LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis was sworn-in to office for the third and final time this month. Despite being her last term, there is still so much left she hopes to get done. Solis sat down with “Inside the Issues” host Alex Cohen to go over her time in the position and layout her vision for what she wants to accomplish her last term as a supervisor.
Solis’ first term as a supervisor was back in 2014. She entered the space with the desire for major reform in the county.
“Whether it was Children and Family Services, whether it was reforming our jail system, taking care of our young people in the probation camps, and also really strengthening that safety net, and those things still resonate with me now,” Solis said.
Solis looks forward to working with Los Angles’ new mayor, Karen Bass, someone who Solis has supported since the beginning of her campaign.
Bass’ main focus is solving LA’s homelessness problem. Solis says the two have already had conversations on what’s working and what needs to be improved.
“I’m looking forward to, as she says, locking arms, but also expanding that reach so it isn’t just [sic] the city and the county… but involving other entities,” Solis said.
Solis is also looking forward to working with LA County’s new Sheriff, Robert Luna, who replaces Alex Villanueva.
Villanueva had a contentious relationship with the Board of Supervisors during his tenure and made disparaging remarks against Solis.
“I don’t regret anything that I have done or said, and I did not get into the mudslinging, as the former sheriff did, because that’s not my style. I think it’s better for people to see our actions and what we represent, and our values are,” Solis said.
Solis supported Luna throughout his campaign and wants to establish a better working relationship with his department.
“I respect [Luna] as well and have gotten to know him, really believe it’s an opportunity for us to [sic] work in partnership,” Solis said.
In her last term, Solis will oversee the implementation of the Abundant Birth Project in Los Angeles, which provides 400 pregnant women in Los Angeles guaranteed income for at least 18 months.
“This was a way of helping… to help provide a better safety net for those young women who are pregnant, that are going to be moms, they may already be moms, but need additional support,” Solis said.
The pregnant women will receive around $1,800 a month. The goal of the program is to help ease financial pressures for women, specifically women of color, to secure housing and other essentials.
“These people are already going through so much trauma, having gone through so much just to get where they are, that they need a fighting chance,” Solis said.
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