KHALID JEFFREY JAFRI

Why are you running for this seat?

As a San Joaquin farmer since 1982 and experience in California State water projects, I feel our San Joaquin County agro-based economy is suffering due to bad California agriculture export programs. I have participated myself in the export of hundreds of tons of agricultural products to overseas markets, I also want to save our agricultural land from developers and put it in the Williamson Act.

What issues set you apart from your opponents?

My experience with State of California Department of Water Resources will help San Joaquin Country to keep our surface water developed here rather than pump it to Southern California. My experience is different from other candidates.

What do you see as the biggest needs in the 9th District?

The biggest need is high-paying technical and manufacturing jobs. With my engineering and technical international experience for which I have traveled around the world, including China, I can work to bring back manufacturing jobs. We can also attract companies from the Bay Area where cost of living for employees is higher.

Your thoughts on:

COVID policy: Our COVID-19 policy should be left to medical doctors and scientists to guide us professionally and no politics should be done on it. My wife is a physician and I understand the importance of health issues.

Immigration policy: Immigration policy should be strictly according to the legal process adopted by the administration. We should have a universal health plan as an example in Canada, where the basic 200 illnesses are free of cost. Presently most of people end up in emergency rooms for basic health problems, taxpayers end up paying their bill.

Foreign diplomacy/intervention: I believe in balancing foreign policy without interfering and getting involved in any wars around the world. We are not the policemen of the world, we have homeless problems at home to take care of.