Don Perata

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Don Perata
Member of the California Senate from the 9th district
In office December 7, 1998 – November 30, 2008
Preceded by	Barbara Lee
Succeeded by	Loni Hancock
President pro tempore of the California State Senate
In office December 6, 2004 – November 30, 2008
Preceded by	John L. Burton
Succeeded by	Darrell Steinberg
Born	April 30, 1945
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Saint Mary's College of California
Profession	Politician, Teacher

Don Richard Perata (born April 30, 1945) is a California Democratic politician, who was President pro tempore of the California State Senate from 2004 to 2008. Perata worked with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to gain passage of five infrastructure related bond measures in 2006. Prior to serving in the State Senate, Perata served in the California State Assembly and as a member of the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County.

Contents 1 Background 2 Alameda County politics 3 Elections 4 California State Senate 5 Controversy 6 Future 7 References 8 External links 9 Offices held

[edit] Background

Born in Alameda, California, Perata is the son of Italian immigrants. During his childhood, he helped his father deliver milk door-to-door. Perata graduated from Saint Joseph High School and earned his degree from Saint Mary's College of California. He taught English, History, and Civics from 1966 to 1981 in Alameda County schools. Perata has a daughter and a son.

[edit] Alameda County politics

Perata began his political career when he ran for Mayor of Alameda in 1975 but was narrowly defeated. In 1986 he was elected to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and was re-elected to a second term. As Supervisor, Perata worked to shut down problematic liquor stores, worked to make his community safer, and lobbied the state legislature for an assault weapons ban and funding for the mentally ill.

[edit] Elections

Perata's first attempt at state politics came in the 1994 democratic primary for controller. Perata was unsuccessful and captured only 27.27% of the vote. Afterwards, Perata served as a staff assistant for then Senate Pro Tem Bill Lockyer.

In 1996, Perata was elected as a California State Assemblyman for the Oakland, Alameda, and Piedmont district. In 1998, Perata ran for the State Senate for the 9th District which currently includes Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Dublin, El Sobrante, Emeryville, Livermore, Oakland, Piedmont, Richmond, and San Pablo. He became the California State Senate President Pro Tem in 2004.

Perata's run (and election) to the State Senate in 1998 was part of a series of five special elections that were held in the East Bay within less than 12 months, as Perata and other East Bay politicians vied for different political offices. For a detailed account of events, see Special election musical chairs.

[edit] California State Senate

Perata is a staunch advocate of gun control. In 1999, Perata successfully drove legislation that updated the California "assault weapons ban" by adding a ban of generically-described semi-automatic firearms. Despite his efforts at gun control, for years, Perata legally carried a handgun with a concealed weapons permit he believed was necessary due to a high number of death threats he has allegedly received from certain opponents of his firearms related legislative activity.[1].

Perata has been an advocate for the rights of the elderly, the mentally ill, and the disabled. He supported legislation to create a discount drug program and legislation to require HMOs to pay for mental health treatment. Perata supported legislation that secured $27 million annually for ovarian and prostate cancer and legislation that increase access to breast cancer screening for low-income women. He has authored legislation requiring California utilities companies to contract for cleaner energy sources and supported tougher penalties on oil refinery emissions.^[1]

In early 2005, Perata introduced a bill to repair California's flagging infrastructure including highway improvements, housing reform and levee repairs. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger began to speak out in favor of improving state infrastructure after Schawarzenegger's November 2005 special election ballot initiatives were defeated. While Schwarzenegger's plan included fixing transportation problems, his infrastructure plan was drastically more costly and advocated more prisons and didn't address the housing problem. In a rare occurrence for Sacramento politicians, in early 2006 Perata and Schwarzenegger began to work together to piece together an infrastructure plan that both sides of the legislature could embrace. They were successful and five bond measures were approved by California voters on the November 2006 ballot. These measures are aimed at improving roads, mass transit, affordable housing, levee repair, and upgrading educational facilities.

In July 2007, during state budget negotiations, Perata order the Senate to remain in session for 19 hours in an attempt to reach an agreement on the budget. California requires two-thirds of both legislative houses and the governor's signature to pass a budget. Perata needed two Republican votes in the State Senate to pass the budget and the lock down aimed to get those two Republican votes. The California State Senate Republicans presented a revised budget that aimed to reduce state spending and included tax credits to some Fortune 500 corporations, cuts to transportation and welfare, and eliminating cost-of-living pay raises to the blind, elderly, and disabled.^[2][3] The state budget had already gained the 2/3 majority in the California Assembly and the support of Governor Schwarzenegger. Perata and the Senate Democrats rejected the Senate Republican budget proposal and the Republicans held out for weeks into August, preventing many state legislators from returning home for their summer recess, before the budget was passed. Perata retaliated against Republican Jeff Denham for not voting for the budget by stripping Denham of committee assignments and contributing to the recall effort against Denham.^[4]

In December 2007, Perata was car jacked of his State-owned Dodge Charger at gunpoint in Oakland.^[5] Police believed that Perata was targeted due to his car having 22 inch DUB style rims on his car, which led one cop to question "We're talking about the suspect's car or the senator's car?"^[6] His car was found in Richmond the next day.^[7]

[edit] Controversy

Don Perata was under FBI investigation, launched during the Bush Administration, for five years.^[8][9][10] No arrests or indictments occurred, and in early 2009, Justice Department officials closed the case and announced they would not be filing any charges. ^[11]

In 2006, Perata accepted money from Indian tribes while sponsoring a bill to expand Indian gaming [2].

That same year, Perata also drew criticism when he described as "crackers" - a disparaging slang term for poor Southern whites - some San Diego-area residents who stridenly opposed a bill to give illegal immigrants the ability to obtain driver's licenses. ^[12]

In May 2007, the East Bay Express, an alternative weekly in the Bay Area, published a two-part investigation of Perata. The articles alleged that Perata had manipulated liberal causes, such as antiwar sentiment, for his own political ends,^[13] and had used campaign donations to support a "lavish" lifestyle.^[14][15]

[edit] Future

Proposition 93, a term limit alteration ballot measure sponsored by Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, did not pass in February 2008, Perata termed out of the State Senate (and Núñez termed out of the State Assembly) in 2008. The proposition would have allowed Perata to serve one more term in the State Senate (and Núñez three more terms in the State Assembly). Perata was a major target for criticism by the opposition to Proposition 93.^[16] One television ad included the following line: "Don Perata, whose home was raided by the FBI in the ongoing corruption probe."^[17]

Perata has filed a "statement of intention" to run for the California Board of Equalization in 2010.^[18] However, Perata has openly considered a run for Mayor of Oakland against incumbent Ron Dellums.^{[19][20][21][22]} On March 31, Perata stated he would run for mayor of Oakland as Dellums declared he would not seek reelection.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Public Record of Don Perata's Concealed Handgun Permit
• Don Perata Political History
• Yes on infrastructure propositions
• Metro Investment Report Perata interview

[edit] Offices held

Political offices
Preceded by Barbara Lee	California State Assemblymember 16th district December 2, 1996–November 30, 1998	Succeeded by Audie Bock
Preceded by Barbara Lee	California State Senator 9th district December 7, 1998–November 30, 2008	Succeeded by Loni Hancock
Preceded by John L. Burton	President Pro Tempore of the California Senate December 6, 2004–November 30, 2008	Succeeded by Darrell Steinberg