California is increasingly plagued with downfall. There is an economic and societal decline, and an attack on higher education for which we need tangible solutions. Chris Garland is offering them.

Garland is running for the Assembly in the 9th district. He is a Democrat fighting for the future of our education, the quality of people entering the workforce and California’s economy.

He is the political director for the California Faculty Association, the union representing 22,000 faculty members of the California State University system.

It serves to ensure quality education for students, fairness for those who teach and policies that keep higher education accessible.

Garland is behind Assembly Bill 656, which would levy a severance tax on big oil companies in the state, bringing in more than $1 billion for higher public education. He helped create the CFA-sponsored bill and make it a priority of the organization.

Rising tuition limits diversity in potential students. Meanwhile, budget cuts not only affect classes offered, but increase the time it takes to graduate. More and more people are unable to afford this.

Garland is the first person in two years to remind me there are still politicians who are uncompromising in matters of justice.

He is a reason to have hope as ever-increasing student fees and rampant budget cuts plague public higher education, and the economy only further denies people the means to get by.

He fights for the environment and public safety and the quality of life for everyone.

Garland is committed to protecting our environment and fighting global warming.

He worked with former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, who authored AB 32, the bill mandating a 25 percent reduction in California’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.

He advocates after-school programs, job training and ensuring adequate funding for mental health and drug treatments serving both the youth and repeat offenders to reduce recidivism rates, to “break the cycle of crime, drugs and violence that destroys young lives and ultimately threatens our neighborhoods and the safety of us all.”

A latecomer in this race, Garland was not deterred by the public recognition and financial solidity garnered by his opponents in the months prior to his candidacy. He knows this is not an easy fight but he is still willing.

Garland faces four strong opponents. A Sacramento County supervisor and two City Council members have been in the public eye since long before the bid for election.

But in just the first five weeks following his announcement to run, he raised $30,000.

On Oct. 27, he came to Sacramento State to speak to student activists at a meeting of the College Democrats.

Weeks later, after hearing from hearing from opposing candidates Kevin McCarty and Roger Dickinson, the College Democrats announced their endorsement for Garland.

Melissa Hurtado, former College Democrats president, was one of the students present.

“He believes in us students,” Hurtado said. “He trusts that we can do as good of a job as more established people. (The students present) are all really excited about him.”

“He’s offering us experience and the potential for jobs. He’s made himself a resource to us that we really didn’t have before,” Hurtado said. “The best part, though, is that he actually stands for what we believe in. He advocates for us.”

Garland is the candidate for students and a righteous soldier for social rights and justice.

[email protected]