Benicia resident Pat Toth-Smith: Why I think Monica Brown deserves another four years as Solano County supervisor

Solano County Supervisor for District 2 incumbent Monica Brown, center, shakes hands with Congressman John Garamendi in 2016. | Robinson Kunt z/ Daily Republic.

By Pat Toth-Smith, February 25, 2024

During the pandemic, Monica Brown served as supervisor for Solano County’s District 2, which includes Benicia, Glen Cove and parts of southern Vallejo.  District 2’s proximity to the SF Bay Area counties of Contra Costa, Napa, and Alameda for employment, recreation, etc., put us at a bigger risk in 2020, when Covid first started – before we had vaccines, Covid anti-viral medications and a full understanding of how it was spread.  For this reason, after mask mandates were initiated in these other Bay Area counties, Monica worked hard to try to get mandatory mask mandates for Solano County. Unfortunately, a lack of support on the board of supervisors meant Monica’s proposal was not taken up at their meetings.

Nevertheless, Monica helped the Solano County Democratic Central Committee’s Covid Subcommittee provide education and support to Solano residents and supported efforts to get mask mandates passed in Vallejo and Benicia. Both cities passed mandatory mask mandates before the statewide mandate went into effect. Lives were probably saved as a result.

Monica also provided valuable educational information about Covid-19, the new vaccines and where to find Covid testing and vaccine injection sites in her regular newsletter and emails that were posted and sent out to her constituents.  She made herself very accessible and was a voice of reason, providing the information people needed.

As a county supervisor for the past seven years, Monica has a track record and experience that benefits all members of Solano County.  She has helped get funding for seniors and families in need, and she supports measures for mental health and homelessness. She started the “Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation” in Solano County, so chefs can prepare and serve food cooked in their homes to consumers. She was there for us Benicians when we opposed the “Crude by Rail” Proposal that could have led to dangerous environmental and civilian hazards.

In Vallejo, Monica supported residents opposed to the toxic Orcem cement plant, and all Solano County residents who opposed the increase in expensive bridge tolls. Monica Brown will be there supporting us citizens when the next dangerous proposals come our way in the future. I urge you to support Monica Brown for the next four years.

Pat Toth-Smith
Benicia Resident