Marqueece Harris-Dawson

Marqueece Harris-Dawson
Dawson in 2018
President pro tempore of the Los Angeles City Council
Assumed office
June 20, 2023
Preceded byCurren Price
Member of the Los Angeles City Council
from the 8th district
Assumed office
July 1, 2015
Preceded byBernard Parks
Personal details
Born (1969-11-07) November 7, 1969 (age 54)
Los Angeles, California U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationMorehouse College (BA)
WebsiteOfficial website

Marqueece L. Harris-Dawson (born November 7, 1969)[1] is an American politician who has represented the 8th district of the Los Angeles City Council since 2015.[2]

Early life and education

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Marqueece Harris-Dawson grew up in South Los Angeles and was raised in the Black church which instilled a sense of community and activism in him at an early age.[3] He graduated from Morehouse College where he majored in Political Science and Mathematics.[3] He holds a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Stanford's Graduate School of Business and is also an Aspen Institute Pahara Fellow.[4]

Career

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Official portait

Community Coalition Substance Abuse and Addiction Center

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Harris-Dawson joined the Community Coalition in 1995, recognized as one of the most progressive non-profits in the country. In 2004 he succeeded U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass as President and CEO of the organization and influenced the community through several key pieces of legislation.[5]

In 2006, the Community Coalition advocated for foster care funding in the state budget, securing $82 million to improve the foster care system and $36 million for kinship care.[6][7] The organization also established the Ex-Offender Task Force to advocate for the removal of the lifetime ban on drug felons' access to public assistance. They collaborated with Assemblymember Diane Watson to craft a bill to remove these bans, which was signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2005.[8]

The Community Coalition analyzed the distribution of tax bonds and found it was unevenly distributed. In 1997, Proposition BB allocated additional funds to LAUSD schools.[9] Through youth organizing, they secured an additional $153 million to address priority repairs in overcrowded schools.[7]

In 2000, the Community Coalition’s youth organization launched a campaign to advocate for access to A-G college preparatory classes in all LAUSD schools.[7] In 2005, the LAUSD Board of Education passed the historic A-G Resolution, mandating that A-G college preparatory curriculum be made available in all LAUSD schools starting in 2008.[7] In 2000, the Community Coalition’s youth organization launched a campaign to advocate for access to A-G college preparatory classes in all LAUSD schools.[6] In 2005, the LAUSD Board of Education passed the historic A-G Resolution, mandating that A-G college preparatory curriculum be made available in all LAUSD schools starting in 2008.[6] This policy change provided students in South LA with a pathway toward college, addressing the inequities in education that had previously made this nearly impossible.[7]

Additionally, the Community Coalition played a major role in the School Climate Bill of Rights, which reformed LAUSD suspension policies and led to the beginning of restorative justice policies in public schools.[7]

Los Angeles City Council

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In 2015, Harris-Dawson was elected to represent the Eighth District of Los Angeles, an area home to over 248,000 people, including a significant population of African-American and Latino households. He was elected by 62% of the vote in 2015, ran unopposed in his 2020 campaign, and won by 78% against two other candidates in 2024.[10][11]

In response to the 2020 George Floyd Uprisings, Harris-Dawson supported a reallocation of LAPD funding for community-led public safety investments.[12][13] For the first time in LA’s history, $150 million was reallocated from the LAPD budget towards public programming.[14] $4.2 million was allocated to Council District Eight for the office to support 57 South LA organizations through community grants. Harris-Dawson also introduced two police reform policies one exploring an unarmed crisis response program diverting responses from LAPD to mental health professionals and another to develop an unarmed traffic enforcement program in Los Angeles.[15][16]

Elections

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Harris-Dawson with Mayor Eric Garcetti after taking his oath of office in 2015.

In the primary election for District 8 in 2015, Harris-Dawson received over 62% of the vote for the vacant seat.[17] Because Harris-Dawson won outright, a general election for District 8 was not needed.[18] Term limits forced Bernard C. Parks, Harris-Dawson's predecessor since 2004, out of office.[19]

Position on housing

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In 2020, Harris-Dawson introduced a motion calling for stricter zoning rules so as to limit student housing in Exposition Park and University Park.[20] He called for an investigation into a perceived overabundance of student housing developments.[21]

In 2022, he expressed support for the discretionary permit system in Los Angeles that gives City Council members discretionary power over land-use decisions.[22]

In 2016, Harris-Dawson co-authored Proposition HHH, a $1.2 billion bond measure to build permanent supportive housing for homeless people and people at risk of becoming homeless.[23] The measure appeared on the November 2016 municipal ballot and passed, with voters approving the measure 77% to 23%.[24]

Obstructing the Ethics Commission

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In 2023, Harris-Dawson voted to block Jamie York, a nominee for the Ethics Commission. In doing so, Harris-Dawson prevented Ethics Commission from doing its work, which included enforcement of campaign finance, contracting, lobbying and conflict of interest laws. At the time, the LA City Council had been embroiled in numerous ethics scandals. Harris-Dawson did not explain his vote.[25]

References

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  1. ^ Harris-Dawson, Marqueece. "Towards a New Generation of African American Leaders in Los Angeles" (PDF). The Durfee Foundation.
  2. ^ LA Times: "Marqueece Harris-Dawson takes office as councilman of L.A.'s 8th District", 1 July 2015.
  3. ^ a b Harris-Dawson, Marqueece (2015). "Towards a New Generation of African American Leaders in Los Angeles" (PDF). Durfee Foundation. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  4. ^ "Marqueece Harris-Dawson". www.libertyhill.org. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  5. ^ "L.A. Area Chamber Congratulates Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson on Being Elected as Los Angeles City Council President - Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce". lachamber.com. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  6. ^ Santjer, Margaret (2006-05-12). "The job is not done when foster care ends". Casey Family Programs. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Our Victories – Community Coalition". Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  8. ^ Santjer, Margaret (2006-05-12). "The job is not done when foster care ends". Casey Family Programs. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  9. ^ Renwick, Lucille (1997-03-30). "Proposition BB". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  10. ^ Schreiber, John (2015-03-05). "L.A. election results: Marqueece Harris-Dawson wins 8th District city council race". MyNewsLA.com. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  11. ^ "2024 Los Angeles County primary election: Live results". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  12. ^ X; Instagram; Email; Facebook; X; Instagram; Email; Facebook; X (2020-07-01). "Los Angeles cuts LAPD spending, taking police staffing to its lowest level in 12 years". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-08-14. {{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  13. ^ X; Instagram; Email; Facebook (2020-12-10). "L.A. vowed to cut police and help disenfranchised areas. Now that plan is under fire". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-08-14. {{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  14. ^ X; Instagram; Email; Facebook; X; Instagram; Email; Facebook (2021-05-26). "L.A. cut millions from the LAPD after George Floyd. Here's where that money is going". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-08-14. {{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  15. ^ X; Instagram; Email; Facebook (2020-06-16). "Unarmed specialists, not LAPD, would handle mental health, substance abuse calls under proposal". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-08-14. {{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  16. ^ "Reimagining Traffic Safety & Bold Political Leadership In Los Angeles". Race Counts. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  17. ^ My News LA: "L.A. election results: Marqueece Harris-Dawson wins 8th District city council race", 4 March 2015
  18. ^ L.A. Weekly: "Marqueece Harris-Dawson, L.A.'s Newest Council Member, Represents a Lurch to the Left", 4 March 2015
  19. ^ LA Times: "The Times endorses Marqueece Harris-Dawson in the 8th Council District", 11 February 2015
  20. ^ "Update to South L.A. CPIO aims to shift development to commercial corridors". Urbanize LA. 2022-09-26.
  21. ^ "City Councilmember Seeks Report on Loss of Affordable Housing Near USC". Urbanize LA. 2020-10-01.
  22. ^ "Fixing City Hall survey: Who supports reducing council members' power over land-use decisions?". Los Angeles Times. 2022-11-02.
  23. ^ City Clerk for the City of Los Angeles: Measure HHH, 29 October 2016
  24. ^ Holland, Gale (May 11, 2019). "L.A. spent $619 million on homelessness last year. Has it made a difference?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  25. ^ "Why is the ethically challenged L.A. City Council obstructing the Ethics Commission?". Los Angeles Times. 2023-08-22.
[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by Member of the Los Angeles City Council
from the 8th district
2015–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by President pro tempore of the Los Angeles City Council
2023–present
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