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A
Councilman No More
Former city
Councilman Isadore Hall is sworn into the 52nd Assembly District
seat with close to 100 local supporters near his side in Sacramento
Former Councilman Isadore
Hall and
his mother, Dorothy Vann, take one last look back as they enter the
state Assembly chambers at the State Capitol in Sacramento just prior
to Hall's being sworn in as the representative for the 52nd Assembly
District MOnday, Dec. 1.. —Photo By Shon Smith
for D'Angelo's Photos
By
Allison Jean Eaton
Bulletin
Editor
SACRAMENTO—It
was a whirlwind of receptions, excitement and, of course, a very special
ceremony earlier this week as one of Compton’s born and bread
officially took his place as the next representative of the 52nd State
Assembly District.
Roughly 90 citizens, family members and friends in addition to a
plethora of Compton city officials and employees were on hand here in the
State Capitol Monday to watch former Councilman Isadore Hall take his oath
of office at approximately 12:51 p.m.
Most traveled to the State Capitol via charter bus, while others
flew in for the occasion.
The ceremony proceeded as it has since the late 1800s: The clerk
calls county names, and upon the calling of the county(s) encompassing
an assembly member-elect’s constituency, he or she stands.
Upon completion of the calling, Associate Justice Kathryn M. Werdegar
administered the oath of office. Hall’s mother, Dorothy Vann, sat
with pride just feet away from her son during the ceremony.
Following Assemblywoman Karen Bass’ (D-Los Angeles) re-election as
Speaker, Hall was tapped to escort the chosen Speaker Pro Tempore to her
place on the dais. Minutes later he cast his first votes on several non-controversial
housekeeping items.
Later in the afternoon a reception was held for Hall and fellow freshman
assemblymembers John Perez (D-Los Angeles) and Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long
Beach).
“I am elated,” Hall said following the launch of the 2009-10
state legislative session. “I share this moment with so many people:
My family, my friends and colleagues and the great people in my district
who
have put their confidence in me to make a difference.”
Hall’s story is very much of the “rags to riches” persuasion.
He grew up in a single-parent household with a handful of brother and sisters
being raised by Mother Vann, who worked multiple jobs and struggled to
feed and clothe her family.
“I am just a boy from Compton, and many would say that this moment
was inconceivable,” Hall said.
But it was a moment of pure reality.
Since his mid-20s, Hall has steadily climbed the ladder of political
leadership to earn the position he holds today.
He was first elected to political office in November 2001, when he
joined the ranks of the Compton Unified School District Board of Trustees.
He served in that capacity for three years, two of which were consecutively
spent as board president.
In April 2003, he was elected to the 4th District city council seat,
where he devoted much of his efforts to economic development. The 36-year-old
was easily re-elected to that seat in April 2007.
As a councilman he represented Compton on the Metropolitan Water
Board, the Gateway Cities Council of Governments and the Southern California
Association of Governments among others.
In 2007 he obtained his master’s degree in public administration
from National University, and recently he joined the ranks of the L.A.
County Sheriff’s Department as a reserve deputy.
His Nov. 4 election to the 52nd Assembly District seat is the latest
rung he’s climbed. He secured roughly 85 percent of the vote to challenger
Gwen Patrick’s 15 percent. Patrick is also a Compton resident.
“I will work to make sure that anyone who wishes to prove that dreams
do come true has the tools and the opportunities necessary to make
that happen,” Hall said. “There is much to be done, and I am
excited to represent my district's needs here in the Assembly."
The day prior, during a special reception held atop the 26-story
Sheraton Grand hotel in Sacramento, Hall assured supporters and new colleagues
that his holding office is not about him, but about every single individual
in his district. He promised that he would not let them down.
Although the entire Council supported Hall, Councilwomen Lillie Dobson
and Yvonne Arceneaux were the only two council members from Compton present
for the occasion. Councilwoman Barbara Calhoun stayed behind to represent
the city at the swearing in of new 2nd District Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas,
who has replaced retiring Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke. Mayor Eric J. Perrodin,
a deputy district attorney, was unable to attend because he was tied up
arguing a murder trial.
Also in attendance were City Treasurer Douglas Sanders, City Manager
Charles Evans and Asst. City Managers Rico Smith and Dave Hewitt.
“It was such an exciting time,” Dobson said Tuesday. “It
was truly an honor for us to see one of our very own being sworn in as
an assemblyman.”
Arceneaux echoed Dobson’s sentiments.
“It was just a wonderful experience,” Arceneaux said. “The
citizens of Compton and representatives from this Council represented [Hall
and
the city], I think, in grand style. It was so exciting to see our
citizens there.”
The 52nd Assembly District encompasses Compton, East Rancho Dominguez,
North Long Beach, Paramount, Rancho Dominguez and Watts-Willowbrook.
The freshman assemblyman is hitting the ground running. Hall has
two key causes for which he is already advancing legislation: the full
restoration of services at King-Harbor Medical Center and local control
at Compton Center.
Hall replaces former Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally, whom many in the
district felt was not, toward the end of his term, representing the best
interests of his constituency. Much of that flack stems from Dymally’s
AB 318, which provided for what some in the community perceive as the takeover
of the former Compton Community College by El Camino Community College.
It is rumored that Dymally, who unsuccessfully ran for state senate,
has been offered a job at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science,
which earlier this year named its nursing school after the marathon Black
legislator.
Bass tapped Hall Thursday for the Democratic Leadership team. He
is serving as the assistant majority whip for the 2009-10 legislative
session.
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