Councilman Dave Allan Plans Run for State Assembly in 2012, Tells Issues

Updated at 10:55 p.m. Tuesday

Councilman Dave Allan used the public comments portion of Tuesday night’s City Council meeting to announce that he’ll run for the state Assembly next year in the 79th District.

The newly configured district includes La Mesa, Lemon Grove, parts of National City, Chula Vista, San Diego and unincorporated San Diego County, and boasts a population of 466,416.

The 11-year councilman, who in August announced that he would step down from the council when his term ends in December 2012, thanked city staff and the public for their support, and said: “I’m ready to rock.”

Allan, who switched from Republican to Democrat in 2008 but is now calling himself an Independent, said one of his major concerns is Sacramento’s reassignment of state prisoners to the counties.

“That’s a big issue,” said Allan, a former firefighter who helped spearhead formation of the Heartland Fire & Rescue agency—a merger of the La Mesa, El Cajon and Lemon Grove fire departments.

Allan said San Diego County was getting $25 million to house state prisoners this year, but nothing next year.

“We need to work really hard to make sure that law enforcement has the tools [it needs],” he said, as well as the District Attorney’s Office and probation and Sheriff’s Department.

Mayor Art Madrid said: “I have a feeling you may be overqualified to be in the Legislature. We’re going to miss you in another 13 months.”

An Army veteran and retired 17-year firefighter in the San Miguel Fire Protection District, Allan, 56, also led that Spring Valley department’s firefighters union.

In September 2008, Allan told a Democratic Party rally at Harry Griffen Park: “I’ve been a Republican for 35 years and I became a Democrat in January.”

East County Magazine quoted Allan as saying: “Let me tell you about the state. It’s broken. … Being
 a local politician is the toughest job, because we’ve got to deal with problems 
created by the state and feds.”

Allan, said the online site, called for change at higher 
levels of government and said: “Our government has forgotten what it’s 
about, which is to serve the people.”

Three Democrats have announced for the seat, according to the county party’s website: Shirley Weber, a former San Unified school board members; Sid Voorakkara, on leave as San Diego program officer for the California Endowment nonprofit health foundation; and Clovis Honoré, a community organizer and former president of the Black Student Council at San Diego State University.

Barry Jantz, a former La Mesa councilman and a politics blogger for sdrostra.com, offered his views in response to a La Mesa Patch inquiry.

He noted the district breakdown of registered voters—Democrats 43.4 percent, Republicans 29.3 percent and those declining to state, or Independent, 22.8 percent.

“In other words, a difficult seat for other than a Democrat to win,” Jantz said.  “However, with the new ‘top two’ November runoff scenario, who ends up in the general election will be interesting, dependent especially on the number of partisans running.

“If Dave is indeed running as an Independent, such a split-vote scenario increases the chances of an independent being in the runoff against a candidate from a major party.”

In a La Mesa Today report, Allan is quoted as saying: “I want to represent everyone. Maybe it will hurt me, I don't know, but I will be running as an Independent. I've been listening to the people and I think they are ready for something different.”

Jantz added: “As far as Republicans, Rick Powell is considering it, I believe. He ran as the GOP nominee in 2010 in the seat that at the time included Lemon Grove, but not La Mesa.” Powell is a former Green Beret and federal agent with various law enforcement agencies.