Meet Marin District 1 Supervisor Candidate Gina Banks Daly

MARIN COUNTY, CA –San Rafael City Schools Board of Education member Gina Daly is among three candidates in the District 1 supervisor race.

Mary Sackett, an attorney and who serves as current District 1 Supervisor Damon Connolly's aide,and construction business owner George Saribalis are the others.

The candidates are running to replace outgoing Supervisor Damon Connolly, who is running to replace outgoing District 12 State Assemblyman Marc Levine.

Patch sent questionnaires to all candidates in selected races, including this one.

Why are you seeking elective office?

I’m running for Marin County Supervisor because the past two years have shown us that today’s challenges require fresh ideas, a willingness to ask new questions, and the capacity to discover the opportunities in our challenges. Frankly, we can't keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. As the mom of two young kids, I believe it is our responsibility to build a healthy, resilient, equitable future that will support our children, and the generations that follow them. Increasingly, it’s clear that our biggest issues don’t end at our county line. Climate Change, drought, supporting the unhoused, wildfire, have local impacts and require local-level, hands-on understanding. Genuine solutions require the ability to identify, develop, and navigate state and federal opportunities, and effectively integrate those for local-level implementation.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Climate change is the defining issue of our time. Too often politicians have traded short-term political wins in exchange for the long-term planning that we need to do to combat climate change. This issue is personal for me as a mom of young children. I think often about the world that they are inheriting, and it is my goal to make a tangible impact on the Marin County environment by the time my kids graduate from high school. The bipartisan infrastructure bill gives Marin County the opportunity to make once-in-a-generation investments in clean energy and more resilient infrastructure. The County can play a role in the move to electrification and renewable energy. At the same time, we need to be following the latest science on wildfire and working with residents to harden their homes and remove hazardous fuels in the Wildland-Urban-Interface. I will use my experience on Wildfire Prevention Committee experience and engage with Marin’s very active firewise advocates so that we continue to reduce our risk and increase our safety. I will also work with local, county, and state leaders to improve communication regarding new policies and local strategies for promoting community and families safety.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I bring to this position a comprehensive level of experience in local, county, and federal government, and I continue to engage and develop relationships at every level as well. Between my formal education and my career experience, I have the knowledge to do a thorough and competent analysis of proposed policies and budgets, and I can serve an important oversight and accountability function for voters. Finally, we need leaders with a history of executive experience. We need a supervisor who has a track record of leading coalitions of support to create change. It is our duty to ensure that we have elected officials with the political courage to enact durable solutions.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

The incumbent is not running for reelection, but I think residents would be well- served by a supervisor who brings new ideas and a fresh perspective. We can’t keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. I have the comprehensive experience and political courage to address the issues facing our community.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Housing has been a difficult issue for many years. Simply put, housing is too expensive for the teachers, firefighters and other public servants to live in the community in which they serve. In addition, over 20% of our Marin County population is over the age of 65. But we don’t have an adequate supply of high-quality senior housing (homes that allow seniors to downsize and remain living in the community that they love). We need to have a mix of housing built in the near future to meet these needs.

On the issue of homelessness, we must continue to do more to provide housing and assistance to our unhoused community, and increase community public safety. Project Homekey—which provides funding to refurbish old buildings into homeless housing—is a great opportunity, but we should also be investing in mobile units and providing additional social workers to assist people in crisis.

I agree with—and support—Marin County’s Housing First model. Historically, people experiencing homelessness had to prove that they were ready to receive housing by first addressing the issues that led to their lack of housing (such as employment, health, substance abuse, or other issues). The Housing First model is premised on the concept that these issues are more effectively addressed once a person is housed. In addition, we must treat every member of our society with empathy and compassion. It is the job of elected officials to ensure that every resident is treated with dignity and respect and that we care for them.

I will collaborate with, and learn from, local and national experts in order to make sure that Marin is using the most current best practices and continuing to improve our ability to serve the unhoused community.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have a long track record of creating durable solutions to issues. As the chief federal spokesperson for UC Berkeley, I testify before Congress and lead discussions with the White House, federal agencies and Congress. During the pandemic I led all public universities in a strategy to replenish fiscal losses; I personally brought $150M to Cal, saving hundreds of jobs and allowing thousands of students to continue their education. As a staffer for Senator Dianne Feinstein, I worked on environmental policy, wildfire, and water—all critical Marin County issues. On our Wildfire Prevention Committee, I helped helped residents in complying with new Firesafe policies and assisted those on limited incomes to receive resources. Serving as a San Rafael Trustee during one of the most challenging times in history, I took public stands on difficult issues. We brought our kids back into the classroom while keeping them safe and addressing learning loss and mental health challenges.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

When they go low, you go high.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I want to serve as your next supervisor because I love this community. My husband Kieran grew up in Lucas Valley, and we moved here 8 years ago (as soon as we could afford a house). As soon as we moved here, I got involved at the local level becoming President of the Terra Linda Homeowners Association and serving on San Rafael’s Wildfire Prevention Committee, which was formed following the devastating Paradise fire.

As a trustee for the San Rafael School Board, I’ve seen firsthand the impact of the pandemic on our children. I have worked tirelessly to address learning loss and mental health challenges. What I’ve also learned is that the issues facing our children don’t only exist in the classroom. Issues of affordable housing, food insecurity and equity all are bigger than what happens in our schools and necessitate action at the County-level.

As the mom of a 5 year old and 3 year old, I am deeply concerned about the future of our children and the generations that follow them. It would be my honor to serve our community full-time as a Supervisor for District 1.