Samuel Perez
Candidate for City Council (At-Large), Bell Gardens
Samuel Perez has lived in Bell Gardens for 25 years and is running for the at-large seat on the Bell Gardens City Council, previously running in the 2024 special election for the same seat.
In coverage of his 2024 candidacy for the same at-large seat, Perez emphasized long-term civic planning, saying good decisions now can improve conditions for future generations. He made earthquake and disaster preparedness a central concern, citing risk from the Newport-Inglewood and San Andreas faults, and called for expanded emergency protocols. On housing, he supported a balanced approach to rent stabilization that also incentivizes new affordable housing construction and infrastructure improvements. On public safety, rather than cutting the police budget, he proposed keeping funding level while adding community-based alternatives such as promoting Neighborhood Watch and environmental improvements. On transportation, he prioritized the city's Complete Streets Plan, including safer roads, biking, walking, and public-transit options alongside more green space. His 2026 campaign social media confirms he is again running for the same seat and continues to emphasize public safety ("Let's build a safer Bell Gardens together"), but a full statement of his current-cycle platform was not independently verifiable.
On the issues
- Public Safety & Policing
Advocates expanded emergency protocols to address earthquake risk from the Newport-Inglewood and San Andreas faults.
Source → - Public Safety & Policing
Opposes reducing the police budget's current share of city spending; favors adding community-based alternatives like Neighborhood Watch promotion and environmental improvements rather than cutting police funding.
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Supports a balanced approach to rent control that preserves incentives for new construction, paired with incentives for affordable housing development and infrastructure improvements.
Source → - Infrastructure & Transportation
Prioritizes the city's Complete Streets Plan, promoting safe roads for biking, walking, and public transit, alongside more green space.
Source →
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