Don Perata
Don Richard Perata (born April 30, 1945) is a California Democratic politician, who is the current President pro tempore of the California State Senate. He was elected to the post of President Pro Tempore in 2004. He will continue his Presidency until the end of the current 2007-2008 session. Perata has a daughter and a son.
Life before politics
Perata was the son of 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. Some of his students went on to become policemen and women, staff members to local and state elected officials, school board members, teachers, musicians and members of the Governor’s Cabinet.
Local politics
Perata began his political career when he ran for the 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.
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 an 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.
Time in the legislature
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. However, he has been accused of hypocrisy on gun control, since he himself possesses a concealed weapons permit - something quite difficult for the average citizen in a California metropolitan area to acquire. Nevertheless, Perata deems the weapons permit [1] necessary due to a number of death threats presumably received from certain opponents of his firearms related legislative activity.
![[1]](http://www.equalccw.com/donperata.gif){kind=link}
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 HMO's 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 [2].
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 politicos, 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.
Controversy
In 2004, the FBI began a probe of his business relationships[3] [4]. The FBI has also investigated the business relationships. These investigations have never produced an arrest or an indictment.
In 2006, Perata accepted money from Indian tribes while sponsoring a bill to expand Indian gaming [5]. Perata also drew criticism when he called those who opposed giving illegal immigrants drivers licenses and a guest worker program with a path to citizenship " crackers." [6]
In May 2007, the East Bay Express, an alternative weekly in the Bay Area, published a two-part investigation of Perata. Among other things, the articles argued that Perata has manipulated liberal causes, such as antiwar sentiment, for his own personal and political gains [7]. Perata's sponsored an antiwar ballot resolution in order to raise money for his PACs. It also alleges that he has used campaign donations to support an indulgent lifestyle and detailed other possible areas of corruption [8] [9] [10] [11].
Future
If term limit reform does not pass in February 2008, Perata will be termed out of office. Perata has filed a "statement of intention" to run for the California Board of Equalization in 2010.
References
Sources
- Don Perata's website
- Don Perata Political History
- The Perata Plan - Senate Bill 1024, spending $12.3 billion for California infrastructure
- [12] Newspaper article re: infrastructure plan
- [13] Metro Investment Report Perata interview
- Road to Nowhere: The FBI probes links between state Senator Don Perata and a $40 million roadway project designed to enrich Alameda developer Ron Cowan, East Bay Express, March 1, 2006
- http://www.equalccw.com/donperata.gif Copy of Don Perata's CCW permit application
- http://www.eastbayexpress.com/2007-05-23/news/living-large/
- http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/11/19/MNGSB9UAM01.DTL
- http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20060804-9999-7m4perata.html
- Sourcing the credibility of the East Bay Express: [14],
- http://www.eastbayexpress.com/2006-08-09/news/laundering-money-with-don-perata/
- http://www.capitolweekly.net/news/article.html?article_id=1115
- http://voteusout.org/index.asp?Type=NONE&SEC={B8195A45-E96D-4EDF-BFFC-4401E07A968B}
- http://voteusout.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={74EF1F40-33B9-4B52-AAC0-27CBD787E743}
- http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/248000.html
- http://patterico.com/2007/05/24/lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-elected/
- http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/150415.html