Safe seat gives Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi opportunity to advance environmental, and public safety measures
by Kevin Cody
Four-term State Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi is employing old school politics to advance his progressive platform this election season, starting with the $34 million in state funds he has secured for his district since the start of this year. The funds include $15 million to help Redondo Beach acquire the AES power plant, and restore its wetlands; $500,000 for Redondo’s Homeless Court; $5.5 million for Torrance’s homeless programs; and $2.3 million for Hermosa pier improvements.
“I hope Manhattan Beach doesn’t feel left out. But it will receive a 13 percent increase in its Base Grant school funding as a result of a bill I authored,” Muratsuchi said. The Manhattan Beach school district has long complained it is underfunded, relative to other school districts, because of Governor Jerry Brown’s 2013 Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), which favors low income districts.
Muratsuchi also supported the $9.5 billion Middle Class Tax Refund bill. It will provide direct deposits of up to $1,050 for taxpayers with up to $500,000 in household income. Issuance of the funds began this month, at the same time mail-in ballots for the November 8 general election went out.
The payments are compensation for inflation, Muratsuchi.
“I’ve heard people say Hell will freeze over before the Democrats ever give back tax money. But we’re doing it,” he said.
The Democratic Party candidate was first elected to the 66th Assembly District seat in 2012. The 66th District represents 481,000 residents. It runs north/south from Manhattan Beach to Rancho Palos Verdes, and east/west from Gardena/Torrance/Lomita/Carson to the ocean.
He lost the seat to Manhattan Beach Republican David Hadley in 2014, and reclaimed it in 2016, despite Trump winning the presidency that year.
“I have an idea for my first bill: For California to secede,” he joked to supporters at the Doubletree Hotel in Torrance on election night 2016, when Trump’s victory was announced.
Muratsuchi was reelected by comfortable margins in 2018, and 2020.
Muratsuchi followed a traditional career path to the Assembly. He was a prosecutor for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s, and the State Attorney General’s offices, and then served two terms on the Torrance School Board before running for the Assembly seat.
“After redistricting in 2011, the incumbent, Betsy Butler, thought the district had become too conservative to reelect her, and decided to run in a district on the Westside. I saw an opportunity and jumped in,” he said.
Muratsuchi defies the label of knee jerk Democrat.
“My record on cannabis and public safety is more in line with conservative Republicans than Democrats,” he said.
He opposed Proposition 64, in 2016, which legalized marijuana sales in California, contingent on approval from local jurisdictions. He also opposes the three Beach City ballot measures that would legalize local retail cannabis sales (Measure Q in Redondo, M in Hermosa and MB in Manhattan).
“I’ve smoked marijuana. I’m not holier than thou. But as a matter of public policy, legalizing recreational marijuana was the wrong road to take. We created a new market for the drug cartels, who don’t pay taxes and have lower costs. Cannabis operations are bankrolling local ballot measures, and intimidating local officials who don’t do their bidding” Muratsuchi said.
Two weeks ago, the Los Angeles County Democratic Party endorsed the cannabis sales measures on the three Beach Cities ballots, and opposed Manhattan Beach Measure Z, which would prohibit retail cannabis sales. Last week cannabis measure proponents touted the Democratic party endorsement in a red, white and blue campaign mailer.
“It was a late night vote that the Beach City electors, myself included, were not aware of. I’m afraid that vote is just the beginning. I’d compare it to gambling initiative measures on this year’s ballot,” Muratsuchi said.
Proponents of the three Beach City cannabis measures spent nearly $1 million to qualify the initiatives for the ballots. The same group has spent over $250,000 for a recall of Fourth District Redondo Beach Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr. [See related cannabis measures, and recall stories elsewhere in this paper.]
“I don’t know the solution, but we’ve opened a Pandora’s Box,” Muratsuchi said.
Muratsuchi attributes his conservative approach to public safety to his work as a prosecutor, and to being a parent.
This year, three of the eight bills he authored, and saw signed into law, relate to public safety.
His AB 557 provides grants to district attorney offices to prosecute hate crimes.
His AB1740 prohibits auto yards from purchasing catalytic converters from anyone other than the cars’ owners, or licensed dealers.
A third bill, AB 2390, was intended to combat “smash and grab” crimes. It would have allowed felony charges to be filed against individuals with multiple thefts of under $950. Proposition 47, passed in 2014, prohibits thefts under $950 from being prosecuted as felonies.
“A Lomita Sheriff Captain told me he actually saw thieves use a calculator to tally up the value of what they stole to be sure it was under the $950 threshold,” Muratsuchi said.
“The bill died in committee because of my Democratic colleagues’ focus on criminal justice reform,” he said
“We need to strike a balance. We need more mental health, and drug treatment. But we also need to hold repeat offenders accountable,” he said.
Muratsuchi said he is one of the few Democrats who opposed SB 330, SB 9, and SB 10. The three bills are meant to encourage home construction by exempting builders from most local zoning and permit requirements. Pending projects in the Beach Cities that are allowed by the legislation include the 79-apartment Highrose development in Manhattan Beach, and the 2,700 residential unit development at the Redondo Beach AES power plant site.
Muratsuchi said he is working with Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand to qualify a Constitutional Amendment for the ballot that would return zoning control to local governments.
Muratsuchi’s more progressive efforts reflect a focus on climate control.
His AB 2432 authorizes cities to create Neighborhood Electric Vehicle plans, including micro electric vehicle traffic lanes similar to bike lanes.
His AB 1279 sets the year 2045 as the target year for the State to reach carbon neutrality.
In response to the water shortage he is advocating construction of the state’s largest water recycling plant in Carson.
“It’s not toilet to tap water. But instead would return treated sewage and storm drain runoff to the aquifer,” he said.
Given the Democrats’ registration edge, Muratsuchi is expected to retain his seat through 2026, when he will have reached California’s 12 year term limit. The 66th District is 41 percent Democratic, 27 percent Republican, and 19 percent declined-to-state.
In the June primary, Muratsuchi received 62 percent of the vote (67,618). His Republican opponent, former Hermosa Councilman Person George Barks, received 38 percent of the vote (41,918).
Muratsuchi received $476,666 in campaign contributions between January and September of this year, and has spent $395,990 of it. Barks has received $20,261 in contributions this year, of which $18,500 was a personal loan.
“I never take an election for granted,” Muratsuchi said. ER
