Please click here to watch a brief video with President Carson

Please allow me a few minutes of your time to say “thank you” for putting your faith and trust in me to lead CSAC for the year. I am grateful, humbled and energized to lead this organization. In county government, every year offers challenges that must be overcome as well as opportunities to make life in California better for the people we serve. I am looking forward to working on behalf of a larger constituency this year.

I recognize my good fortune in coming to this office on the heels of our Immediate Past President, Amador County Supervisor Richard Forster.  Under his leadership, and that of his predecessors, CSAC ‘s reputation as a respected and effective advocate for California’s 58 counties has only been enhanced. I am grateful to them for what they have already accomplished, and I know I can rely on them for their continued advocacy and good counsel.

I also look forward to working closely with the people that are really at the heart of our association—CSAC’s executive leadership and staff. Their effort on behalf of California Counties helps ensure we have the resources we need to accomplish the critical work we do and also helps individual counties maintain the autonomy and local control we need to make the best decisions on behalf of our diverse populations.

This year, we will need every bit of their acumen and expertise as we work to provide more affordable housing; mitigate the impact of the Governor’s recent budget proposal; address the critical need for transportation funding; implement state and local regulations relative to the new status of cannabis; and as we adjust to a new and very different administration in Washington, D.C.

And we will need each of you, because if I have learned anything in my 24 years as a County Supervisor, it’s that the best outcomes happen when you bring people to the table, collaborate, and move forward with unified purpose. As your President, I offer you an open door and an open mind. I look forward to listening to you and discussing issues and solutions with you. At the same time, I call on you to become more engaged with CSAC. Your participation on policy committees, attending meetings and taking courses with the CSAC Institute all serve to strengthen our association.

So let us celebrate the diversity of California’s 58 counties; our vibrant urban centers, the most productive agricultural valley in the world and our hallowed, pristine wilderness landscapes.  But let us not forget that whether we are creating safe communities, maintaining vital infrastructure, providing health care, or protecting our environment, California counties inevitably accomplish much more when we work together and advocate from a unified position. I am honored to serve as your President this year. Together, I know we can accomplish great things for the people of California.