TAHOE CITY, Calif. – Cindy Gustafson entered the race with more than four years experience as the sitting Placer County Supervisor for District 5 under her belt.

In April 2019, the Board of Supervisors appointed Gustafson by a unanimous vote to replace Jennifer Montgomery, who resigned to become director of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Forest Management Task Force.

Then Gustafson was elected to the seat in March 2020. For more than 30 years, Gustafson has been registered as No Party Preference.

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“Public service is my passion,” said Gustafson. “I am dedicated to creating solutions for the challenges we face together, and working collaboratively with residents and businesses throughout Placer County, District 5.”

For more than 40 years, Gustafson has called Placer County home. It’s where she worked, raised her family and volunteered.

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Gustafson and her husband, Wally Auerbach, live in Tahoe City.

Gustafson serves on the following committees and commissions:

• Auburn City Council / Placer County Liaison Committee
• Consolidated Oversight Board of the Successor Agencies in the County of Placer
• County of Placer, PCWA Water Committee
• Criminal Justice Policy Committee (Alternate Member)
• Golden State Connect Authority (Alternate Member)
• Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA)
• JPA Committee (Alternate Member)
• Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)
• Middle Fork Project Finance Authority (Alternate Member)
• Rural County Representatives of Placer County (RCRC) (Alternate Member)
• Sierra Nevada Conservancy
• Tahoe Conservancy
• Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA)
• Tahoe Transportation District
• Truckee Tahoe Airport Land Use Commission
• Veterans Memorial Hall Boards (Foresthill, Colfax, Auburn)

“With more than 30 years of public policy experience, I understand that working collaboratively and forging partnerships is the key to solving challenges and supporting our communities,” Gustafson said on her website in response to her approach. “We don’t move forward alone.”

Gustafson lives by that philosophy.

During Gustafson’s time as supervisor, she has prioritized public safety, open and responsive government, responsible development, workforce housing solutions and the preservation of open space.

Gustafson has also worked on wildfire preparedness and insurance reform, local workforce housing solutions, public safety, responsive and open government.

Gustafson believes in prudently managing fiscal resources, ensuring county staff is focused on customer service, protecting the environment and communities, listening and learning from all points of view, promoting economic sustainability, seeking creative solutions, and building consensus.

On Gustafson website, she lists her commitments as:

• Addressing the danger of catastrophic wildfire by promoting forest health, firesafe communities, ensuring emergency preparedness for evacuations, and advocating for reasonable fire insurance for District 5 residents.
• Supporting Placer County Sheriff, Probation, and District Attorney because they’re critical to providing safety and security for Placer County residents.
• Ensuring that County government is responsive to its residents’ needs, and to deploy resources efficiently and fairly across the County.
• Supporting economic sustainability and balanced growth that enhances our communities and protects our rural areas.
• Seeking and supporting local housing solutions, ranging from affordable to the missing middle, through collaborative partnerships with nonprofits, governmental agencies and the private sector.
• Advocating for transportation improvements including highway and roadway safety projects; increased transit and micro-transit; increased rail service throughout the I80 corridor; adding EV infrastructure; better enforcement of speed limits; and complete streets programs for trails, sidewalks, and bikes.
• Increasing the County’s efforts with our partners on the conservation of open space, stewardship, and enhanced public access in our region.

Gustafson is addressing the issue of public safety by supporting increased salaries and compensation across our public safety staff; supporting increased investments in equipment and technology such as body-worn cameras, mobile probation vehicles, investments in a new crime lab, a new sheriff’s substation and court house in Tahoe City, new hanger for Sheriffs fixed-wing aircraft; supporting additional positions in our District Attorney’s office; supporting investment in our jails and training programs; and supporting technology and innovation in all areas of public safety, according to her campaign website.

• Gustafson is addressing catastrophic wildfire dangers by:
• supporting increased expenditures to secure more grant-funding for forest work and defensible space in and around our communities.
• supporting the establishment of a full-time position of a Regional Forest Health Coordinator at Placer County, the first County in the State to create this position.
• supporting comprehensive mapping of threat zones throughout the entire County.
• advocating for the establishment of stricter hazardous vegetation ordinances and additional code enforcement officers.
• advocating at the State and Federal level for additional funding to manage and maintain forest health on Federal and State lands.
• supporting additional funding and resources for the Resource Conservation District’s chipper program.

To learn more about Gustafson’s views and actions on critical issues in District 5, access her FAQs here https://cindygustafson.com/faq/

“I feel humbled and very grateful to have earned endorsements throughout our County and district,” Gustafson said on her website.

Gustafson is endorsed by Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo, Retired Placer County Sherriff Ed Bonner, Auburn Councilmember Alice Dowdin Calvillo, Auburn Mayor Rachel Radell-Harris, Auburn Councilmember Sandy Amara, Former Auburn City Council Member Daniel Berlant, Former Placer County Supervisor Robert Weygandt, Placer County Water Agency Director District 5 Joshua Alpine.

Gustafson also received the backing of Tahoe area officials including Tahoe City PUD Board Member Judy Friedman, Tahoe City PUD Board Member Dan Wilkins, North Tahoe PUD Board Member Alex Mourelatos, North Tahoe PUD Board Member Sarah Coolidge, Truckee-Tahoe Airport Board MemberRick Stephens, Truckee-Tahoe Airport Board Member Teresa O’Dette, Nevada County Supervisor Hardy Bullock, North Tahoe Regional Advisory Council Chair Maggie Steakley, former Truckee Mayor Kathleen Eagan, former Tahoe City PUD Board Member Ron McIntyre, and Truckee Fire Protection District Board Member Gerald Herrick.

State Sen. Roger Niello, state Sen. Brian Dahle, and Assemblymember Megan Dahle endorsed Gustafson.

Laborers Local 185, CAL FIRE Local 2881, Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522, Roseville Firefighters Local 1592, Nevada County Professional Firefighters Local 3800, North Tahoe Community Alliance and Auburn Chamber of Commerce are also backing Gustafson.

To add your name to Gustafson’s endorsement list, go to https://cindygustafson.com/endorsements/endorse-cindy/.

To donate to Gustafson’s campaign, go to https://cindygustafson.com/donate/