While former Assemblywoman Fran Pavley hopes to win a seat in the state Senate in November’s election, knowing full well that her ‘face’ time with her constituents in the 23rd district will be diminished, she promises to keep an indelible X on her calendar for the Fourth of July parade in Pacific Palisades. ‘I like getting to know people around the district and won’t give that up, that’s what energizes me,’ says Pavley, who often visited the Palisades farmers market and held a number of town hall meetings while representing the area in the Assembly. ‘And I’ll be there for the parade, absolutely. I’ve missed riding in my own parade car.’ Pavley, 59, and Democratic Assemblyman Lloyd Levine are vying to replace Sen. Sheila Kuehl, who after serving six years in the Assembly and eight years in the Senate will be termed out this year. Levine, 38, is being termed out of the 40th Assembly District, which encompasses the San Fernando Valley. While Pavley hasn’t been seen parading down Via de la Paz these past two years, she has been traveling around the country and the world, meeting with government officials on the 2006 carbon reduction law that she authored that caps the amount of greenhouse gases emissions from motor vehicles and stationary sources. Since having been termed out in 2006, the Agoura Hills resident has served as a senior climate advisor for the Natural Resources Defense Council and participated on panels at colleges and universities around the state. ‘This last year and a half has been very valuable for me,’ Pavley says. ‘I’ve looked at it as a sabbatical from office. And I continue to see that global warming is the critical, environmental challenge of the 21st century. This has energized college-aged students to tackle this issue. They see there is something beyond material gain that informs their value system.’ The state Senate is somewhat of a mystery to many voters, Pavley has learned while campaigning around district that embraces Oxnard on the north, Santa Monica on the south, West Hollywood to the east and Hidden Hills in the north San Fernando Valley. ‘Everyone is so engaged in the presidential election, they sometimes forget that there is a state primary on June 3,’ Pavley says. ‘Some people tell me that we must get out of Iraq or that the traffic congestion is Los Angeles must be solved. People are also concerned about ocean protection, about pollution in general.’ Although there might be confusion as to what a state senator can do, Pavley says, ‘people agree that they want a government system that works and they don’t like the partisan infighting and grandstanding.’ But among the challenges that concern voters and that Pavley hopes to be able to address in Sacramento are the increasing prison population, the critical condition of health care, and the poor performance of California schools. Remembering the advice that Sen. Kuehl gave her when she was a freshman in the Assembly, Pavley says that, if elected, she will focus on just two or three issues. Also heeding Kuehl’s counsel, she espouses collaborating with fellow legislators. While in the Assembly, Pavley joined with three other members who shared her interests, and the four of them divided up the big issues, depending on the level of expertise of each. ‘The state is too big not to divide up duties,’ she says. She followed this system working with Sen. Kuehl, in an effort to eliminate any overlap on issues between the two districts. ‘Sheila focused on issues west of the Santa Monica Mountains, and I in the Valley.’ Kuehl took the lead on traffic safety along Pacific Coast Highway, a leadership role Pavley would like to continue. Pavley spearheaded hearings on the Ahmanson Ranch acquisition that resulted in turning the 2,983-acre ranch into parkland and saving it from development. Having been in Sacramento for six years, Pavley understands the ways of state government and feels far more prepared than when she entered the Assembly in 2000. ‘Transitioning from being a middle school teacher to an Assembly person and learning to delegate to staff members was difficult,’ she says. ‘It took over a year to really let go of my schedule and policy areas. But I learned that it is far more effective to let people find their strengths and then let them go.’ With all intentions to continue her focus on spurring increased investment in alternative fuels, renewable energy and clean technologies, and improving California’s public schools, Pavley also knows the Senate must continue to wrestle with fixing the structural budget deficit. Politically astute, Pavley is realistic enough to know that a major restructuring can’t be done in an election year, nor does she believe it advantageous to string out the budget process. ‘California is one of only three states, including Arkansas and Rhode Island, that requires a two-thirds vote in the legislature to pass the budget, so the minority controls a lot of the outcome. If you hold out, you end up caving in anyway.’ Because Senate District 23 with its overall population of 847,000 is so heavily Democratic (51.7-percent registered Democrats versus 28.1-percent Republicans) the primary winner should easily prevail in the November general election. Both candidates have swarmed the district with long days of campaigning and a barrage of political flyers. Campaigning has become a family affair for Pavley. Her husband, Andy, who retired three years ago from a 31-year career teaching seventh grade science, has been representing Fran at neighborhood meetings and town hall events that coincide with her other commitments. Her daughter Jennifer designed the ‘Vote for Fran Pavley, Vote June 3’ T-shirt. Despite 16-hour days ahead for the next two weeks, Pavley looks forward to stealing time at her condo in Oxnard, next to the beach, where dogs are allowed to run off leash. ‘Forty minutes from our house, this is where we can bicycle on the beach and enjoy life without a phone or fax.’
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