[img]1562|left|Sen. Curren D. Price Jr.||no_popup[/img][Editor’s Note: During the summer, state Sen. Curren D. Price Jr. (D-Culver City) denied he had an interest in running for the City Council.]
It gives me great hope and pleasure to announce that state Sen. Curren D. Price Jr. (D-Culver City) has heeded the call of many concerned and involved Angelenos and decided to roll up his sleeves and run for the 9th District.
He made the announcement last night.
Earlier this year, I wrote a blog asking if Mr. Price was “willing to sacrifice his glorious tenure in Sacramento to roll-up his sleeves and get to the work of helping South Los Angeles begin its 21st century renaissance?”
It Is Perry’s Seat
I am sure it took much deliberation and soul-searching to run for office representing the struggling 9th District (where Mayoralty candidate Jan Perry is termed out next year). The very capable and congenial Mr. Price is a rising star in the state Senate, where he is one of only two blacks, Rod Wright being the other.
However, Mr. Price told me that he misses being in Los Angeles on the front line in his city, making a difference at the grassroots level without a lot of bureaucracy and the input of 40 elected officials in the Senate and 80 in the Assembly.
Mr. Price knows how to work in city politics, having served on the Inglewood City Council for 10 years before being elected to the state Assembly and Senate.
And Mr. Price's effective leadership was highlighted in a recent poll of core areas of the 9th District showing that he would be an immediate front runner. He has high-name recognition and his positives are in the 70s across all groups, Once respondents were given additional background information, those numbers climbed to the 80s.
In his statement announcing his candidacy, Mr. Price said:
“After careful deliberation and consultation with residents and local business and religious leaders, I have decided to enter the race for City Council District 9.
“I am very familiar with the opportunities and obstacles that exist in this district, almost one-third of which is in the 26th Senate District, which I now represent.
“The exciting job opportunities and developments associated with L.A. Live, Farmers Field and USC are tempered with the other realities of District 9, including high unemployment, struggling schools and the lack of clean and affordable housing.
“I am running for this office to offer leadership by calling for a new level of collaboration among public and private sector resources.
“I'm adopting the phrase, the ‘New 9th,’ to signal a new level of commitment and enthusiasm to engage residents and community-based institutions to work together to improve the quality of life for all residents in the “New 9th!”
In his statement Mr. Price listed specific issue areas that he would focus on to improve the quality of life for residents of the 9th District. He said how he intends to make those changes in housing, jobs, civic engagement and with new funding initiatives.
A Long History
The 9th City Council district, mostly black and Latino, has been represented by African Americans for nearly 50 years. More than a dozen candidates of all races have entered the race for the seat to succeed Ms. Perry.
Because of his long record of legislative accomplishments in education, procurement, small businesses and healthcare, his capable fundraising, and his strong showing in other Los Angeles political races, I am convinced that Sen. Price is the only African American in this race who can win this seat.
As I wrote earlier this year when I was urging to run for the City Council:
“We have to support the strongest candidate possible for this race.
The new Councilperson in the 9th District will be a crucial actor to build consensus and provide quality leadership in South Los Angeles. This person will likely be the key to bringing football back to Los Angeles, whether it is at the Coliseum, the Downtown area near the Staples Center or the Chavez Ravine area at Dodger Stadium. This important role requires intelligence, quality leadership, a proven record of success, broad networks across the ethnic landscape, a disciplined staff and a competent public service profile.
Mr. Price has accomplished a great deal as an elected representative in Los Angeles in the state capitol. As Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus he is a proven leader and consensus builder. He is tireless advocate for small businesses, and has a significant list of accomplishments in the Legislature in areas of not only small businesses, but education, health care and international trade.
His Record
Mr. Price has gained the respect of his colleagues and the state Democratic leadership because he has a solutions- oriented approach to governing.
Mr. Price chairs the California Legislative Black Caucus, where he quietly became the go-to person to save black political power in California through the state and federal redistricting process. He devoted his entire summer to ensuring that black people across the state were in position to maximize their political influence.
Mr. Price is currently involved in an unprecedented effort in promoting the candidacies of five new candidates for state Assembly across the state. He is attempting to maintain and grow the Black Caucus to historic levels with pick-ups in the Pasadena and San Diego area while keeping Southeast Los Angeles, Oakland and San Bernardino with quality African American representation. He has taken the development of these candidates very seriously by hosting them for a Candidate Development Institute earlier this year while holding fundraisers along with meet and greets to expose candidates to the intricacies of campaigning.
Mr. Price has expanded his reputation as a bridge-builder across ethnic communities by getting the Asian/Pacific Islander & Latino Caucuses on-board to ensure that the most vulnerable populations in this state are protected during these difficult economic times. Price has also used his position as Caucus Chair to promote our two statewide elected officials, Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris and Board of Equalization Chairman Jerome Horton as they pursue legislative and political priorities for Black California and beyond.
The Senate Committee on Business Professions and Economic Development, which Mr. Price also chairs, oversees many of the regulated professions in the state and is a watchdog for consumer protection laws. Mr. Price has stayed true to his appreciation of the concerns of small businesses and job creators as an elected official who effectively manages the issues faced by consumers and by industry.
Mr. Price also chairs the California Legislative Joint Committee on the Arts where he revived the long-dormant committee by advancing arts education funding through charitable efforts, public-private partnership, issue advocacy campaigns and community-based-organization awareness efforts.
He carried legislation to create a checkoff when we file our taxes so we can contribute additional funds for arts programs at the state and local level.
The Senate Select Committee on Procurement has been the chief vehicle by which Price advances his deep commitment to opening up public contracting opportunities in California to minority and women owned businesses; whether they be at the state Dept. of General Services, emerging investment money mangers at CalPERS/CalSTRS, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or the California High Speed Rail Authority.
In addition to these current leadership roles, Mr. Price is a key player in the leadership of the state Senate and the Legislature in general. A highly-effective legislator, he is embraced by both the labor and business communities as a person with whom they can work with to solve problems. Mr. Price has carried major legislation year after year for SEIU-ULTCW & AFSCME/UDW as well as for the California Black Chamber of Commerce. He has a lifetime “A” rating from the labor movement and is considered a “champion” for small businesses.
Mr. Price is close to rank and file public safety (PORAC, CCPOA, CPF) as well as teachers, nurses and tradesmen. Because of his commitment to economic growth, Mr. Price is also considered a friend of private sector workers.
Get ready, District 9 residents. Capable leadership is coming to your district. All you have to do is get out there and vote for it.
Mr. Kimbrew may be contacted at cafriendsofaacc@gmail.com
