Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares, R-Acton, hosted a grand opening of her office Tuesday evening in Valencia, sharing with a packed room of area dignitaries, business leaders, representatives of law enforcement and other community members.
On Monday, she held a similar grand opening at her Lancaster office to connect with the community. At both events, the senator aimed to give people a chance to tour her offices and share her mission.
“Too often our representatives aren’t accessible,” Valladares said during her address to guests at the Valencia office event. “I work for you — each and every one of you — and it’s important to me that you have a space where you can come talk to me about your casework, or good bill ideas or bad bill ideas.”
According to Charles Navarro, district director for Valladares, the office has been focused on serving constituents through hands-on support. Since January, he said, the team has helped residents receive a total of $256,714 through casework assistance.
During Tuesday’s open house, Valladares echoed that commitment, highlighting the broader work she and her office have been doing since she took office about eight months ago.
She also shared a piece of California history that she helped make.
“After I was elected this December, for the first time in California history, I was not only proud to be being sworn in on the Senate floor,” she said, “but for the first time in California, the California Senate reached parity with women representation. So, you can clap for that. We are the majority in the state Senate, and man, have we seen the legislation that reflects that this past year. It’s vitally important and reflective of where we want to go in terms of policy in the state of California.”
Valladares talked about serving on eight legislative committees, including a committee on health, a committee on governmental organization, a transportation committee and a judiciary committee.
She spoke about her work as a member of the California Legislative Problem Solvers Caucus, expressing how bipartisanship matters.
That caucus, which, she added, includes 13 Republicans and 13 Democrats, is currently focused on affordability.
“I’m very proud to say that our priority bill has made its way to the Senate,” she said. “I’ll be jockeying it on the Senate floor, presenting it when we get back in September, and it’s going to cut gasoline prices by 30 cents a gallon by allowing a cheaper, cleaner blend to be sold in the state of California.”
Because the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys are commuter communities, she emphasized the importance of delivering real savings that directly impact people’s daily lives.
Valladares shared how she’s also a member of the California Senate Special Committee on International Sporting Events, which, she said, has been focused on preparing the state to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl LXI in 2027 and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
“It’s an important time,” she said, “and having a voice that’s looking out not just for the people living here in L.A. during these games, but the businesses and how it impacts tourism and hotels is vitally important.”
Valladares thanked the many local leaders and representatives who attended her office’s grand opening, including staff from Rep. George Whitesides’ and Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s offices, Santa Clarita Councilwoman Patsy Ayala, members of the SCV Chamber of Commerce, and representatives from College of the Canyons.
She encouraged guests to enjoy the open house, and she let them know that they were welcome to reach out to her and her staff anytime, right then and in the future.
“We have always been open for business,” she said in her closing remarks at the Tuesday event, “but now we have a physical place where our community can come and work with their state legislator on the issues important to them.”
Valladares’ Valencia office is located at 25060 W. Avenue Stanford, Suite 130. You can reach the office at 661-257-1204. For more information, go to SR23.senate.ca.gov.
