"Rock the First" candidate takes on "establishment" candidate Garcia in Long Beach

[This was posted on LBReport.com, a truly grassroots internet newspaper for Long Beach that I recommend all Long Beach residents bookmark.]


Rick Berry, Spotted At City Clerk's Candidate Workshop, Will Formally Announce 1st dist Council Run Saturday...Using Political Consultant Who Waged "No on I" Campaign

(Jan. 1, 2009) -- Rick Berry, a 15-year 1st district resident and former LB Community Band President, has scheduled a Saturday (Jan. 3) event to announce his entry into the special election to succeed Bonnie Lowenthal on the City Council...and has hired political consultant Randy Terrell who ran the "No on I" campaign that blunted the $700,000+ Mayor-backed campaign for a City Hall sought property parcel tax.

We first spotted Mr. Berry at the Dec. 29 City Clerk workshop for prospective candidates (in photo below, bearded man across the table from Robert Garcia).

In a Dec. 31 emailed release, Mr. Berry states:

"After being involved in the district for fifteen years, and Long Beach all of my life, I have seen a lot of wasted opportunities that could be corrected easily with proactive, common sense thinking...My campaign is about bringing those qualities to the City Council, but also about challenging the status quo so that residents do benefit."

Mr. Terrell, who previously ran paid political ads on LBReport.com for the No on I campaign (including an animated ad of Mayor Foster's head peaking out from behind a podium, challenging him to debate the measure) recently purchased paid political ad space on LBReport.com listing a series of what the ads call "bad City Hall ideas." The ads link to a separate website by Mr. Terrell, saying an unnamed 1st district candidate will be announced Jan. 3 who'll be "the only one independent enough to stand up to special interests, and help transform our neighborhoods and our city for the better."

The campaign release quotes Mr. Berry as saying, "I am serious about this campaign, and serious about winning. From public health and a clean environment, to making sure that the City Council focuses on the needs of the residents instead of special interests -- these are issues I don't see any other candidate addressing adequately."