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Meet Lancaster City Council Candidate Isaac Grajeda

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LANCASTER – Residents who follow Lancaster City Council meetings may know David Grajeda, the outspoken council critic who was arrested and jailed for his behavior at City Hall.

Less familiar is his older brother, Isaac Grajeda, a music teacher, writer and musician. However, this may change if the elder Grajeda realizes his goal of becoming the next Lancaster City Council Member.

Isaac Grajeda, 29, describes himself as an advocate for reformed felons, minorities, the working class, and the younger generation. He said he is running for Lancaster City Council because he is fed up with the current administration.

“It’s made up of business tycoons and millionaires that are all friends,” Grajeda said. “It’s only for the in-crowd.”

He said if elected he would fight to ensure that city policies benefit the entire community and not just a select few. He said he would also fight to control spending.

“I thought these people were conservatives, but nothing that they’ve done is conservative at all because they’ve been splurging in a down economy,” Grajeda said. “They seem like college frat boys that just got a credit card called the ‘redevelopment agency’ and just ran it all the way up.”

Grajeda admits to having no political experience or public service background, but says these factors should not be an issue because government should be of the people, for the people and by the people.

Grajeda believes the three biggest issues facing Lancaster are unemployment, violations on First Amendment rights, and heavy-handed law enforcement.

“Unemployment is at a 17% rate, which is more than double the national unemployment rate,” Grajeda said. “I would affect change in this matter by opening the bidding process.”

Grajeda said for the past four years, local contractors have rarely received the opportunity to bid on development projects for the city, particularly projects involving The Blvd. He believes this factor has contributed to the city’s high unemployment rate.

“Local contractors that could have gained didn’t have the chance to because they give everything to Scott Ehrlich,” he said. “Any public development will go to open bid for me and I would have a three tier system.”

Grajeda said his three tier system would mandate that the city solicit bids from only Lancaster businesses first. If no qualified contractors are found in Lancaster, they would open the bidding process to Palmdale contractors. Finding no qualified contractors in Palmdale, the bidding process would be opened to all other areas in the Antelope Valley.

“So that we keep it in house rather than hiring friends who take away free market from the people,” Grajeda said. “Free market should give us the ability to choose where we spend our money.”

Grajeda said the City Council refuses to broadcast nonagendized public comments and places many other restrictions on public comments at city meetings, which he believes violates the First Amendment rights of residents. He believes this to be the second biggest issue facing Lancaster.

“They restrict public comments down to three minutes at the end of the meetings, but yet you see them expediting three meetings at once,” Grajeda said. He said the Council, the Housing Authority, and the former Redevelopment Agency are three separate entities, therefore residents should be allowed three minutes of public comment per entity.

Grajeda believes the third most important issue facing the city is its overly aggressive approach to law enforcement.

“I know people are ready for ‘Eye in the Sky’ and stronger law enforcement, but I don’t think that approach has worked,” Grajeda said. “Now we have discrimination issues, lawsuits coming out the woodworks, and DOJ and Housing Authority investigations just because of how heavy handed we have enforced crime.”

Grajeda said if elected he would push for the city to scale back its aggressive stance on law enforcement in favor of criminal rehabilitation and reform programs.

“We need to reach out to the community and help instead of trying to lock everybody up,” he said.

Asked about similarities between him and younger brother, David Grajeda, he says: “I love my brother, and I am my brother’s keeper, but on everything else I would like to say that we are completely different people.”

Isaac Grajeda said he may not be as vocal as his brother but that doesn’t mean that he is any less effective.

“I can be effective for this community in making the changes that will be best for everyone,” said the 29-year-old. “I am young and I represent change.”

*This is the fourth in a series of profiles The AV Times will be publishing featuring Lancaster city council candidates, as well as mayoral candidates. The first profile featured council candidate John Kiramis, the second profile featured council candidate Michael Rives, and the third profile featured incumbent council candidate Ken Mann. Profiles are published in random order.

Filed Under: Palmdale, Politics

52 comments for "Meet Lancaster City Council Candidate Isaac Grajeda"

  1. Isaac may not have a squeeky clean record, but honestly who does? If someone, especially someone in politics, has a clean record all it means is they weren’t ever caught or someone pulled some strings to have it swept under the rug and go away. I grew up in Lancaster and still have family out there, so since I’ve since moved on to “greener pastures” I still often visit and am saddened to see what the city has become. The “blvd” looks better than it did before but all they did was put make up on something to hide the ugly. You can’t depend on make-up to change something, it just hides it. That area is still just as bad as it was before, it just smells better. The real people that live in Lancaster are better represented by an honest person like Isaac who is upfront about everything than a narcissistic politician like Rex (have you seen the lightpost banners with soldier’s names MUCH smaller than Rex’???). Isaac may be green, but everyone was green with what they do at some point. No amount of schooling gives a person experience, you gain experience by DOING, and it seems to me that Isaac (along with his brother) are DOING a lot more than most of you who are just commenting on this thread with negativity and treating this as nothing more than a 3rd grade name calling session on the playground. This thread is supposed to be where you get to let your thoughts/concerns/questions be heard by the people running and they can take them into account and include them in their platform. Honestly, I feel sorry for Isaac when he reads this…YOU are the people he’s trying to fight so hard for…YOU are the people he wants to help make a better life for…YOU are the people that he cares so passionatly about and all most of you have been doing is knocking him down and trying to drag him through the mud. He’s actually DOING SOMETHING to help his community while you hide behind your computer screens and call him (and eachother names). If you don’t like Isaac or what he stands for, then GET UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!! Yes I know Isaac personally and think the world of him, he’s doing what 85% of American’s are trying to do with their lives, make them better for themselves and those around him. Who cares about his past. Your past makes you the person you are now. He’s lived, he’s learned, and now he’s trying to make his community (that he cares so passionately about) a better place. Even for all you cowardly people who have nothing better to do then argue with strangers pretty much anonymously over the internet. He’s done more in this past year than most of you will ever achieve in your entire lives! So, instead of trying to tear each other down, why not try to build each other up and help each other make the community you have to share a better place?

    • Who has a squeaky clean record? Uh….well….let me check. Oh that’s right…. MOST OF THE POPULATION! That’s right..most of us don’t have more than a traffic ticket. Rachel and her type are trying to make it seem acceptable to have convicted felons running for office. Now I’m going to go try and survive without the G brothers “helping” my life to get better! LOL….

  2. Isaac may not have a squeeky clean record, but honestly who does? If someone, especially someone in politics, has a clean record all it means is they weren’t ever caught or someone pulled some strings to have it swept under the rug and go away. I grew up in Lancaster and still have family out there, so since I’ve since moved on to “greener pastures” I still often visit and am saddened to see what the city has become. The “blvd” looks better than it did before but all they did was put make up on something to hide the ugly. You can’t depend on make-up to change something, it just hides it. That area is still just as bad as it was before, it just smells better. The real people that live in Lancaster are better represented by an honest person like Isaac who is upfront about everything than a narcissistic politician like Rex (have you seen the lightpost banners with soldier’s names MUCH smaller than Rex’???). Isaac may be green, but everyone was green with what they do at some point. No amount of schooling gives a person experience, you gain experience by DOING

  3. Enough! Don’t turn our city into a mirror of “The Valley”. I come from a poor family, immigrant parents, considered a minority, raised on public assistance, etc. (the usual low income check list). Growing up I knew I didn’t want to live that way. I brought my family to this town because it was a safe family environment. Lancaster is stooping lower and lower everyday. Peek in the lobby’s of public service offices (DPSS, SSO, HOUSING AUTHORITY, DCFS, MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, JUVENILE COURT, IHSS,etc)in there you will find the community you hope to serve. I’m tired of these people using up my tax dollars! R. Rex Parris may not be the ideal mayor, but it’s thanks to those who uphold the law to its STANDARD that have kept our city affloat this long. Get all those “moochers” off the system, tell me how you’re going to crack down on Section 8 violators, tell me how you’re going to keep our already built community parks safe/drug free, tell me how you’re going to clean up the streets, enforce city/state/federal laws, tell me how you’re going to make parents accountable for their children/juvenile crimes, tell me how you’re proprossals will benefit ME! I work directly with our community in social service field and it appalls me of how our resources/money is utilized to keep helping “the less represented” of our community. Maybe “pimping” out the BLVD might not reflect good use of Redevelopment funds, but it’s becoming a place that brings pride to our community…(where “We accept EBT” hasn’t reached yet, or has it?). I am a minority (Hispanic), I am the younger generation (25), I am a law abiding citizen with a job who will vote for someone with a backbone not afraid to take on “real issues” not whose going to build the next construction phase. I have a lot to say…

    • It’s kind of funny reading this. It’s like the AV Press. “Sure, Rex is a douche, but he’s our douche”.
      “The only way we can go after those who abuse the system is to have a douche like Rex.”
      “Sure the blvd. may not of been the best we could of done with our redevelopment dollars, but hey, at least we spent money in Lancaster”.
      “If we are going to have security, everyone needs to let a douche like Rex take everyone’s rights!”
      Oh and let’s not forget, “I’m a minority, so that proves Rex is a lover of all people”! Right?

      Nothing like setting the bar as low as possible.

      • “douche” ? Trying to prove your Street Cred or something? You sound like a 14 year old pot head who lives with grandma! As to the bar getting set as low as possible your comments on this site have already done that. So yeah keep dropping that bar!

        • “Street cred”?? Really? Is that something you saw on CSI? Pot head? Why is it all the Rex supporters can never give any real reason to support him? So all they can do is try and marginalize those making Anti-Rex remarks.
          Sure Ish. There are hundreds of 14yr old pot heads hanging out in mom’s basement, or grandma’s house, taking a stand against the Lancaster leaders and their king. Rex. Keep telling yourself that. Or like Matt says, you can always correct their spelling and grammar. Doesn’t make the man any less of a douche.
          Tell us Ish. How much money did the citizens of Lancaster pay out in both the court battle, and the settlement for the Sinn vs. Lancaster case? Hey Ish! Why not go to city hall, and donate a large check to the city’s legal fund? Put your $$$ were your mouth is!

          Sinn v. County of Los Angeles, the City of Lancaster, et al. (Los Angeles Superior court Case No. MC 022152)

    • What’s funny is that Parris and the other ‘Good Ol’ Boys’ that have run Lancaster for their own benefit likely helped attract the kind of low income, minority residents that they are now trying to get rid of, mainly because they haven’t attended to the things that would have made Lancaster a great city to live in in the first place.

      If they had done a good job all along, Lancaster wouldn’t have been so cheap to live in and would have had a higher and more expensive quality of life environment of life to begin with. Low income people don’t move to really nice places because they can’t afford to and Lancaster’s leaders haven’t made Lancaster a really nice place.

      And, don’t give me the BLVD BS. It’s not that great. I’ve been there dozens of times since it was remodeled and always come away wondering what the big deal is. Is there even a restaurant there with, perhaps, cloth napkins? It’s not that special although the landscaping looks like it cost big $$$$s. Most of the people walking the sidewalk look like Walmart shoppers not tourists to a ‘world class city’ like Parris pretends it is.

      Don’t get me wrong. Not everyone can be rich but Lancaster really doesn’t offer much to anyone besides low income Walmart and thrift store shoppers or if you want to go to an auto dismantler. The AV Fair only lasts a week so what else does it have. Oh, a prison. A county courthouse. The AV College is the Antelope Valley college, not Lancaster college so that doesn’t really count.

      I’m so glad I didn’t buy a house there. I’ve read many letters to the AV Press from Lancaster residents complaining about needed street repairs and other things that Parris isn’t attending to but rather planning a questionable roundabout. What a sorry mess of a city government. Plus, its leaders are an annoyance to the surrounding communities as well.

  4. Whats the big deal if Granite is a statewide company? Does that mean their employees arent locals?

  5. This probably won’t make any difference, but I feel the need to contribute my comments. Isaac is part of a small, generally unknown community in Lancaster that helps to foster the local art and music scene, and without his efforts, the Cedar Center would be a lesser place. I can’t say I know a great deal about local business practices, but I do take an active interest in politics. A person’s character generally determines how well they will represent the people, and I believe Isaac is a good thing for Lancaster. Here’s why.

    If you have a town with a sizeable portion of people who are struggling to piece their lives together, whether they’re ex-felons, recovering addicts, or just struggling to find work, who do you think is going to do the better job of representing those people? Someone who has the money to cover up past indiscretions with lots of fancy ad billboards? Someone whose house is safely tucked away in the nice part of town, removed from the problems on the streets? What about somebody who’s had some problems of their own, who doesn’t hide behind lofty morals and outright lies? You can be a reformed cocaine addict and be President of the United States, but only if you have the money to make it look like it wasn’t a big deal. Isaac would probably do just as good a job as Parris or anybody else on the Council; he definitely has the interests of the most vulnerable AV residents at heart. He knows more about the underbelly of the Council than most people, because he cares enough to do the research, and that’s somebody I’d want as my advocate.

    • It’s nice to see a young man take action to try and make a difference. Yes he might be in training. But haven’t we all at some point in our lives. And yes mistakes will be made. But I respect a man who stands up for what he believes in.

    • That’s funny, coming from somebody who lives in the “nice part of town.” Whose father is a successful doctor. You’re commenting on the problems on the street is like a drug addict commenting on the hecticness of the New York Stock Exchange. You’re a poser, a wannabe “street rat.” You are in absolutely no position to talk about how hard it is out there in the real world when you’re sucking on your daddy’s tit.

      Isaac is not a good candidate, you are only sticking up for him because you consider him a friend. Well guess what, this isn’t some pointless high school election we’re dealing with. This is something that will actually affect the lives of the citizens of Lancaster. You need to look beyond your shallow self-indulgent views. You are a petty selfish fool who doesn’t deserve to have a say in the goings on of local politics because you can’t get beyond the pointlessness of your relationship with this terrible, hypocritical candidate.

  7. Uh, moron. The general contractor on just about every one of those jobs was the same Lancaster Architectural engineer that was tasked to do the design. Additionally Signs and Designs, Granite, Kingsley Glass, and dozens of other Lancaster and Antelope Valley business were given the VAST majority of work at (redevelopment agency required) prevailing rates. Someone is uninformed and possibly spewing B.S. to look better for his own gain.. Name names or Shut The Front door!

    • Lets open the books and see where the money is really going to, the BIG MONEY, that is, WE have a right to question the practices of those in power and since you are so “Informed” where did the $50 million dollars went that we are not getting back from the all the work done to the BLVD.

    • I think moron is a little harsh. If I am wrong, I apologize. If 500+ million have gone to the community then awesome! I’m glad I’m wrong. What I said maybe not explain what I mean. Scott Ehrlich (sorry I might have spelled that wrong)was the developer that received these contracts easily. Sure he could subcontract that’s great, hope we made out in the deal, but I believe that anything done by contemptible means is still wrong. If you accomplish something great but had to break the law, behave unethically or unfair I believe it is still wrong. The housing around the Blvd all contracted by Ehrlich. Bex and many other business (were most of our cities attention has been focused due to the current council) are owned by him. Look at UAV, gotta be the number one growing business in Lancaster, when education is down and AVC is dropping classes, degree programs… UAV is expanding! It’s this kind of favoritism that I’m against and would like to change.

      The main reason I’m running is to voice my concerns, we are no longer able to do so at the city council meetings, and I fear imprisonment if I do go.

      Thank you for informing me. I’m glad I can read your comments, they are helpful. Please can we refrain from the moron talk? I mean you no harm ;)

      • Doesnt seem too harsh. Ehrlich didnt get contracts. That’s what uneducated Occupiers like to say but it shows a fundamental lack of understanding about business and economics. Ehrlich came in, bought property, renovated it, opened new business. That’s the free market. We provide tax credits to people who do that because the benefits in terms of jobs and sales tax generation far outweigh the modest tax credits.

        AVC has to cut classes because the state is broke and they can’t afford to subsidize education. UAV is a private company that can offer classes regardless of state funding so students go there.

        No one with such ignorance of basic economics belongs in office.

        • Regardless of state funding? You DO realize the U of AV is over 85% state funded? Over 85% of their students are going to their school because of government grants and student loans. And they get to keep those funds regardless of whether the students finish their courses or not.

          In other words we pay for their school.

          And Ehrlich got all kinds of city funding and land deals. It’ll be YEARS before we see the return on what we’ve given this guy from Sherman Oaks.

          • Sorry, but let me help you clarify… UAV is NOT state funded… It is a private organization. However, since it is an accredited learning institution, federal financial aid is available to students who QUALIFY. Usually this is in the form of LOANS which are REPAID with INTEREST.

            So, yes, we all pay for (at least a part) of the subsidized interest, and we pay for the grants, but that is the same with University of Phoenix, DeVry, or any other accredited private institution.

          • That’s right. We invested in Ehrlich. That, like most of the investments in our 401k’s is a crap shoot. What we did was take all the “risks” out of mr. Ehrlich’s equation and made them ours. Free market? Not so much.

          • And if you did know, you would find out that more then 1/2 the classes offered by u of av aren’t accredited. Just like they AREN’T a university. It’s nothing more or less then a diploma mill, and most of the diplomas are worthless.

          • Before anything else, let me get this out there… I am not nor have I been a student of UAV, so my knowledge to the QUALITY of their services is limited. I’m only interjecting what I know to be false statements regarded as fact. So I’m not trying to dispute why you dislike the school, but I am curious as to which programs are not accredited… You say over half, but that’s not the case as far as I am aware. Please correct me if I am wrong, but be specific. What accreditation are they lacking? http://www.uav.edu/index.aspx?page=163

          • As of last year, the culinary arts classes weren’t accredited, solar classes, nor the criminal justice programs. The few accredited programs were medical. One of their criminal justice classes was supposed to be full 8 hr days. Those going said they never spent more then 4 hrs and many say there were days that were never more then 2.

            The kids behind the counter at Kaiser said they were asked to pay $13,000 for the Pharmacy Tech. cert at u of av, that AV adult school offers for $1,000. 2 semesters, $500 each. Needless to say, they went to the adult school.

            Sandra has put more young adults in debt then anyone else in the valley. Well, except maybe charter college. But they at least are putting out real nurses.

        • UAV is a for profit so called school, the sad victimes of all this are the students they load up with students loans, worthless diplomas and no jobs, they pray on minorities I would like to see someone from the City Council send thier kids to this so called “University”

          • Can students get loans for community colleges like AV College? If not, why not?

            I read recently that the heads of the for-profit colleges/universities meet at some luxury resort for a meeting and that they make big bucks. The students have trouble finding jobs afterwards and so on. It sounds like a big scam and it’s no surprise one would be located in Lancaster.

          • Horray you finnaly got it. Worthless pieces of papper. Students cannot get jobs for all the work if they are serious.

      • UAV should not even be considered a University. It’s some peoples get rich quick scheme that has worked on the idiots of the Antelope Valley. I would love to see a prospective employers face when he sees “University of Antelope Valley” listed under education. It costs more to go to UAV then to go to a REAL university that carries actual respect and prestige.

  8. We need the “G”s Currently, felons and other criminals have no representation. Only the law-abiding non-convicts. Congrats on your campaign and finally getting off probation. What was it for again? I get confused as to which crimes which Grajeda has been convicted. Lancaster’s luckier than Washington DC, we have the chance to elect TWO Marion Berry’s.

    • Since the illustrious Mayor of Lancaster Mr. Perris is a drug addict and has admited to have spend his share of time in jail, I would say we are in the right track.

      • Something like 6 arrest wasn’t it? Oh wait, rex got his MOM to go tell the judge he was a good kid. That would of made him a 6th striker right? Bahahahaha.

    • The beautiful thing about getting off probation is it means a second chance at life. A police record is not a cattle brand, in terms of character. People screw up, they pay their dues, and hopefully move on. If the government still felt he was a problem, he’d still be on probation, or worse. It seems like the more moralistic peope are, the less theyre willing to forgive and take a deeper look at someone.

      • why would I, as a citizen of Lancaster want to be lead by someone with felonies on their record and whose platform is meaningless and all about what he can do for his fellow felons? You can keep your idea of ‘beauty’! For me ….’beauty’ is being able to vote and prevent this guy from being elected in the first place.

        • You are already being led by someone with a felony history, “Alejandra.” Parris has a drug record… Not to mention that he is engaging in felonies everyday while you blithely drink the kool aid.

          • Alejandra, you really are an ignorant kool aid drinker, aren’t you? Parris has ADMITTED his record from the dias, ON VIDEO. Only you ‘true believers’ are hypocritical enough to overlook his record while attacking others with the same kind of record that are turning thier lives around.

            Pathetic.

          • Parrisites have no shame in their pathetic lies and double standards, “Alejandra.” At least what I drink doesn’t taste of the bitter cyanide of hypocrisy…

          • LOL Sounds like you are into salty. You do a lot of taste tasting huh? Wish there were more women out there like you, Alejandra. Popular? Enjoy it girl!

          • I noticed that “Alejandra” is no longer on the subject matter, but more interested in keeping a personal attack going.

            How about it, “Alejandra?” Now that you know that your statement against former offenders is based upon hypocrisy in that Parris has a criminal record, do you feel the same way towards Parris being your ‘leader’ as you just stated towards Isaac Grajeda?

            How’s that kool aid taste now?

        • Did you vote for Parris? How about Bush 2? If so you must not have seen a spotty history as a disqualified for serving in office. The more you want your politicians to have a sterling moral record, the more people you’re going to have lying to you, because most every politician has done something shady to get where they are. If you want an honest politician, you’re going to get somebody who doesn’t trumpet on high what a sterling moral example they are for everyone else. Isaac represents more people in this town than most of the people on the Council, and if you don’t like that, maybe you should live in a town where everyone has wings and a halo. And since when did being a musician make you a bad politician? What’s with all the stereotypes?

          • An excellent point, Tabitha. Let’s face it, nobody’s perfect on this Earth. Real Christians appreciate humble servants who admit their mistakes, learn from them, and grow from there to serve others so that they might avoid that mistake. The last thing that a real Christian should want is a raving egomaniac as MAYOR who believes that he does no wrong.

  9. I think Issac is right on. Every word rings true. I think Ace’s comments are true as well. No and’s if’s or buts (well, Ace used a lot of but’s, so I stand corrected on that.)