Toni Atkins
| Toni Atkins | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Majority Leader of the California State Assembly | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office September 1, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Calderon |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 78th district | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office December 3, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Marty Block |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 76th district | |
| In office December 6, 2010 – November 30, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Lori Saldaña |
| Succeeded by | Rocky Chavez |
| Member of San Diego City Council representing the Third District | |
| In office December 4, 2000 – December 8, 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Christine Kehoe |
| Succeeded by | Todd Gloria |
| Acting Mayor of San Diego | |
| In office July 18, 2005 – December 5, 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Michael Zucchet (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Jerry Sanders |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 1, 1962 Wythe County, Virginia |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Jennifer LeSar |
| Residence | San Diego, California |
| Alma mater | Emory and Henry College Harvard University |
Toni G. Atkins (born August 1, 1962) is an American Democratic politician from San Diego, California. She is a member of the California State Assembly, representing the 78th district. She serves as the Assembly's majority leader, and in January 2014 she was elected by the Democratic caucus to be the the next Speaker of the Assembly. She formerly served on San Diego City Council from 2000 to 2008, including a term as Acting Mayor.
Early life and education
She was born in Wythe County in southwest Virginia. She earned a BA in political science from Emory and Henry College, focusing on community organizing. She later attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Atkins relocated to San Diego in 1985.
San Diego City Council
When she first came to San Diego, she joined the staff of Womancare Health Center as Director of Clinic Services. She then served for a number of years as council representative and policy analyst to City Councilmember Christine Kehoe. When Kehoe was elected to the state legislature, Atkins was elected to Kehoe's City Council seat on November 7, 2000. She was reelected in March 2004, without the need for a November runoff.
In April 2005 Mayor Dick Murphy resigned after criticism of his handing of the city's fiscal problems.[1] Councilmember Michael Zucchet, who was deputy mayor, took over, but three days later, resigned along with Councilmember Ralph Inzunza after they were convicted of wire fraud and Hobbs Act violations. In an emergency vote on July 19, Atkins was chosen by the other five council members to take over as mayor pro-tem for one week. On July 25 they reaffirmed their choice and designated Atkins deputy mayor to serve until Jerry Sanders was sworn in as mayor on December 5.[2] Atkins was the first openly lesbian mayor of San Diego.
While on the council, she represented the City of San Diego at the San Diego Chapter of the League of Cities as well as on the board and executive committee of the Metropolitan Transit System. She sat on the San Diego Association of Governments (SanDAG) Regional Housing Working Group, as an alternate to the Transportation Committee and the Regional Planning Committee, and the City/County Joint Homeless Task Force. She continues to serve on the San Diego River Conservancy as an appointee of former California State Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson. She lists among her priorities affordable housing, workers' rights, neighborhood revitalization and redevelopment of San Diego's older urban neighborhoods.
State legislature
She was elected to the State Assembly in November 2010, receiving 57.7% of the vote.[3] She represented the 76th Assembly district. In November 2012 she ran in the 78th Assembly district due to redistricting, and won with 62% of the vote.[4]
In 2012 she introduced AB 1522, a bill to prevent the granting of financial support and other spousal rights to abusive spouses. The bill was inspired by the case of a San Diego woman who was ordered to pay legal fees and spousal support to her ex-husband even though he was in prison for abusing her.[5]
Since 2012 she has been the majority leader of the California Assembly, and in January 2014 she was chosen by the Democratic Caucus to take over as Speaker of the Assembly later in the year, replacing termed-out speaker John Pérez. She will be the first Speaker of the Assembly from San Diego; the first lesbian to hold the position; and the third woman to do so.[6]
Recognition
Atkins is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Award from the national Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund in honor of her recent service to the city of San Diego as deputy mayor.
Personal
Atkins is a lesbian. She is one of eight members of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus. She lives in the South Park neighborhood with her spouse Jennifer.[7]
References
- ↑ "San Diego's decade-long budget travails may be nearing an end", Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2012
- ↑ "Toni Atkins to serve as San Diego's deputy mayor until new mayor elected". North County Times. 2005-07-25. Retrieved 2009-01-04.
- ↑ "California Secretary of State: November 2011 election results" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-12-05.
- ↑ "Presidential General Election, November 6, 2012". San Diego County Registrar of Voters. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ↑ "Atkins Bill denying abusive spousal rights moves to Assembly floor", San Diego LGBT Weekly, March 20, 2012
- ↑ Gardner, Michael (January 22, 2014). "San Diego's Atkins to be next Assembly speaker". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
- ↑ Official biography at State Assembly website
External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Michael Zucchet (acting) |
Mayor of San Diego, California (acting) 2005 |
Succeeded by Jerry Sanders |
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