Nora Campos
Encyclopedia
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.
to affordable housing
nearbusiness districts. During the 2008-2009 budget process
, she successfully advocated for 25 new police officer
s 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 acres (4,046.9 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 fruit
s and vegetable
s 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 bag
s 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.
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 district
s.
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, succeeding term-limited Democrat Joe Coto
.
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
member representing the 23rd district
California's 23rd State Assembly district
California's 23rd State Assembly District is one of 80 districts in the California State Assembly. It is currently represented by Democrat Nora Campos of San Jose.-District profile:...
. She was formerly elected to the San Jose City Council
San Jose City Council
San Jose City Council is the municipal government of the city of San Jose, California.- 2006 Elections :Primary Election, June 6, 2006Mayor Chuck Reed*Cindy ChavezCouncil District 1Jay JamesPete Constant*Ross Signorino...
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 accessto affordable housing
Affordable housing
Affordable housing is a term used to describe dwelling units whose total housing costs are deemed "affordable" to those that have a median income. Although the term is often applied to rental housing that is within the financial means of those in the lower income ranges of a geographical area, the...
nearbusiness districts. During the 2008-2009 budget process
Budget process
A budget process refers to the process by which governments create and approve a budget, which is as follows:* The Financial Service Department prepares worksheets to assist the department head in preparation of department budget estimates...
, she successfully advocated for 25 new police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s 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
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
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
Budget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
, 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
Alum Rock, California
Alum Rock is a census-designated place in Santa Clara County, California, United States and a community of San Jose. The CDP, which excludes all annexed areas, had a population of 15,536 at the 2010 census. Alum Rock was named after a rock formerly thought to be composed of alum in nearby Alum...
, Berryessa
Berryessa, San Jose, California
The Berryessa District or North Valley in San Jose, California is located in the northeast portion of the city, between Coyote Creek and the Diablo Range foothills. The neighborhood borders Milpitas along Landess Avenue to the north and the Alum Rock neighborhood of East San Jose along Mabury Road...
, Evergreen
Evergreen, San Jose, California
The Evergreen area of San Jose, California, is a large district of Southeast San Jose, bounded by Tully Road to the north, US 101 to the west, San Felipe Road to the south and the East Foothills neighborhood on the eastern edge...
, Downtown and the East Foothills
East Foothills, California
East Foothills is a census-designated place in Santa Clara County, California, United States and a neighborhood of San Jose. The population was 8,269 at the 2010 census. The area is more commonly referred to as East San Jose, and is located about 4 miles east of downtown San Jose...
, Councilmember Campos found and fought for funding
Funding
Funding is the act of providing resources, usually in form of money , or other values such as effort or time , for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institutions...
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
Community gardening
A community garden is a single piece of land gardened collectively by a group of people.-Purpose:Community gardens provide fresh produce and plants as well as satisfying labor, neighborhood improvement, sense of community and connection to the environment...
throughout San José, Councilmember Campos granted $20,000 to Veggielution in May 2009 to develop a 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) community farm within Emma Prusch Farm Park
Emma Prusch Farm Park
-History:The land for this farm park was donated by Emma Prusch to San Jose, California in 1962 to keep for agricultural purposes, and provides an introduction to farm life. The park is operated as a small farm by the City of San Jose, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services...
. She has helped ensure that this pilot urban farming project not only provides residents a surplus of fresh, low-cost fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s and vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s 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
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
and grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
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
Environmental policy
Environmental policy is any [course of] action deliberately taken [or not taken] to manage human activities with a view to prevent, reduce, or mitigate harmful effects on nature and natural resources, and ensuring that man-made changes to the environment do not have harmful effects on...
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 bag
Plastic bag
A plastic bag, polybag, or pouch is a type of packaging made of thin, flexible, plastic film, nonwoven fabric, or plastic textile. Plastic bags are used for containing and transporting goods such as foods, produce, powders, ice, magazines, comic books, chemicals and waste.Most plastic bags are...
s 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
Quality of life
The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of...
for all of her residents. In response to an increase in blight and
graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
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
Code Enforcement
Code enforcement, sometimes encompassing law enforcement, is the act of enforcing a set of rules, principles, or laws and insuring observance of a system of norms or customs. An authority usually enforces a civil code, a set of rules, or a body of laws and compel those subject to their authority...
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
Customer service
Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.According to Turban et al. , “Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer...
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
East San Jose
East San Jose is the name for several neighborhoods east of downtown San Jose, California. These neighborhoods include:* King and Story* Alum Rock* East Foothills* Little Portugal-Demographics:...
.
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
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
and is an alumnus of the Alum Rock and East Side Union school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s.
In June 2009, Nora Campos announced her candidacy for the 23rd California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District. She was elected on November 10, 2010 with 75% of the vote, succeeding term-limited Democrat Joe Coto
Joe Coto
Joe Coto is an American educator, city councilmember, and a Democratic politician. He most recently served three terms as a member of the California State Assembly, leaving office late in 2010...
.