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Anthony Portantino

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Anthony J. Portantino
Member of the California State Senate
from the 25th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 5, 2016
Preceded byCarol Liu
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 44th district
In office
December 6, 2006 – November 30, 2012
Preceded byCarol Liu
Succeeded byJeff Gorell
Personal details
Born (1961-01-29) January 29, 1961 (age 63)
Long Branch, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseEllen
Children2
Alma materAlbright College

Anthony J. Portantino (born January 29, 1961) is an American politician currently serving in the California State Senate. A Democrat, he represents the 25th Senate District which encompasses portions of the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys. Portantino was a member of the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012, representing the 44th Assembly District.

Portantino has a history of blocking reforms to zoning regulations in California. In 2019, he used a pocket veto to block the California Senate from considering SB 50, which would have allowed for denser housing construction near public transit. In 2021, he killed a bill that would have ended minimum parking requirements for some new housing near transit stations.

Political career

Portantino served two terms on the La Cañada Flintridge City Council, from 1999 until 2006. There, he was mentored by Carol Liu, who endorsed him to succeed her in the California State Assembly.[1]

Portantino's professional experience includes working in the art department and as Property Master with the American Playhouse, was Production Designer on Grizzly Adams: The Mark of the Bear and Art Director on Unsolved Mysteries.

At the request of the Screen Actors Guild in 2010, Portantino proposed an anti-gatecrashing law that would make party crashing a misdemeanor with punishments being up to six months in jail, or a $1,000 fine, or both. He said that party crashing posed a threat to public safety. He introduced legislation to remove tattoos from victims of forced prostitution.[2]

After his term finished in the California State Assembly, Portantino initially stated that he would run for Congress against David Dreier, even though the district had yet to be drawn.[3] He later contemplated a run against Senator Carol Liu in State Senate District 25 [4] but opted against it, citing personal reasons.[5] In 2013, Portantino began actively campaigning to fill the seat of Senator Liu, who will be forced out of the District 25 position by term limits in 2016.[6]

Zoning regulations

In 2017, Portantino voted against SB 35, which streamlined the housing construction process in California.[7]

In May 2019, Portantino, as Senate Appropriations Committee Chair, used a pocket veto to temporarily block SB 50, a bill that would enact reforms to address the California housing shortage by reducing local control (such as allowing more apartment construction near public transit and in suburbs), from leaving committee to enter the Senate for debate and voting.[8][9] Proponents of the bill accused Portantino of abusing his powers to deny Senate Bill 50 a debate and a vote in the Senate.[10] The Los Angeles Times wrote that Portantino's opposition to the bill was expected, but that it was a surprise that he would not allow the bill to advance out of committee.[11] Due to Portantino's action, the bill was not considered by the Senate until 2020.[8]

In 2021, Portantino killed a bill that would have put an end to minimum parking requirements for certain new housing construction near transit stations.[12]

In October 2021, Portantino criticized the construction of 98 townhouses on the location of a bowling center and recreation center. Portantino questioned the legality of the housing development.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Liu Endorses Portantino for Assembly". La Canada Valley Sun. 2005-10-13. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
  2. ^ "Portantino's Tattoo Removal Bill Passes Legislature". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. 2012-08-27. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
  3. ^ Abendschein, Dan (2011-06-07). "Portantino Preparing for 2012 Congress Run, But Will He Face David Dreier? - Government". Sierra Madre, CA Patch. Archived from the original on 2011-08-19. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
  4. ^ Kellam, Mark (2011-12-14). "Portantino struggles to find political footing". Glendale News-Press. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
  5. ^ Kellam, Mark and Joe Piasecki (2012-01-19). "Portantino bows out of senate race". Pasadena Sun. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  6. ^ Gold, Lauren (2013-06-27). "Anthony Portantino kicks off run for State Senate". Pasadena Star-News. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  7. ^ a b Herenda, Devin (2021-11-02). "State Senator Portantino Issues Letter Addressing Pickwick Housing Project". myBurbank.com. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  8. ^ a b "California's big housing bill is dead for the year. Here's what's left - SFChronicle.com". www.sfchronicle.com. 2019-05-20. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
  9. ^ White, Jeremy B.; Marinucci, Carla; ALEX; Nieves, Er; Massara, Graph. "TRUMP swipes at CALIFORNIA — ATKINS denies HOUSING pleas — BECERRA overruled on COP RECORDS release — BORDER WALL EMERGENCY in court". POLITICO. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
  10. ^ "Supporters unite in last-chance effort to save California's most controversial housing bill". The Mercury News. 2019-05-22. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
  11. ^ Dillon, Liam. "The revenge of the suburbs: Why California's effort to build more in single-family-home neighborhoods failed". latimes.com. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
  12. ^ "Another Quick Legislative Update: Traffic Safety and Housing Bills". Streetsblog California. 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
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