June 22, 2023
LAWT News Service
The Los Angeles City Council elected Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson as the new president pro tempore on Tuesday, June 20.
Harris-Dawson replaces Curren Price, who stepped down from the position and faces possible suspension from the council after being charged with embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest.
In a 12-to-0 vote, the council moved to appoint Harris-Dawson as president pro tempore with council members Monica Rodriguez and Curren Price absent from the vote. Price was not in attendance at Tuesday's meeting and he will not attend any of the remaining meetings this week, according to his office.
“With that vote, I'm pleased to congratulate our new Council President Pro Tem Marqueece Harris-Dawson,” Council President Paul Krekorian said. “I'd like to ask you to come up on and take the desk.”
Harris-Dawson has represented Council District 8 since 2015 and currently chairs the Planning Land Use and Management Committee. During his tenure, he has promoted initiatives and policies to combat homelessness, create quality jobs and encourage community policing.
Also, Harris-Dawson has continuously advocated on behalf of the unhoused. In 2016, he co-authored Proposition HHH, a $1.2 billion bond for permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals and people at risk of becoming homeless. Voters overwhelmingly approved the measure by 77% to 23%.
A native of South Los Angeles, the new president pro tem graduated from Morehouse College and earned a certificate in nonprofit management from Stanford's Graduate School of Business. He previously served as president/CEO of the Community Coalition, a nonprofit organization founded by Mayor Karen Bass.
His commendations include the Do Something "BRICK" Award, The Wellness Foundation Sabbatical Award, the NAACP Man of Valor Award, Durfee Foundation's Stanton Fellowship, and Liberty Hill Foundation's Upton Sinclair Award.
According to his bio on the CD 8 website, “Councilmember Harris-Dawson understands how decades of systematic disinvestment have harmed our communities and believes the people of South L.A. are its greatest resource.
“As a long-time community organizer in South LA, Councilmember Harris-Dawson is never afraid to discuss issues of race and equity and relies on his deep roots and relationships to build public trust and collaborative solutions.”