Swanson to join Assembly race

■Ex-chief of staff for. Lee runs in 16th
District, makes education a priority

By Cecily Burt
STAFF WRITER

OAKLAND — Sandre Swanson was sitting quietly at home, alternately .enjoying his retirement from public life and wondering what to do next, Then he felt a big smile spread across his face.

“I decided to follow my passion,” he said, "and my passion is to help a lot of people."

And with that Swanson, 56, longtime chief of staff for Congresswoman Barbara Lee and former Congressman Ron Dellums, jumped back into the political fray as a candidate for die 16th State Assembly District representing Oakland, Alameda and Piedmont.

Swanson, who retired a year ago after spending spent 30 years in public life, set up his campaign committee last year and will announce his candidacy at an event in Oakland on Thursday.

He plans to "win or lose on the issues,” and he vowed that if elected, he will not skip from one election to another to stay ahead of term limits, as many professional politicians do.

“I will have a social contract with the public,” he said, "I will not, 90 days into It, be preparing to run for another office, i will concentrate on the issue."

Swanson says he will focus on five main issues: schools, health care, economic development and jobs, housing and crime. All of them can be traced back to his desire to help children succeed in life and to make funding for education a priority.

“I argue with those who say there is a lack of money, It's a lack of priority — there's plenty of money for other things," he said. "An educated work force helps build new businesses for California.”

Swanson last ran for public office nearly 20 years ago, when he was edged out in a race for the Alameda County Board of Supervisors by Don Perata, who is now a state senator.

He may not have held the top job, but 20 years worth of experience working the front lines for Dellums and Lee, not to mention the long list of local, state and federal contacts, will let him hit the ground running, he said.

He worked for 10 years collaborating with local governments, the military and interested civilians to craft the structure of Oakland and Alameda's Base Reuse authorities to transfer control of the Army base and Air Station to private use. He helped wage the successful battle to bring the new federal building to Oakland, and he's worked to get funding for wetlands and small business.