Lamar Thorpe Announces Run for Antioch City Council

Thorpe’s campaign will focus on public safety and economic growth, citizen empowerment and the city’s unfunded liabilities

ANTIOCH, CA – Lamar Thorpe, decorated US Navy veteran, former Antioch City Commissioner and higher education leader, announced his candidacy for Antioch City Council.

“Antioch needs strong leaders who listen and come to the table with ideas, not political partisanship,” Thorpe said. “I look forward to being a sound and independent voice on the council, and represent our entire city on both sides of Highway 4.”

A proud Antioch home owner, Thorpe and his family chose to cement their roots in a city with great potential. Its rolling hills, affordability and strong diversity made Antioch an opportunity too good to pass up. However, Thorpe believes that opportunity—which also brought many other families from all over the Bay Area—is now under threat. In the last year, he says, several families from his neighborhood sold their homes to move to cities like Brentwood, citing crime and schools as the primary reasons for their departure.

“Since moving to Antioch, I have been no stranger to rolling up my sleeves and helping our city overcome tough challenges,” Thorpe explained.

Synitha Walker, Executive Director of Parents Connected and long-time Antioch resident said, “When we launched our College Access Program in partnership with Antioch Unified School District (AUSD), Lamar was one of the first to step up as a mentor and give his time to our young men.” Joy Motts, former AUSD Board President added, “He challenged us to do a lot less talking and a lot more listening to our young women and bore the idea of listening circles, which set the stage for the girl’s empowerment project as we know it today.”

Thorpe said, “I care deeply about the health and safety of our community because I want my daughter to be proud of her community. I’m committed to improving our city so that our residents can live in safer neighborhoods and have a good quality of life. I want to do all I can to make a good city great.”

Keith Archuleta, chair of the Antioch Economic Development Commission (EDC), said, “Lamar is a creative and independent thinker. He’s smart, energetic, and open to different perspectives. He was an invaluable member of the EDC, advancing ideas such as transit-oriented development and tax incentives to attract high quality businesses.”

During his time as a City Commissioner, Thorpe was not shy about what he supported and championed.  He says, “When the city turned its back on citizens by not placing the landlord rental fee on the ballot, I joined the citizen effort backing it. I helped collect signatures, knocked on doors and passed out flyers. As citizens, we eventually pressured the Council to get it on the ballot as Measure O and it passed. Similarly, I helped lead the effort to put citizens in charge of gambling expansion through Measure E after the council repeatedly ignored our concerns.”

Thorpe says he views his independent thinking as an asset. “I have always prided myself on making decisions that are informed by facts, and not what’s politically convenient. I will bring that independence to the City Council, as well,” Thorpe said.

Thorpe’s campaign will focus on public safety and economic growth, citizen empowerment and the city’s unfunded liabilities.

Thorpe, 35, and his family live on the beautiful hills of Nelson Ranch. He and his campaign team plan an official campaign kickoff event in late July.

For more information or to ask Lamar a question, go to his Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/lamar.thorpe.52