Recent News in the 51st District

(Sacramento) – Assembly Member Steven Bradford (D – Gardena) issued the following statement today in response to Governor Brown’s May Revise budget proposal:

“Governor Brown released a workable budget proposal today that is not perfect, but sets us on the path to eliminating an unforeseen budget shortfall.

“His proposal to raise revenue from California’s wealthiest residents is fair and just, given the hardship faced by so many others.

“But I hope to work with the Governor and my fellow legislators to spare cuts to programs relied on by our most vulnerable citizens. Times are still tough for so many of my constituents, and we should do everything we can to spare them further hardship.

“California has made real progress in fixing our structural budget problems, and I look forward to continuing the hard work to balance California’s finances. But we must make sure we do not do most of the balancing at the expense of our most vulnerable citizens and the vital services we all rely on.”

LaVerne Knight has long history of activism and community involvement

(Gardena) - Assemblymember Steven Bradford today announced Gardena resident LaVerne Knight as the 51st Assembly District’s woman of the year in recognition of Women’s History Month.

“LaVerne Knight is an outstanding example of a person dedicated to her community,” Bradford said. “She works tirelessly on behalf of a dozen issues that she cares about, and Gardena is the wonderful city it is because of her kindness and generosity.”

LaVerne Knight is a small business owner and community activist. After moving to Gardena she and her husband, Alton Knight, opened LaVerne La Coiffure Beauty Salon. Since opening the salon she has been very active in the Gardena community.

She is president of the Hollypark Homeowners Association, the Second Time Around senior citizen group, and the North Gardena Business Association. She is also a member of the Build the Rowley Park Gymnasium project, trustee and member of True Vine Baptist Church, has been chair of the Gardena Martin Luther King, Jr. Cultural Committee for twelve years, and is a Cub Scouts den mother. She has also earned a number of awards and honors, including the 2008 SHERO Woman Award from Senator Curren Price, Jr., the Black History Month Trailblazer Award, and the Gardena Community Center Wall of Fame.

LaVerne and Alton have been married 42 years and have two sons and one grandson. She enjoys reading and working out at the Gardena YMCA and continues to be active in the community and encourages others to do the same.

“I am honored to name Ms. Knight the Woman of the Year,” Bradford continued. “She is a credit to the 51st District and a wonderful of example to all Californians.”

A woman of the year is chosen from each Assembly district by the member representing that district. Women of the year were honored Monday, March 26, on the Assembly floor.

(Sacramento) – Triple digit fee increases and the struggling economy are squeezing middle class Californians out of the opportunity to get a higher education. Assemblymember Steve Bradford (D-Gardena) is joining Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) in an effort to renew the promise of a higher education for middle class students by fighting for the Middle Class Scholarship Act (www.middleclassscholarship.com), which will reduce the cost of attending a CSU, UC or community college by two-thirds, saving thousands of students thousands of dollars every year. Assemblymember Bradford says the Middle Class Scholarship Act is an incredible opportunity to make college affordable again. Here’s more from Assemblymember Bradford in this Assembly Access Video.

“I am shocked and saddened by the tragedy at Southern California Edison this afternoon, and I express my deepest condolences to the victims, their loved ones, and all of the employees of Southern California Edison.

As a former member of the Southern California Edison family, I know that employee safety is the top concern for the company. This type of violence is never acceptable in the workplace or anywhere else.

“My prayers are with everyone affected by this tragedy during this difficult time.”

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.

Assemblymember Steven Bradford attended various Veteran's Day Celebrations throughout the 51st Assembly District.  "On Friday, November 11, 2011, I had the pleasure of celebrating Veteran's Day with hundreds of our nation's most courageous US Veterans," Assemblymember Bradford added.

US Vets Board Member Michael Dolphin, Assemblymember Steve Bradford, keynote speaker Dick Van Dyke (a veteran himself), Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Inglewood Councilman Ralph Franklin, and U.S.VETS – L.A. Site Director Ivan Mason.

Assemblymember Bradford with Inglewood High School ROTC participants.

Celebrating Veteran's Day with LA Lakers Head Coach Mike Brown and Inglewood Councilwoman Judy Dunlap.

Bradford poses with LA Laker Coach Mike Brown and U.S.VETS – L.A. Site Director Ivan Mason.

Assembly Member Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) backs Governor Jerry Brown as he signs SB 292 and AB 900

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.

Contact: Matt Stauffer, 310-412-6400