to maintain the system and ensure water is delivered to our customers. To that end, the Citrus Heights Water District (CHWD) Board of Directors put together Project 2030. This is a 50 year plan to maintain the critical infrastructure and ensure that future generations will not face a catastrophic failure of their water delivery system. California's Failing Infrastructure There is a list and plan available (downloaded and linked here from ca.gov) called the California Five-Year Infrastructure Plan that is a very detailed and fails to address the most important, immediate, and critical issues facing the state. On page 23: “Historically, due to budget constraints and other fiscal challenges, the state has not consistently funded either the cost of maintaining its new capital investments or the deferred maintenance on existing infrastructure. Although billions of dollars have been invested in the construction of new state facilities over the past decade, permanent funds have not been made available to maintain existing facilities. The reported statewide deferred maintenance need is $84.2 billion, as shown in the Identified Statewide Deferred Maintenance figure Since 2015, approximately $4.1 billion ($3.2 billion General Fund, $872 million Proposition 98 General Fund, $29 million Proposition 68 bond funds, and $18 million Motor Vehicle Account) has been allocated to address the most critical statewide deferred maintenance projects. The Administration continues its commitment to addressing infrastructure deficiencies by allocating one-time resources of $409.4 million ($300.7 million General Fund and $108.7 million Proposition 98 General Fund) in the Budget to statewide deferred maintenance needs.” This legislature and administration think that $4.1 billion spent over 7 years (roughly $586 Million Dollars per year) is sufficient while $20 Billion is going to the projects listed in the Five Year Plan. They are wrong. $586,000,000 is only 0.69% of what is needed for deferred maintenance. At the proposed rate of repair, it will take somewhere around 150 years to complete the projects. Of course, that doesn’t consider that some repairs will need to be completed sooner because of dam, bridge, or road failures requiring immediate attention at a much higher cost. Examples of costly repairs after system failures are the Oroville Dam failure in February of 2017 am the flooding of Pauley Pavilion at UCLA in July of 2014. How many events like these will it take before the state and federal government leaders take infrastructure maintenance and repair seriously? The Importance of Understanding Big Numbers Many people have a difficult time understanding big numbers. The state legislature, governor’s office, and federal government are willfully blind to the difference between thousands, millions, billions, and trillions because these numbers tell a story that doesn’t suit the narrative that infrastructure is not a problem. I’ve included a presentation called \"12 Zeros 2022\". It takes a bit of time to go through, but to appreciate the magnitude of the problem it is critical to understand how big numbers impact the real cost and timing of deferred maintenance of our infrastructure. TRANSPORTATION Ray believes transportation is key to supporting Americans in their jobs and day-to-day lives. Supporting programs to build and maintain roads, rails, airports, and public transit is essential to keep Americans moving! FOREST POLICY Good Forest Policy should help prevent wildfires and landslides. We must maintain our forests to help preserve the landscape for future generations and keep our communities safe. Wildfires and landslides have a significant impact on the environment and we need to do what we can to prevent these impacts. NATIONAL SECURITY Ray defines National Security as \"the safety of a nation against threats to its citizens, economy, and borders.\" As a congressperson, one of Ray's most important jobs will be to ensure our national security.​ IMMIGRATION With a combination of pragmatism and understanding I will seek a solution that ensures our national security and that those who want to come to the United States for a better life have that opportunity. Addressing immigration issues requires a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to the problem. We must respect the rule of law and national security first. Economic, social, and humanitarian factors will be considered as we uphold the principles of justice and compassion. Policies that bring families together and offer employment opportunities are of primary importance. Streamlining the bureaucratic processes involved in legal immigration will create a more efficient immigration system that offers equal opportunities to everyone seeking to come to the USA. We must effectively manage border crossings. A major goal of the policies is to reduce unlawful immigration at the border. At the same time, we must be aware of and manage individuals who arrive in the United States legally and overstay their visas. A thoughtful approach to immigration policy will benefit legal immigrants and enrich the nation. Please send your thoughts on immigration reform to ray@rayriehle.com NATIONAL DEFENSE National Defense includes ensuring the United States has the resources to support essential defense, industrial, and military emergency requirements to protect citizens and the economy from foreign military or economic threats. Ray takes a firm stance on \"America First\" policies to ensure our defense. We can be of no help to our Allies if we do not first ensure our safety. MILITARY & VETERANS Ensuring the mental and physical health of our active military and veterans is key to National Security. We must continue to invest in programs to ensure our military personnel and veterans are well taken care of. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY Ray believes Government Accountability to be one of the most important jobs of any member of Congress. The United States government is accountable to its citizens regarding spending and no policy should be put in place that infringes on the rights granted by the Constitution. Deficit/Debt Policies [16] ” —Raymond Riehle’s campaign website (2024) [17]\n\n\nRaymond Riehle completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Riehle's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. Ray has lived in the newly drawn Assembly District 7 for most of his life. He has owned A-Applied Mailing Service for 30 years. ​A-Applied Mailing Service is a small business that offers direct mail services. Ray attended public schools and after graduating from San Juan High School attended the University of Notre Dame and graduated with a BA in History. Post college and before he became business owner, he worked for Nimbus Medical, Inc. Nimbus was a medical device company developing a type of artificial heart called the \"Hemopump\". Ray has raised 4 children who went to local public schools. He is active in the Rotary Club, Local Chamber of Commerce, and Toastmasters and he served on the local school district Bond Oversight Committee. For 7 years he has served as an elected board member of the Citrus Heights Water District. As a Board Member, Ray has worked with the other board members and with staff on the development of annual budgets and several significant projects. The most important project has been a long-term water main replacement program. The pipes that deliver water to customers have a limited life expectancy. By looking ahead 50 to 70 years, the CHWD will ensure that safe and affordable water will be available for future generations. Ray’s experiences as a business owner, community leader, and Water Board Member have prepared him to be a thoughtful and effective member of the state legislature. Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? Public Safety is the foundation of a civil society. We must ensure that Law Enforcement has the resources to protect the public. We all have a real interest in the success of every student. Every child deserves an effective education that prepares them for college or a vocational training. The key to a great California is economic growth and job creation. One of the most important jobs of the legislature is to focus on issues that impact economic recovery and job creation. \tTaxes, fees, and assessments must be low, fair, stable, predictable. \tRestore control of economic development tools to local government. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Water There have been no new dams built in the last 50 years. In 2014, Proposition 1 was passed by a 2-1 margin authorizing the construction of new water storage and a more effective conveyance infrastructure. It included $2.7 Billion for water storage, dams, and reservoir projects. Since it was passed, we have gone though one severe drought and are now in a second with not one drop of new water storage built. The will of the people has been thwarted by a bureaucracy that blatantly follows their own agenda while ignoring state laws. Every decision the state makes includes unfunded mandates on water districts which always leads to rate increases. AB 1668 and SB 660 were passed in May of 2018. These laws force the people to reduce water consumption to 50 gals per day by 2030. Water agencies will be responsible for ensuring that the overall water consumption meets he requirements. Water agencies will have to create water budgets for their customers. The costs of creating the water budgets will be borne by the customers. The exact process for creating a water budget is undefined. “Just Do It” is a great slogan for Nike. It doesn’t work quite as well when it is the direction coming from the state setting policies and procedures that impact 40,000,000 people. If we had a more robust water supply (more dams) we could meet the demands for agricultural, municipal, and environmental uses. Without new supply, the state will not be able to provide the water we need. What was your very first job? How long did you have it? My first job was cutting the grass. I'm still doing it today. My first paying job was delivering newspapers. Through high school and college, I worked at a veterinary clinic as an assistant in the rooms and also in surgery. In college I worked in an encephalitis research lab mostly taking care of the laboratory animals. I also worked a couple of summers in a lumber yard. After college, I took a job at Nimbus Medical, Inc., a medical device company that was developing an artificial heart. I was responsible for managing the laboratory space to allow the engineers to run a variety of experiments and tests on the devices. My experience as a veterinary technician was important because we were doing pre-clinical animal tests of the device. Being comfortable in a surgical setting was critical for the job. My experience in the animal studies allowed me to be the prime author of the directions for use. Before the FDA gave approval for human trials, thousands of pages of data, protocols, procedures, informed consent, the directions for use, and manufacturing drawings and product details were submitted and reviewed. After the device was approve for use in people, I became one of the trainers. I worked with physicians, nurses, and technicians teaching them how to set up and run the device. My part of the training class was about 4 hours of class work and hands on set-up and operations of the device. We also trained hospital staff on how to fill out and collect the necessary data to support the clinical trial. As the trial moved forward, I had additional responsivities of reviewing and auditing patient data to ensure that the reports to the FDA were complete and accurate. I worked at Nimbus for 6 years. When the device was sold, I worked 2 years as a part-time consultant for J&J and later Medtronic. After Nimbus sold the device, I became a business owner and have spent the last 30 years as the owner of A-Applied Mailing Service.\nNote: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it."}]