Councilmember Kennedy Kicks Off Re-election campaign

Before more than one hundred residents, friends, family members and supporters, District 3 Councilmember John J. Kennedy kicked off his re-election campaign Saturday for the November 3 municipal election, with a barbeque lunch and rally.

Kennedy was joined at the event by endorsers US Congresswoman Judy Chu, former Mayors Terry Tornek and Bill Paparian, and District 2 Councilmember Felicia Williams.

Vice-Mayor and Councilmember Andy Wilson led the way in endorsing the re-election of Councilmember John Kennedy and donating to his campaign.

Kennedy is also endorsed by Councilmembers Tyron Hampton and Jessica Rivas.

He faces community activist and political newcomer Brandon Lamar in the June race.

Kennedy was elected as District Councilmember in 2013. He currently serves on the Finance Committee and the Public Safety Committee, and as one of three City representatives to the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority.

“I’m here to tell the community that we’re here to run one more race, to help finish unfinished business,” Kennedy said.

Detailing his issues, Kennedy added, “We have the Sunset Reservoir, we have a housing crisis, we have clean water issues. We have the Rose Bowl and a myriad of other issues that still need to be solved, and I’m going to be a part of that, with the help of the voters of District 3 voting me in again.”

Kennedy, who helped initiate the creation of a Police Oversight Commission, said the City must engage in “rebuilding trust between the community and the Police Department,” adding, “We’ve got to get that more engaged, as it relates to interfacing with the community and giving the community a voice that it desperately needs in the Police department.

“The commission is not an end-all, but it’s a start in moving us in the right direction,” he said.

Along with the police, Kennedy pointed to the City’s financial health and said, “This is critically important.” He proposed taking money from the Police Asset Forfeiture Account, and distributing it to the community in the form of community grants and microloans but provided no specific details as to how the program would work.

“If we can get that done, we’ll be making huge progress,” he said.

With regard to housing, Kennedy called for the building of 3,000 new affordable units in the City, with 15% of those units designated for “extremely low income” residents. 

‘If you grew up in Pasadena, you should be able to afford to live here as an adult,” he said. “That will keep our diversity here moving in the right direction.” 

Former Mayor Terry Tornek, who Kennedy endorsed in last year’s mayoral race, attended the event with his wife, son and daughter-in-law, said, “I think he is a critical member of City government and the City Council. I think that he represents his district very effectively, and while I’m not a resident of District 3, I think that he is very important to the City because he provides a voice for people who don’t have a voice very often.”

The City of Pasadena primary nominating election will be held on June 7, 2022 for City Council Districts 3, 5, and 7 and for the Pasadena Unified Board of Education Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7.