Nora Campos

Nora Campos
Member of the California State Assembly from the 23rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office December 6, 2010
Preceded by	Joe Coto
San Jose City Councillor from the 5th District
In office March 13, 2001 – December 6, 2010
Preceded by	Manny Diaz
Succeeded by	Xavier Campos
Personal details
Born	1966 (age 44–45)[1] San Jose, California
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Neil Struthers
Residence	San Jose, California
Occupation	Politician

Nora Campos is a California State Assembly member representing the 23rd district. She was formerly elected to the San Jose City Council in a special election in March 2001 and was twice overwhelmingly re-elected to represent the residents of District 5, allowing her to represent her community on the Council for 10 years. Prior to taking elected office, she worked as Community Relations Coordinator and then as Chief of Staff for a San José City Councilmember.

Career Accomplishments

For the past nine years, Campos has advocated access to affordable housing nearbusiness districts. During the 2008-2009 budget process, she successfully advocated for 25 new police officers and $1.7 million to combat gang violence and fund after-school programs for at-risk youth. During that same budget cycle, Councilmember Campos implemented the practice of keeping youth centers throughout the City of San Jose open on Friday and Saturday nights to curb youth violence.

She secured funding to rebuild Fire Station No. 2, the oldest and busiest station in the City of San José. Previously funded for a full rebuild, Fire Station No. 2 was downgraded to a remodel in the 2006-2007 budget, despite having more than double the calls for service than nearly every other fire station in the city. Recognizing that this fire station is imperative to the safety of residents in Alum Rock, Berryessa, Evergreen, Downtown and the East Foothills, Councilmember Campos found and fought for funding to fully rebuild the station so that it met seismic standards and essential facility status. The rebuild of Fire Station No. 2 is scheduled to be completed in September 2010.

An advocate for creating sustainable community gardens throughout San José, Councilmember Campos granted $20,000 to Veggielution in May 2009 to develop a 1-acre (4,000 m²) community farm within Emma Prusch Farm Park. She has helped ensure that this pilot urban farming project not only provides residents a surplus of fresh, low-cost fruits and vegetables but also presents the opportunity for residents to cultivate their own produce.

Councilmember Campos has completed numerous projects in her district over the last 10 years, including the Dr. Roberto Cruz and Hillview libraries, the youth-designed Plata Arroyo Skate Park, the Alum Rock Youth Center, and, most recently, the Mayfair Community Center. Through her leadership and grassroots organizing, Councilmember Campos has empowered several community leaders to advocate on behalf of their neighborhoods in order to accomplish their top 10 priorities. The grand opening of the Mayfair Community Center is an example of what can happen when a city government collaborates with a community to turn its vision into a reality.

On the environmental policy forefront, Councilmember Campos collaborated with two of her colleagues in January 2008 to put forth a memo urging the City Council to ban the use of single-use carry-out plastic bags in San José. Her proactive efforts to protect the environment were further demonstrated seven months later when she distributed 3,000 reusable bags to residents.

During her time in office, Councilmember Campos has embraced the opportunity to improve vital city services that have enhanced the quality of life for all of her residents. In response to an increase in blight and graffiti issues that deteriorate the appearance of neighborhoods and that affect the residents' quality of life, Councilmember Campos secured funding to hire two additional code enforcement officers to promote and maintain safe and desirable living and working environments throughout the City of San José.

In January 2009, Councilmember Campos’ focus on neighborhood issues and customer service led to her being appointed Chair of the Neighborhood Services and Education Committee. Councilmember Campos also sits on the Mayor’s Gang Prevention Task Force, League of California Cities-Latino Caucus, Silicon Valley Anti-Litter Campaign, and numerous other boards and committees.

Her vision for her community continues beyond her term as the elected representative for East San Jose. By developing a foundation of success, Councilmember Campos is confident that future leaders will be empowered to continue to build a strong and vibrant community for all residents.

Personal

Nora Campos was raised in the Cassell neighborhood in East San José. She marched side-by-side with Cesar E. Chavez, learning about the needs and struggles of the community of which have been a part of her entire life. She cites her early experience with the Farm Worker Movement influenced her decision to enter public service as an adult.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Francisco State University and is an alumnus of the Alum Rock and East Side Union school districts.

In June 2009, Nora Campos announced her candidacy for the 23rd California State Assembly District. She was elected on November 10, 2010 with 75% of the vote^[2], succeeding term-limited Democrat Joe Coto.

References

1. ^ Official Statement for Nora Campos
2. ^ "November 02, 2010 Statement of Vote -- State Assemblymember by District". California Secretary of State's office. http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2010-general/73-state-assembly.pdf. Retrieved 2011-01-06. 

External links

• City of San José-Council District 5 Web site
• Official State Assembly Campaign Web site

Persondata
Name	Campos, Nora
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1966
Place of birth	San Jose, California
Date of death
Place of death