LB-Area State Senator Rod Wright (D, PV-LB-Compton-Inglewood) One Of Only Two Senators (And Only Dem Senator) To Refuse To Agree To Voluntary 5% Pay Cut
(June 28, 2009) -- LB-area state Senator Roderick Wright (D., PV-LB-Compton-Inglewood) is one of only two CA Senators, and the only CA Senate Dem, to refuse to agree to a voluntary 5% cut in pay amid CA's fiscal crisis.
Image save: Website of Sen. Rod Wright
Most Senators have complied with a request by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D, Sac'to) to reduce their pay by 5% for FY10 (which begins July 1), but Senator Wright and Sen. Roy Asburn (R, Bakersfield) have not.
To our knowledge, Daily Breeze.com reporter Gene Maddeus was first with this story at about 4:30 p.m. June 26 (click here). SacBee.com (click here) and LATimes.com (click here) had stories slugged June 27.
LBReport.com today (Sun. June 28) emailed Sen. Wright's LB aide with a request for comment or a responsive statement; LBReport.com will add the Senator's comment/response here as reveived.
On June 27, Senator Wright attended an Open House at his LB district office across from Scherer Park. A flier invited constituents to attend and "discuss the impact state budget cuts will have on the economy and the community; exchange ideas on proposed legislation; find out how to make a difference in the legislative state budget process; and,
enjoy an office tour, refreshments, and entertainment."
Below are maps showing Senator Wright's district (as drawn by Sac'to Dems in 2001) followed by a map showing details of the LB portion of the district.
CA's 25th Senatorial District
LB and vicinity areas in 25th Sen. District
For the June 2008 Dem primary, the LB Area Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee endorsed Wright (who served in the state Assembly from 1996-2002 until termed out) over longtime Sac'to presence Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally (D, Compton). In a May 2008 release, LB Chamber Pro-Business PAC chair Dave Neary called Wright "clearly the leader we need for both business and working families"...and Pro-PAC Secretary Randy Gordon said that "as a business owner, Rod knows the responsibilities that come with signing the front of a paycheck."
Wright's campaign website also indicated endorsements by State Senators Alan Lowenthal (D., LB-Paramount) and Jenny Oropeza (D, LB-southbay), Mayor Bob Foster, LB Councilmembers Val Lerch, Dee Andrews, Suja Lowenthal, LBUSD Boardmember Dr. Felton Williams and (now retired) LB Harbor Commissioner Doris Topsy-Elvord.
