Eric Alegria has listened to South Bay families who feel like their plans are moving further out of reach. The economy has brought uncertainty for homeowners, renters, and small businesses. Insurance costs are rising. The cost of doing business in Southern California is nearly 20% above the national average. Only 11% of households in LA County can afford to buy a home.

These are the kinds of obstacles that have nothing to do with how hard people work, and they are the kinds of obstacles Eric has spent his career removing.

As a small business owner who meets payroll, a father of four navigating these same costs, and a neighbor who sees families stretching their budgets to stay in the communities they love, Eric understands what is at stake. During his seven years on the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council (2017 to 2024), he showed that local leaders can take real steps to make life more affordable, without cutting the services communities.

What Eric Delivered in Rancho Palos Verdes

Cut Taxes for Small Businesses and Home-Based Businesses

When COVID-19 hit, local businesses were facing a crisis. Eric and the City Council responded by launching the Small Business Assistance Program, which reduced the in-city business license tax to $0 for any business with gross receipts under $1.5 million. The program ran from 2020 through 2025, keeping local businesses open and people employed through the pandemic and beyond.

During that same period, the Council also reduced the annual business tax for home-based businesses to $0, removing a cost barrier for residents running businesses out of their homes.

And from 2017 through 2025, the Council suspended inflation-based annual increases on all business license taxes, both for in-city and out-of-city businesses. That meant rates did not creep up year after year for any business operating in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Kept Utility Taxes Low

Under Eric's leadership, Rancho Palos Verdes maintained its utility users tax at 3%, compared to 9% in the City of Los Angeles, 10% in Santa Monica, and 6.5% in Torrance. There was no push to raise that rate, and families saw the difference in their monthly bills.

Held the Line on Homeowner Assessments

Eric and the Council kept residential assessments low by setting annual lighting district assessment renewals at $0 from 2017 through 2025, meaning homeowners were not charged for that assessment year after year, even as the district remained in place.

The Council also took a responsible approach to the city's storm drain user fee, which sunset before Eric took office and was not reinstated during his tenure. Instead of asking residents to pay a renewed fee, the Council used existing city funds to maintain the storm drain system.

Waived Fees and Secured Relief After the Landslides

When the Portuguese Bend landslides destroyed hundreds of homes, the city moved quickly. Eric and the Council waived all permitting fees and expedited repair projects so families could start rebuilding without added costs. They secured a $2.8 million emergency financial assistance program from LA County, putting up to $10,000 directly into the hands of each eligible homeowner. As of mid-2025, over $2.2 million had reached 223 families.

Eric also advocated directly to the LA County Assessor for property tax reassessments for homeowners whose property values had been devastated. The Assessor proactively initiated reassessments for red- and yellow-tagged properties, and the city created dedicated resources to help residents access every available form of relief.

No New Taxes

During Eric's seven years on the City Council (2017 to 2024), not a single new tax measure was placed on the ballot. The city delivered essential services, responded to a pandemic, managed a historic natural disaster, and invested in the community, all without asking residents to pay more.

What Eric Will Do in the State Senate

Eric will bring the same approach to the State Senate: identify the obstacles driving up costs for families, then bring people together to remove them.

Housing: Expand first-time homebuyer grants and help public servants like teachers, police officers, and firefighters afford homes in the communities where they serve. Give local leaders a real voice in housing solutions that fit their neighborhoods.

Insurance: Hold insurance companies accountable for maintaining coverage and paying claims quickly. Demand transparency in how rates are set, and reward communities and homeowners who invest in prevention and home hardening.

Small businesses and jobs: Increase access to capital, cut through red tape, and expand film tax credits to bring entertainment industry jobs back to California.

Energy costs: Invest in clean energy infrastructure and make solar and electric vehicles more affordable, so that climate policies reduce costs for South Bay families instead of adding to them.

Job training: Create pathways to good-paying careers through apprenticeships and training programs that do not require a college degree, connecting workers with skills and businesses with the talent they need.

Health care costs: Use statewide purchasing pools to bring down prescription drug prices. Remove inefficiencies in our health care systems so resources go to patient care, not administrative waste.