Because We need Congress Focused on the Problems That Matter Most to Us
Sam Liccardo is running for Congress to focus Washington on the big issues like homelessness, crime, and the punishing cost of living. To a Congress that has been called the least productive in decades, Liccardo says “Let’s Get it Done!” on the problems that matter most to the Peninsula, Silicon Valley, and the Coastside.
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Housing Affordability
The high cost of housing is our region’s greatest challenge, one felt intensely by our rent-burdened residents and employers who struggle to hire and retain workers. Congress needs to step up with innovative and cost-effective ideas to address this crisis. I propose authorizing a tax credit to convert underutilized commercial buildings into multifamily housing, creating a federal financing program for backyard homes, adjusting the capital gains tax exemption to boost housing sales inventory, and sensibly restoring the SALT deduction to reduce the tax burden on middle-income homeowners.
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High Cost of Living
The high cost of living weighs heavily on American families, especially in the Bay Area. In Congress, I will work to reduce the bills that most burden families’ budgets. I propose a federal financing program for energy-efficient utilities and risk-reducing retrofits to reduce utility bills and insurance premiums. I support preventing industry consolidation and eliminating agricultural subsidies and tariffs to cut grocery costs. To reduce health care bills, I will promote transparency and competition in prescription drug pricing, eliminate deadweight administrative costs, and expand access to primary care physicians. I will expand the Child Tax Credit and invest in child care providers to support our children and working families. Read more…
Homelessness
The severe shortage of affordable housing is at the heart of our homelessness crisis. As Mayor of San José, I pioneered innovative solutions to expand the housing supply rapidly and at a low cost. In Congress, I will continue to build federal-local partnerships to efficiently address homelessness. My priorities include: constructing quick-build housing communities, increasing the flexibility and number of federal housing vouchers, modernizing federal tax programs for affordable development, and investing in homelessness prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services. Read more…
Crime
As a former prosecutor, I have protected our community against felony sexual assault and child exploitation crimes. While Mayor of San José, I rebuilt our police department and expanded our community service officer teams, leaving San José with the lowest homicide rate among America’s 50 largest cities in my final year. In Congress, I will strengthen federal-local partnerships to keep our communities safe. My priorities include: disrupting the cycle between addiction and incarceration, supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, enacting sensible gun ownership policies, funding service programs to employ young adults, and collaborating with local law enforcement to prevent and respond to petty thefts. Read more…
Environment and Climate
Under my leadership, San José reduced community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 36%, launched a lower-cost community choice clean energy utility, protected open spaces against development, and developed sustainable transportation and infrastructure. As the only candidate who has pledged to refuse contributions from Big Oil and Gas, I am proud to be supported by the Sierra Club, 350 Bay Area Action, and numerous regional environmental leaders. In Congress, I will support the clean energy transition by imposing a carbon dividend, restricting drilling and fracking, and eliminating subsidies for oil and gas production. I will work to preserve our open spaces, improve grid capacity and reliability, protect our communities against climate change and natural disasters, reduce our reliance on plastics, and fund the American Climate Corps to support climate conservation and resilience projects.
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Reproductive Rights
When Roe v. Wade was overturned, I led San José to fund Planned Parenthood at a record level to expand access to reproductive care. In Congress, I will continue to fight to defend and expand reproductive freedom. I support legislation that would, at a minimum, ensure that women can access abortion services prior to fetal viability or when medically necessary, travel freely between states or use telehealth to access reproductive care, and receive insurance coverage for reproductive services. I support access to contraception, IVF, and fertility treatment, along with rights to insurance coverage. Read more…
Defending Democracy
Protecting our elections will be essential to the continued health of our democracy. In Congress, I will fight to prohibit sabotage and intimidation of election officials, restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, create baseline standards for voter access and registration, and constrain extreme partisan gerrymandering. To diminish the influence of large donors and corporations, I will work to override Citizens United by constitutional amendment and mandate the immediate disclosure of super PAC contributions.
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Education: Our Youth and Workforce
As Mayor of San José, I worked with community partners to provide broadband to students in high-poverty neighborhoods, launch free reading, computer science and math programs, connect teens in high-need neighborhoods with jobs and mentoring, and help first-generation students access and pay for college. In Congress, I will bolster public education by providing a tax credit to support teacher incomes, increasing funding for special education, and reworking federal programs to expand access to tutoring. To help our adult workforce navigate economic and technological disruption, I will expand access to low-cost degree programs and digital badging, and create educational partnerships between community colleges and employers. Read more…