Why this Placer County judge's race matters to families struggling with addiction

Judges are critical to the wellbeing of our communities. As a mother of a son struggling with addiction who was also a defendant in Placer County, I know this firsthand. Like so many parents, I gave my son everything I could. He was bright, kind and deeply loved. But like many young people today, he was exposed to drugs that ultimately pulled him into a devastating cycle of addiction. That addiction eventually led him to the streets of San Francisco, where my family and I lived every day in fear we would receive the call no parent ever wants to hear. For years, I feared my son would become another statistic in the fentanyl crisis. Often, the only way I knew he was still alive was through missing-persons reports and occasional calls telling me he had been cited and released for petty theft, drug-related offenses and survival crimes tied directly to addiction. The criminal justice system was failing my son. While many people saw those citations as evidence the system was "working," I saw them as missed opportunities for intervention. I drove to different jurisdictions, pleading with anyone who would listen to hold my son accountable – not because he was a bad person, not because I stopped loving him, but because addiction reached a point where he could no longer make safe choices for himself. As many families affected by addiction understand, there comes a painful moment where accountability becomes an act of love. I spoke with judges, defense attorneys, prosecutors, police and anyone who would listen. My son needed structure. He needed consequences. He needed forced intervention because, left entirely on his own, he would continue choosing drugs over his survival. I will never forget the words of one judge that reshaped how I viewed our current legal system: "I'm sorry you are going through this as a parent, but I'm not going to do anything. These are drugs, and drugs are not a crime against others." That was my reality as a mother. Eventually, I was able to bring my son home to Placer County. For a brief moment, I believed things were finally turning around. But addiction is powerful, and tragically, it pulled him back toward the streets and the environment that fueled it. As heartbreaking as it was, I had to set boundaries in my own home and say goodbye. Any parent who has experienced addiction in their family understands the impossible pain of loving someone deeply while refusing to allow addiction to consume their household. Not long after leaving, my son committed retail theft here in Placer County. He was arrested, held accountable and ultimately sentenced to prison. Some may criticize that outcome – I do not. Was the prison system fully equipped to address addiction treatment? No. That is a much larger conversation our state still needs to have. But I can say with certainty the criminal justice system interrupted a cycle that was otherwise heading toward death. And that matters. My son matters. Through this experience, I learned firsthand the incredibly important role judges play in balancing compassion with accountability. Holding someone accountable for repeated criminal behavior tied to addiction is not about cruelty. It is not about abandoning people struggling with substance abuse. It is about refusing to give up on them. Judges are uniquely positioned to intervene in ways that can redirect not only an individual life but entire families impacted by addiction and chaos. Sometimes, accountability is the very thing that creates the opportunity for recovery, stability and survival. That is part of what makes Placer County special. Our community understands that compassion and accountability are not opposites. We can support treatment, prevention and rehabilitation while also maintaining clear standards that protect families and communities. For these reasons, I am supporting Dave Bass for judge. I believe he understands the difficult balance our courts must maintain. I believe he recognizes the human side of addiction while also understanding the importance of accountability, structure and public safety. Most importantly, I believe he understands judges have the power to change lives – not by lowering expectations or removing accountability but by leading with both compassion and accountability, refusing to abandon those struggling with addiction while also recognizing meaningful intervention can save lives. Tammy Morgan-Foglia is a longtime Placer County resident and advocate focused on fentanyl awareness, addiction education and improving access to addiction treatment. She is passionate about supporting families impacted by addiction and elevating community conversations surrounding the growing fentanyl crisis.