Lori Saldaña
Encyclopedia
Lori R. Saldaña is an American politician from San Diego, California
. A Democrat, she is a former member of the California State Assembly
from the 76th Assembly district
(central San Diego). She served from 2004 to 2010, when term limit
s prevented her from seeking re-election. She is a candidate in the 2012 election for the newly redrawn California's 52nd congressional district
in the United States House of Representatives
.
and was a reporter for the San Diego Evening Tribune.
She grew up in the Clairemont
area of San Diego, where she currently resides. After graduation from Madison High School, Ms. Saldaña attended San Diego State University
(SDSU), earning both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Masters degree in Education.
Saldaña started her post-graduate life as a coach at San Diego City College
, Clairemont High School
and Madison High School. Later, she worked as a professor and administrator in the San Diego Community College District
, where she taught Business Information Technology and managed Department of Labor grants used to provide technical skills and training to the student base. She has also taught at her alma mater, San Diego State University
.
Ms. Saldaña has many outdoor interests, including sailing, hiking, golfing, kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, and photography. She wrote Lori Saldana's Backpacking Primer (1995).
and organized the first "Earth Fair" in Balboa Park in 1990. She was chair of the San Diego chapter of the Sierra Club
from Jan. 1996 to Aug. 1997 and served in other volunteer positions for the Club. Her main interests were in water reclamation and sewage treatment
, especially along the US-Mexico border. She served as Chair of the San Diego Wetlands Advisory Board 1992-94. President Clinton
appointed her in 1999 to the Border Environment Cooperation Commission's Advisory Council.
In 2004, after tough grassroots campaigns in the primary and general election, Saldaña was elected to the California State Legislature
. She was appointed Assistant Majority Whip and served on the Appropriations, Natural Resources, Veteran's Affairs, and Water, Parks and Wildlife committees. In 2007 Lori Saldaña was named Legislator of the Year by Californians Against Waste
for her legislation regarding E-waste.
Due to California's term limits, Saldaña's assembly career ended on August 31, 2010 in an acrimonious late-night session as she pushed legislation banning the open carry of firearms known as AB 1934. Saldaña presented her bill to the Assembly with 70 minutes remaining in the 2010 regular session, and would not suspend debate when it became clear that its opponents would not let it come to an early vote. Saldaña later clashed with fellow Democrats over their refusal to employ parliamentary procedure tactics to end debate so her measure could be heard.
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. A Democrat, she is a former member of the 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...
from the 76th Assembly district
California's 76th State Assembly district
California's 76th State Assembly District is one of 80 districts in the California State Assembly. It is currently represented by Democrat Toni Atkins of San Diego.-District profile:...
(central San Diego). She served from 2004 to 2010, when term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s prevented her from seeking re-election. She is a candidate in the 2012 election for the newly redrawn California's 52nd congressional district
California's 52nd congressional district
California's 52nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in San Diego County. The district consists of many of San Diego's suburbs, including Lakeside, Poway, Ramona, La Mesa, and Spring Valley....
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Early life, education and career
Lori Saldaña was born 1958 in San Diego, the third of four daughters born to Virginia and Frank Saldaña. Frank Saldaña served in the Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
and was a reporter for the San Diego Evening Tribune.
The San Diego Union-Tribune
-Predecessors:The predecessor newspapers of the Union-Tribune were:* San Diego Sun, founded 1861 and merged with the Evening Tribune in 1939.* San Diego Union, founded October 10, 1868.* Evening Tribune, founded December 2, 1895.-Ownership:...
She grew up in the Clairemont
Clairemont, San Diego, California
Clairemont is a suburban neighborhood in northern San Diego.It includes the separate neighborhoods of North Clairemont, South Clairemont, Clairemont Mesa East and Clairemont Mesa West...
area of San Diego, where she currently resides. After graduation from Madison High School, Ms. Saldaña attended San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
(SDSU), earning both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Masters degree in Education.
Saldaña started her post-graduate life as a coach at San Diego City College
San Diego City College
San Diego City College is a public, two-year community college located in San Diego, California. City College is part of the San Diego Community College District along with San Diego Mesa College, San Diego Miramar College and San Diego Continuing Education...
, Clairemont High School
Clairemont High School
Clairemont High School is a public high school located in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego, California. It is part of the San Diego Unified School District. The campus is situated close to the intersection of Balboa Ave and Clairemont Drive. There are approximately 1,350 students and 87...
and Madison High School. Later, she worked as a professor and administrator in the San Diego Community College District
San Diego Community College District
The San Diego Community College District is a public community college division in the city of San Diego, California. The district is one of the five community college districts in San Diego County; part of the greater California Community College system...
, where she taught Business Information Technology and managed Department of Labor grants used to provide technical skills and training to the student base. She has also taught at her alma mater, San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
.
Ms. Saldaña has many outdoor interests, including sailing, hiking, golfing, kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, and photography. She wrote Lori Saldana's Backpacking Primer (1995).
Public service
Saldaña was on the founding Board of Directors for San Diego Earth DayEarth Day
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
and organized the first "Earth Fair" in Balboa Park in 1990. She was chair of the San Diego chapter of the Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
from Jan. 1996 to Aug. 1997 and served in other volunteer positions for the Club. Her main interests were in water reclamation and sewage treatment
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
, especially along the US-Mexico border. She served as Chair of the San Diego Wetlands Advisory Board 1992-94. President Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
appointed her in 1999 to the Border Environment Cooperation Commission's Advisory Council.
In 2004, after tough grassroots campaigns in the primary and general election, Saldaña was elected to the California State Legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
. She was appointed Assistant Majority Whip and served on the Appropriations, Natural Resources, Veteran's Affairs, and Water, Parks and Wildlife committees. In 2007 Lori Saldaña was named Legislator of the Year by Californians Against Waste
Californians Against Waste
Californians Against Waste is an American environmental advocacy organization that takes action on local, state and national levels to conserve natural resources and prevent pollution through the expansion of a recycling economy...
for her legislation regarding E-waste.
Due to California's term limits, Saldaña's assembly career ended on August 31, 2010 in an acrimonious late-night session as she pushed legislation banning the open carry of firearms known as AB 1934. Saldaña presented her bill to the Assembly with 70 minutes remaining in the 2010 regular session, and would not suspend debate when it became clear that its opponents would not let it come to an early vote. Saldaña later clashed with fellow Democrats over their refusal to employ parliamentary procedure tactics to end debate so her measure could be heard.