Candidate for
Mayor; City of Long Beach

Ray Grabinski was raised in North Long Beach. He graduated from Long Beach Jordan High School, attended Long Beach City College and is a US Army Veteran. Grabinski is the father of four sons and has three grandchildren.

Prior to becoming a Councilmember, Grabinski owned a small business and was a community activist in Long Beach. He was elected to the 7th District Council seat in 1986 and held that office through 1994. In 1991, Grabinski took a position with the University of California 4-H Program as a resource development coordinator for Los Angeles County.

During the 90's, Grabinski was active in supporting the city's efforts to prevent closure of the Long Beach Naval Shipyard and Naval Station. Despite those efforts, the base was closed and Grabinski has worked to find productive and economic re-uses for the facilities.

In July 1998, Grabinski was re-elected as the 7th District Councilmember for a third term. He currently serves as a board member for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), as a Member of the League of California Cities, and as a Member of the Los Angeles County City Selection Committee.

Experience

• Ray has been a 7th District Councilman in Long Beach for 12 years.
• Ray is a Resource Development Coordinator for a 4-H Program with the University of California that tutors kids and provides After School Programs.
• Ray was a local businessman in Long Beach, including owning a deli and pizza restaurant.
• Ray has been a Long Beach resident for over 41 years.
• Ray served for seven years on the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission and was chairman of the Commission in 1991.
• He served in the U.S. Army from 1965 - 1967, where he achieved the rank of sergeant.
• Ray raised four sons as a widowed father living in California Heights. They are Ray, Jr, 33; Bill, 29; Mike, 27; and Matt, 25.

• Ray worked successfully to have the State Parole Department office moved out of a residential neighborhood.
• Ray arranged for the donation of an armored truck and other police equipment to the Long Beach Police Department's SWAT team.
• Ray started the "Drug and Gangs Task Force," which effectively mobilized police resources to reduce crime in Long Beach.
• Ray proposed and pushed for construction and completion of new police substations.
• Ray successfully removed 3,000 trucks per day off of Willow Street.
• Ray worked with community members to get McDonnell Douglas to spend $117,000 to reduce airport noise.
• Ray worked with the Community to stop a refinery and a truck terminal from being constructed near single-family homes and local schools.
• Ray helped found the California Heights Action Group.
• Ray sponsored "Graffiti Removal Days."
• Ray secured additional funding to landscape medians, install streetlights, pave streets and fix potholes.
• Ray helped found the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement District.
• Ray worked for 10 years to keep 10,000 Naval Shipyard jobs in Long Beach.
• Ray worked with the community to clear land for and win $9.5 million to complete