Pat Wiggins Bio

Senator Pat Wiggins began her political career in local government, as a member of the Santa Rosa City Council.  She then became the Assemblymember for the 7^th District (Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties) until she was forced out of office by term limits in December of 2004.  During her time in the legislature, she served as Chair of the Local Government and Banking Committees.  She is now Senator for the 2^nd Senate District (North Coast). 

In 2000, as Assemblywoman, Wiggins founded the Legislature’s Smart Growth Caucus (www.assembly.ca.gov/sgc), which grew to include 47 of the legislature’s 120 members over the next few years.   She is the author of AB 857 (statutes of 2002), the most comprehensive state land use planning legislation in thirty years.   AB 857 established California’s spending priorities for future growth to help prevent sprawl, and to promote compact development and greater social equity.  She is also the author of legislation to facilitate farmworker housing,  to promote mixed-use development, and to increase funding for agricultural protection.  Other legislative initiatives included: 

·      AB 2878 (2001), which would have required cities to swap a portion of their sales tax revenue with counties for a portion of the counties’ property tax revenue

·      AB 1268 (initial version) (2003) which would have established statewide urban growth boundaries and inclusionary zoning

·      AB 2924 (2004) which would have provided grants to install solar panels on publicly subsidized housing developments 

In October 2001, then Assemblymember Wiggins brought together representatives of Napa County and all of its cities and urged them to plan collectively for the area’s long-term housing needs.  Local officials agreed, and went a step further by agreeing to work together on a comprehensive, county-wide land-use plan.   Wiggins provided support throughout the process, which to date has resulted in significant agreements among the governmental entities involved.   A comprehensive plan is expected in time for the next housing element cycle in 2007.

Pat with Santa Rosa City Council Members Noreen Evans and Steve Rabinowitsh viewing the restoration project on Santa Rosa Creek.

Senator Wiggins is a second-generation Californian and a resident of Santa Rosa since 1985. She is married to Guy Conner, a computer software engineer, with whom she has two stepsons, Jim and Steve Silverman, and three grand-children.