Among the offices on the ballot for the Tuesday, April 10 election in Long Beach will be City Council districts 4 and 8, as well as that of the Long Beach Unified School District’s Board of Education District 4.
Since those seats cover geographical areas that fall within its distribution area, the Signal Tribune requested that each of the candidates seeking those three seats submit information on his or her campaign, the results of which are published below.
For more information on the election, visit longbeach.gov/cityclerk/elections .
Age 36
Years residing in Long Beach 26
Years residing in current district 19 years
Occupation Field Deputy for Council District 9
Personal Information Married with two children, of which one is attending Long Beach Unified
Education Attended Long Beach Unified, graduating from Lakewood High School. After serving eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps, earned associate’s degree from Long Beach City College and bachelor’s degree from California State University Long Beach
Nonprofit/professional affiliations
Member and former president of Lafayette Parent Booster Club; chairperson on the Citizen Police Complaint Commission; former member of the Central Project Area Committee; member of Community Partners Council; currently a California Democratic state delegate for the 55th Assembly District; former president of the CSULB College Democrats; member of the Long Beach Democratic Club and the Young Democrats.
Goals if elected
“Once elected, I will focus on the budget in order to keep financial cuts away from the classrooms and schools. I will direct staff to focus on consolidating the Central Offices, eliminating paying for cell phones, reducing cost for traveling to conferences, and reducing/eliminating the use of consultants and professional services. I will create a District 2 Leadership Council of parents, teachers, school employees, and community leaders. This will create transparency in the decision-making process, which will be inclusive, not excluding stakeholders. I will focus on ensuring our students have access to the A through G required courses in high schools. These courses are required in order for our children to apply for enrollment at California state universities and universities of California. I will ensure these types of courses are protected during the budget process so all our children have an opportunity to attend a university, not just Long Beach City College.”
Platform
Agenda for our Children’s Future: ensuring a healthy environment in which our children can live and learn; reducing the teacher-to-student ratio so teachers can work directly with each child; preparing students for technical education, community college, or university-level education so every student can succeed; providing a safe learning environment, modern facilities, up-to-date curriculum and access to technology
Endorsements
Long Beach parents; Long Beach Unified teachers, nurses and librarians; Los Angeles County Democratic Party; Lambda Democratic Club; Mexican American Democratic Club; Long Beach Young Democrats; Assembly Member Warren T. Furutani; Assembly Member Isadore Hall, III; Mario Cordero, Federal Maritime Commission; Rae Gabelich, Long Beach City Councilmember; Gerrie Schipske, Long Beach City councilmember; Roberto Uranga, Long Beach City College Board of Trustees; Mark Bowen, Long Beach City College Board of Trustees; Skyy Fisher, Compton Unified School District board member; Jose Luis Solache, Lynwood Unified School District board member; Sergio Contreras, president of Westminster Unified School District board member; Julie Ruiz-Raber, City of Carson Mayor Pro Tem; Raul Murga, City of Carson Mobilehome Park Rental Review Board; Annie Greenfeld, Central Project Area Committee; Anthony Kim, Cambodian Business Association*, Carmen Perez, community advocate; Carolyn Smith-Watts, Civil Service commissioner*; Doris Topys-Elvord, former Long Beach Vice Mayor; Elisa McConnehea, community advocate; Evelyn Knight, Westside Long Beach Neighborhood; Gary Maynard, Wrigley Neighborhood; Gladys Gutierrez, community advocate; Jack Smith, Wrigley neighborhood; Javier Villasenor, LBCC counselor; Jeff Price, attorney; Jim Deaton, LBUSD retired teacher; John Taeliefi, Westside Long Beach neighborhood; John Cross, Redevelopment Agency Board*; Kimmy Maniquis, Wrigley neighborhood; Lillian Parker, Central Long Beach Neighborhood; Mario Gonzales, Westside Long Beach neighborhood; Mary Hernandez, Senior Citizen Commissioner*;
Raul Anorve, Human Relations Commissioner*; Rick Reyes, Chair Veterans Caucus*; Sandy Cajas, youth advocate; Sergio Carrillo, regional director; Tonia Reyes Uranga, former Long Beach City Councilmember; Theral Golden, environmental advocate; Alicia Carrera, New City parent; Alicia Murguia, Keller parent; Alma Ruiz, Burnett parent; Arturo and Martina Hinojosa, Roosevelt parents; David and Rose Marie Orr, Stanford parents; Ericka Gutierrez, Lafayette parent; Evangelina Ramirez; Jenny Jimenez, Burnett parent; Jesse Caraveo, Washington parent; Kari Faithful, Poly parent; Maria Madrid, Cabrillo parent; Patricia Garcia Torres, Stephens parent; Patricia Murguia, Edison parent; Rebecca and Patty Wells, Lafayette parents; Rosa Batres, parent; Sandra Garcia, Lafayette parent (partial list)
* Titled for identification only
Age 66
Years residing in Long Beach 42
Years residing in current district 42
Occupation College Administrator and faculty member (CSU, Long Beach and Dominguez Hills; Sacramento City College; Long Beach City College) retired.
Personal Information Single; two children (Sonia and Felton Williams, Jr.), two grandchildren (Kiara and Kianna). Kiara is a junior at San Diego State University, and Kianna is a freshman at Calif. Academy of Math and Science.
Education A.A. (Harbor Community College); B.A. and M.B.A. (CSU, Long Beach); Ph.D. in Higher Education (Claremont Graduate University).
Nonprofit/professional affiliations
St. Mary Foundation Board of Trustees; Advisory Committee Board Member, College of Business Administration, CSU, Long Beach; Member, Wrigley Area Neighborhood Assoc., and West Long Beach Neighborhood Assoc.; Commissioner, Community Development Advisory Committee, City of Long Beach; EOPS Advisory Board Member, Long Beach City College; Vice President, Administration, Leadership Long Beach
Goals if elected
Continue to improve student academic performance in Area 2 schools; continue to prepare students for careers and higher education; continue to work towards staff and student safety; and complete the building, updating and remodeling of Area 2 schools as formulated in the Facilities Master Planning Schedule
Platform
“Our schools have seen greatly improved student achievement even during lean times. With the continued challenges we face, now is not the time to experiment with untested leadership. I will use my extensive experience in public education to continue putting our children first with every decision I make.”
Endorsements Elected Officials: Hon. Laura Richardson, Member, U.S. Congress; Hon. Bob Foster, Mayor, City of Long Beach; Hon. Suja Lowenthal, Vice Mayor, Long Beach; Hon. Dee Andrews, Councilmember, Long Beach; Hon. James Johnson, Councilmember, Long Beach; Hon. Rod Wright, California State Senator; Hon. Larry Forrester, Councilmember, Signal Hill; Hon. Jim Dear, Mayor, Carson; Hon. Douglas Haubert, Prosecutor, Long Beach; Hon. Don Knabe, L.A. County Supervisor, Fourth District; Hon. Beverly O’Neill, (former Mayor), Long Beach; Hon. Val Lerch, (former Councilmember), Long Beach; Hon. Douglas S. Drummond, (former Councilmember) Long Beach; Hon. George Dukmejian, 35th Governor, State of California (Ret.); Hon. Eunice Sato, (former Mayor), Long Beach; Hon. Ernie Kell, (former Mayor), Long Beach; Hon. Jackie Kell, (former Councilmember) Long Beach; Hon. Doug Otto, President, Long Beach Community College District; Hon. Dr. Tom Clark, Trustee, Long Beach Community College District Hon. Jeffrey A. Kellogg, Trustee, Long Beach Community College District; Hon. Dr. David Barton, board vice president, Long Beach Unified School District; Hon. Jon Meyer, Board Member, LBUSD; Hon. John McGinnis, board member, LBUSD; Hon. Mary Stanton, board member, LBUSD; Hon. Bobbie Smith, (former board member), LBUSD; Hon. Jim Choura, (former board member), LBUSD; Hon. Patricia Lofland, (former trustee), Long Beach Community College District. Educational Leadership: Charles Reed, chancellor, California State University System; F. King Alexander, president, CSULB. Community members: Lee Allen; John Allen; Lou Baglietto; William & Virgie Barnes; Malcom Bennett; Marilyn Bittle, Teachers Assoc. of L.B. ret.; Barbara Bolin; Byron & Anita Bolton; Robert Brandin; James Brandt; Christopher Campbell; Dr. Michael and Claudinette Brown; Blake Christian; John Deats; Damon Dunn; Leticia Espinoza; Dr. Minnie Douglas; Charles and Margaret Durnin; Alan Fox, Atty.; Drew Gagner; Ed Garcia; Rev. Larry Ginn; Ivy Arlinda Goolsby; Stephen Gordon; Maj. General Peter Gravett, U.S. Army (ret.); Joan Greenwood; James Hankla; Chris & LaShonda Hass; Dorothy House; Lindsey Hughes; Matthew & Roberta Jenkins; Trinc Jiminez; Charles and Gwen Johnson; Dr. Farah Naz Khaleghi; Frank Kozlowski; Molly A. Lange; C.J. Latimore; Minister Lisa Lee; James Lippert; Karen O. Mayer; David Meade; Ernest McBride Jr. & Family; Gerald Miller; Tonia Mitchell; Gonzalo Morago; Angelin Nelson; Ronald W. Nelson; Maria Norvell; Jim Oberst; Richard W. Odell; Victor Parker; Rachel Plotkin-Olumese; Frieda Otto; Robin Perry, Esq.; Donald Pierce; Earnest Preacely; Donald Raines; Bill Releford; Timothy Risch; Diane Ripley; Jane Roeder; Printle and Nicole Russell; Pastor Gregory Sanders; David San Jose; James A. Spaulding; Renee Simon; Pat Stanyo; Wiliam Townsend; Jim Trout; Diane Wallace; Aileen Walter; Janet Watt; Felton Williams, Jr.; J. Williams; Sonia Williams; Cheryl Wynn. Community organizations: Chan Hobson, Dir., Khmer Parents Assoc.; Sara Pol Lim, United Cambodian Center; Ahmed Saafir, President, 100 Black Men of L.B., Inc.; Oscar & Anita Edwards, High Growth Strategies; Jean Egan, Rev. Oliver Buie; O. Leon and Paula Wood; Ray Cordova, Chair, South County Labor, AFL-CIO; Long Beach Democratic Women’s Study Club; Long Beach Ministerial Alliance; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 11. Educators For Felton Williams: J.P. Alegria; Ruth Ashley, LBUSD;William Barnes, Dean, L.B. City College (ret.); Wendy Claplin, Principal, LBUSD; Marey Donnelly; Dr. Janice Filer, Principal, LBUSD; Barbara George, Principal, LAUSD; Dr. Ken Graham, LBCC; Debra Hilliard, LBUSD; Marie-Laure Hinton (LBCC); Barbara Jenkins, LBUSD; Dr. Kimberly Johnson, LBUSD; Lynne Lewis, LBUSD; Mary Martinez, LBUSD; Renee McClelland, Lynwood Unified; Craig Patterson, L.A. Harbor College; Sparkle Peterson, Principal, LBUSD; Doris Robinson, Principal, LBUSD; Tanya Robertson, LBUSD; Judy Seal, LBUSD; Bertha Sightler, LBUSD (ret.); Dr. Matty Zamora; Judy Moses, Mike Vecchiolla, Charles Belvin, Donell Wright, Ken Zavala, Martin martens, Pensa Chambliss, Kennetta Coulter, David Dewey, Mark Santo, Janis Binggeli, Patricia Ryan, Patrick Gorman, Archie Montoya, Talita Pilart, Frankie Parker, Lynne Lewis.
Age 76
Years residing in Long Beach 76
Years residing in current district 76
Occupation Incumbent board member LBUSD
Personal Information Married 50 years with two grown children, Scott and Stacey; five grandchildren
Education BA Stanford University, history; MA CSULB, history; administrative credential, UC Irvine
Nonprofit/professional affiliations Board member, Assistance League of LB; Tichenor Orthopedic Clinic for Children; BLAST board member; six-year member of LB Commission on Youth and Children
Goals if elected Weather the current financial crisis while preserving quality programs for students; sustain the nationally recognized student academic successes; sustain the stability of our superintendent and staff— no other large urban school district can boast of the success and stability we have enjoyed during the past ten years; maintain clean and safe schools.
Endorsements Governor George Deukmejian; former Mayor Beverly O’Neill; Dr. Carl Cohn; Doug Otto; LMU President David Burcham; City Auditor Laura Doud; Superintendent Chris Steinhauser; Dr. F. King Alexander, President of CSULB; Dr. Charles Reid, Chancellor Cal State Universities; Teachers Association of Long Beach; CSEA of LBUSD
“I know that I would have much to offer as a member of the Long Beach School Board of Education. However, I will not run at this time. It was an honor for me to be encouraged to run for the Long Beach School Board by personal friends, educators, business and religious leaders, and other members of the community. This encouragement was due to the desire for change from business as usual in the school district. I urge constituents to press on with those issues that are important and to demand responsive governance. I believe you must not let your leaders take you for granted. You must make sure that your elected leaders work hard for you every day and are held accountable. My community service will continue, especially in the areas of youth, people in need, the under-served, voiceless and unrepresented. The decisions of my life will always be influenced by the needs of my family and God’s purpose for my life.”
