Jovanka Beckles vs. Buffy Wicks: Who's the Best?

The seat for California Assembly District 15 is vacant and two candidates are vying for the position: Jovanka Beckles and Buffy Wicks. They hope to represent the East Bay in the state assembly once elected in November. As a student and as someone who will be entering the adult world I am extremely interested in what they will do as their actions can completely change my life in positive ways and negative ways. They make decisions regarding my taxes, health care and education. In November I will be eighteen and able to vote so I like many people in the East Bay I will have to decide between Beckles and Wicks.

I am very happy that both of these candidates want to tackle Housing Crisis. But from what is on both of their websites Wicks has the most detailed housing plan.They both want to increase affordable housing, but only Wicks describes exactly how she will accomplish such goal. I could describe her policy in detail, but that would take three blog posts. However, Wicks also wants to reform the Costa Hawkins, but I disagree with that I think it should be repealed and replaced with a law that makes it easier for municipalities to enforce anapply rent control regulations and makes it harder to raise rent prices to market rate. This issue hits very close to home (*yuck* ) and I think that Buffy Wicks has the more detailed and comprehensive approach.

Buffy Wicks 

However, the biggest factor in my decision is campaign finance. All donations to Beckles’ campaign come from community based organizations, labor unions and small individual contributions. On the other hand Wicks received thousands of dollars from Tom Steyer invested $90 million on a private prison company. Wicks also receives thousands of dollars from various other millionaires which makes me believe that she will work in their favor and not mine. I highly doubt these millionaires gave thousands and thousands of dollar to one particular candidate out of the goodness of their heart, those millionaires obviously want something such as a tax break.

Jovanka Beckles

In my decision on who to vote for I considered all of the above and I am voting for Jovanka Beckles. Even though I considered all of the above in my decision it all came down to the donations. Based on the fact that Buffy Wicks is almost entirely funded by millionaires and lobbyists; I do not have confidence in her ability to serve the interests of me and other middle class and poor individuals. On the other hand Jovanka Beckles is almost entirely funded by middle class and poor individuals like me and organizations that work in our favor and I believe she will do the same.