“California is still recovering from the recession and from years of structural deficits. I understand that overcoming these two large obstacles has not been easy and will continue to force Californians to make difficult decisions in the years ahead as we grapple with our budget.

“But I am confident that we can solve our problems and reach our goals in a fair and equitable manner. The Governor’s proposal to generate revenue from incomes above $500,000 is a reasonable measure that will protect our most vital state services, including education and public safety, which have already suffered from devastating cuts.

“I look forward to voting for a budget that shares the sacrifice we all face as we get our financial house in order and prepare the state for an economic recovery.”

Assemblymember Steven C. Bradford represents the 51st Assembly District, comprised of the cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Lawndale, and Inglewood, and the communities of Athens, Lennox, South Central LA, Westchester, Willowbrook, Playa Vista, and parts of Ladera Heights and West Compton.

(Lawndale) – Assembly Member Steven Bradford’s office distributed more than 150 turkeys to local community organizations Monday ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Dozens of community organizations, senior centers, and non-profits received five or ten turkeys which they will distribute to families in need.

“During these tough economic times it is important to remember the importance of lending a helping hand to our fellow neighbors,” Assembly Member Bradford said. “Those of us who have been blessed need to give back to those less fortunate.”

“Operation Gobble” is an annual tradition for Bradford’s office. It is a joint effort with Senator Roderick Wright’s office.

The event took place Monday morning at Jane Addams Park in Lawndale.

Assemblymember Steven C. Bradford represents the 51st Assembly District, comprised of the cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Lawndale, and Inglewood, and the communities of Athens, Lennox, South Central LA, Westchester, Willowbrook, Playa Vista, and parts of Ladera Heights and West Compton.

Assembly Member Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) attended a press conference and signing ceremony today at the Los Angeles Convention Center to mark the signing of SB 292, which authorizes construction of a new football stadium in downtown Los Angeles.

SB 292 will fast-track construction of Farmers Field, which is being financed by developer Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) and is scheduled to open by 2016. The bill also includes renovation of the Convention Center’s West Hall.

“This is a big step forward for our economic recovery,” Assembly Member Bradford said. “We’re going to put a lot of people to work at a time when people need jobs.”

Economic analyses of the stadium proposal by both AEG and the City of Los Angeles predict tens of thousands of temporary and permanent jobs resulting from construction and operation of the stadium. The $1.3 billion deal, which does not rely on any taxpayer dollars, also includes renovation of the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The Governor also signed AB 900, a companion jobs bill that is modeled after SB 292. It will fast-track other large project proposals in order to bring jobs to the state as quickly as possible.

The project is supported by the Environmental Resources Defense Council, the California League of Conservation Voters, and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO.

“Today we showed how to bring competing interests together for the good of the state,” Bradford continued. “This project is a model of collaboration and partnership.”

The signing ceremony was attended by the Governor, Assembly Speaker John Pérez, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former Governor Gray Davis, AEG President and CEO Tim Leiweke, labor leaders and other public officials.

Assembly Member Bradford was a principal co-author of SB 292.

Assemblymember Steven C. Bradford represents the 51st Assembly District, comprised of the cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Lawndale, and Inglewood, and the communities of Athens, Lennox, South Central LA, Westchester, Willowbrook, Playa Vista, and parts of Ladera Heights and West Compton.

Saturday, October 1, 2011
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
LAX Westin Hotel
5400 West Century Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045

The Energy, Utilities and Communication Panel will be held during the California Legislative Black Caucus’ Challenge of Achieving America’s Dream in California Policy Conference. Don’t miss your opportunity to hear what panelists have to say about the following questions:

The former Gardena city councilman, who captured his seat in a September 2009 special election, faces only token opposition in his quest for a first full term in the Legislature.

About two out of three voters are registered as Democrats in the 51st Assembly District, a blue-collar area that takes in Westchester, Inglewood, Lennox, Hawthorne, Gardena and Lawndale.

Republicans account for only about 14 percent of registered voters, and no GOP candidates emerged to challenge Bradford in the face of that spread.

So the only obstacle for the freshman Democrat is a 26-year-old political novice running under the banner of the Green Party.

With just 0.35 percent of voters in the district registered with the Green Party, Cynthia Santiago is realistic about her chances. But she believes it’s important for voters to hear from candidates outside the two major parties.

“The two parties in control of the Legislature aren’t the only views that exist,” Santiago said. “I feel like, if a young person is elected, it would really send a strong message to represent how young people should be a part of the political process in California.”

Santiago is from Gardena, where Bradford spent nearly 13 years on the City Council until he was elected to the state Assembly last year. Bradford, 50, replaced Curren

Price Jr., who was elected to the state Senate last year.

Santiago is a student at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, where she said she is studying criminal and public-interest law. She plans to graduate in December.

This is Santiago’s first time seeking election to any public office, but she said she has served on a local advisory board in Santa Monica.

If elected, she said she would focus on directing more public funds and incentive programs to increase public transit and create more environmentally progressive jobs.

To help ease the state’s budget deficit, Santiago said she would encourage spending less public money on prisons.

“I’ve always been a supporter of education, not incarceration,” she said. “We have overpopulated prisons because we don’t invest early on in education.”

In his first year in office, Bradford authored 14 bills – five of which were signed into law by the governor. He said he has worked diligently, not missing a day of work.

“I have a record of being accountable and present,” Bradford said. “The inclusiveness and opportunity that I tried to deliver (as a councilman) in Gardena – I’ve tried to keep that same mind-set of how to involve all people.”

In his Assembly campaign last year, Bradford focused on health care and fiscal discipline. He worked for many years as a public affairs manager with Southern California Edison, and said that experience gives him a solid background in the Legislature to increase public utilities’ renewable energy usage.

Since election, he has been named chair of the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee and advanced legislation to boost minority hiring.

And one of his bills signed into law, AB 2758, requires utility providers to report specifically on their renewable energy, broadband, wireless and rail projects involving businesses owned by minorities, women and disabled veterans.

Among other Bradford bills signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was AB 2188, which paves the way for the state to issue disability, unemployment and paid family leave benefits through direct deposit and pay cards. Other bills that became laws keep unlicensed taxi drivers off the street, allow cameras on street sweeper machines to record license plates, and ensure payment for pregnancy surrogates through direct deposit.

If elected, Bradford said he would continue to push another bill that would encourage banks to open in minority areas, and one that would allow ex-felons to get jobs without reporting their criminal history.

“Those are key, we’ve got to make sure resources are provided in the community where needed,” Bradford said.

“California is leading the nation in renewable energy. We’re going to fight to make sure everyone’s included and that green jobs are real, tangible jobs. That not only utilities hire (minorities) but wind, solar and geothermal folks hire as well.”

Disability Benefits (AB 2188)

This law allows California to issue disability benefits, unemployment benefits and paid family leave benefits through direct deposit and paycards.  More importantly, when these benefits are issued, recipients will have no ATM fees, no overdraft fees, and no transaction fees eating away at their benefits.

Surrogacy Facilitators (AB 2426)

This law protects both clients and surrogates of surrogacy agencies by requiring surrogacy operators to use an escrow account for their client’s funds.  This change in law will safeguard a client’s investment, but also safeguards the funds needed to support a surrogate’s medical needs and expenses in the event that an operator commits fraud.

Street Sweepers (AB 2567)

This law allows cities and counties to utilize specific digital imaging equipment on street sweepers to capture license plate information.  This technology will eliminate the need for motorists to avoid parking in a location for as much as a five hour block, allows parking enforcement personnel to focus on more critical violations, and can improve the quantity of debris removed from streets and neighborhoods that clog storm drains and cause unnecessary flooding.

Hired Driver Services (AB 2572)

Travelers have an expectation of safety and security while visiting our airports and this law increases that safety by giving airport personnel better tools to stop unlicensed operators, also called “pirate drivers” from transporting passengers to and from the airport.  These unlicensed operators, who operate as hired drivers, are unregulated, may not have proper vehicle registration or maintenance, and more importantly, have no one monitoring their activities.  With this law in place, pirate drivers will face harsher penalties when operating inside and outside airport boundaries.

Energy Supplier Diversity (AB 2758)

This law requires utility providers to report specifically on their procurement with minority, women and disabled veteran owned businesses on renewable energy, broadband, wireless, and rail projects.  Through expansion of the supplier diversity program, these businesses can have a bigger role in the development and growth of the emerging technologies in our state.

To view the text of all the bills signed into law, visit www.assembly.ca.gov/Bradford and click on “legislation.”

Join Assemblymember Bradford and the CLBCF in learning from some of the top experts in the industry, featuring representatives from:

• Wells Fargo Bank
• Verizon
• Southern California Edison

Learn the following:

1. Proposal pitfalls to avoid
2. Position your proposal for winning results,
3. Questions to ask the Program Officer during the call,
4. Obtain a valuable toolkit to get you on your way

Registration Deadline: Friday, September 17, 2010

Register online at www.clbcfoundation.org
For more information, call the CLBC Foundation at (323) 294-2700.

Click here to download printable version of flyer.