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Eric Gray
Eric Gray was a nonpartisan candidate for District 2 of the Long Beach City Council in California. He was defeated in the general election on June 7, 2016. Gray identified himself as a Democrat.[1]
Biography
Gray received a bachelor's degree from Towson University in 1997. He owns ITO Solutions, a business that sells hardware and software and sets up networks and servers to companies and nonprofit organizations. His experience includes serving as president of the Downtown Residential Council and co-founding the Historic Pine Avenue (HOPA) Business Association, Long Beach Music Council, and Culinary Long Beach.[2][1]
Gray has received the following awards:
- 2015: Friends of Bixby Park Honoree award
- 2015: Pride Real Estate Professionals Association “Community Vision” Award
- 2013: Long Beach Hero Award
- 2011: Go Long Beach Award
- 2007 & 2011: Steward of the 2nd District Award[2]
Campaign themes
2016
Gray participated in Ballotpedia's 2016 survey of municipal government candidates. The following sections display his responses to the survey questions. When asked what his top priority would be if elected, the candidate made the following statement:
| “ | Enhancing our quality of life, keeping our residents safe, and creating jobs and economic development.[1][3] | ” |
When asked what he would most like to change about the city, the candidate made the following statement:
| “ | The 2nd District is arguably the most parking impacted district in the City of Long Beach. Developments built many years ago without parking requirements have put a major burden on our neighborhoods. Many of our neighbors spend 45 minutes after work searching for a parking space. This needs to be improved. As City Councilman, I will work towards creative parking solutions in collaboration with the community starting with a parking task-force to identify parking solutions.[1][3] | ” |
When asked what he is most proud of about the city, the candidate made the following statement:
| “ | The 2nd District is a large and diverse district spanning from Downtown Long Beach through many neighborhoods including Alamitos Beach, Bluff Heights, Rose Park, and Craftsman Village. Each neighborhood has its own unique character and set of needs with historic and modern architecture spanning the district. We must always work to preserve our historic past, continue to repair streets and sidewalks, and actively pursue new ideas to ensure a brighter future. As Councilmember, I will do just that, working with the community to revitalize our neighborhoods and enhance our quality of life here in the 2nd District.[1][3] | ” |
Ranking the issues
The candidate was asked to rank the following issues by importance in the city, with 1 being the most important and 12 being the least important. This table displays this candidate's rankings from most to least important:
| Issue importance ranking | |
|---|---|
| Candidate's ranking | Issue |
| City services (trash, utilities, etc.) | |
| Crime reduction/prevention | |
| Unemployment | |
| Homelessness | |
| Recreational opportunities | |
| Transportation | |
| Public pensions/retirement funds | |
| Environment | |
| Housing | |
| Civil rights | |
| Government transparency | |
| K-12 education | |
Positions on the issues
The candidate was asked to answer four questions from Ballotpedia regarding issues facing cities across America. The questions are in the left column and the candidate's responses are in the right column:
| Question | Response |
|---|---|
| Very important | |
| Federal | |
| Public outreach/education programs | |
| Create a more competitive business climate |
Gray's website highlighted the following campaign themes:
Economic development
- Excerpt: "As Councilman, I will work to attract and retain new jobs to our city by helping companies and non-profits find a home in Long Beach. I will work to bring more middle class jobs to the community and create the conditions for sustainable growth."
Public safety
- Excerpt: "Our highly-trained and professional police department has reduced major crime to historic lows, but our neighborhoods are still burdened with property crime. Illegal drugs in our parks, neighborhoods, and near our schools must be eliminated. I will work with our public safety officials to target these crimes, increase our police and fire resources, and bolster our community policing efforts."
Quality of life
- Excerpt: "Each neighborhood has its own unique character and set of needs with historic and modern architecture spanning the district. As your City Councilman, I will work with the community to continue to revitalize our neighborhoods and enhance our quality of life here in the 2nd District."
Mobility
- Excerpt: "One of Long Beach’s assets is that we are one of the most bike and pedestrian-friendly cities in Southern California. I want to build on these assets while also balancing the need for automobile use as well as parking availability."
Historic preservation
- Excerpt: "Establishing and expanding our Historic Districts – and educating our neighbors about the importance of preserving our historic architecture – will contribute to a sense of pride in our communities and a reduction in crime, property damage, and blight."
Elections
2016
The city of Long Beach, California, held primary elections for city council on April 12, 2016. The general election was held on June 7, 2016. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was January 15, 2016. Four of the eight city council seats were up for election.[4] Jeannine Pearce defeated Eric Gray in the Long Beach City Council District 2 general election.[5]
| Long Beach City Council District 2, General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Jeannine Pearce |
51.45% | 5,706 |
| Eric Gray | 48.55% | 5,384 |
| Total Votes | 11,090 | |
| Source: Los Angeles County Recorder-Registrar, "Long Beach City General Municipal (Run-off) Election," July 1, 2016 | ||
Jeannine Pearce and Eric Gray defeated Joen Garnica in the Long Beach City Council District 2 primary election.
| Long Beach City Council District 2, Primary Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Jeannine Pearce |
44.72% | 2,045 |
| Eric Gray |
36.13% | 1,652 |
| Joen Garnica | 19.16% | 876 |
| Total Votes | 4,573 | |
| Source: City of Long Beach, "Primary Election Official Results," April 20, 2016 | ||
Endorsements
2016
Gray received the following endorsements in 2016:[6]
- Patrick O'Donnell (D), Assemblymember
- Bob Foster, Former mayor of Long Beach
- Betty Karnette, Former assemblymember and state senator
- Dianne T. McNinch, Past president Long Beach Community College Board of Trustees
- Doug Drummond, Former vice mayor of Long Beach
- John Allen, Water Replenishment District 3
- Larry Forester, Mayor of Signal Hill
- Michael Noll, City council of Signal Hill
- Val Lerch, Former vice mayor of Long Beach
- Alan Burks, Chair Long Beach Cultural Heritage Commission
- Chris Coronado, Airport Commission
- DW Ferrell, Technology and Innovation Commission
- Elliot Gonzales, Long Beach Sustainable City Commissioner
- Joe Ganem, Homeless Services Advisory Committee
- Kathleen Irvine, Long Beach Sustainable City Commissioner
- Rick McGilton-McGlamery, Long Beach Civil Service Commissioner
- Steve Equality Gallagher, Human Relations Commission, 2nd District Resident
- Long Beach Police Officers Association
- Long Beach Lifeguard Association
- Iron Workers Local 416 & 433
- International Union of Heat and Frost Insulators, Local 5.
- Sierra Club Long Beach
- Southern California Pipe Trades District Council 16
- United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, Local 78
- United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, & Allied Workers Union, Local 36
- United Association of Steamfitters, Welders, and Refrigeration Fitters Industry (UA), Local 250
- Victory Fund
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Eric Gray Long Beach. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Long Beach, California
- Municipal elections in Long Beach, California (2016)
- United States municipal elections, 2016
External links
- City of Long Beach, "2016 List of Qualified Candidates"
- Official campaign website
- Eric Gray on Facebook
- Eric Gray on Twitter
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Ballotpedia's municipal government candidate survey, 2016, "Eric Gray's Responses," March 23, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Eric Gray campaign website, "About Eric," accessed February 23, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ City of Long Beach Clerk, "Calendar of Events," accessed August 13, 2015
- ↑ City of Long Beach, "City of Long Beach Final List of Qualified Candidates," January 15, 2016
- ↑ Eric Gray campaign website, "Current Endorsements," accessed March 3, 2016
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