Oakley’s Jim Frazier gets settled in his office in the state capitol. Frazier represents Assembly District 11, which includes Brentwood, Oakley, Antioch, Discovery Bay and portions of Solano County.
Photo courtesy of Jim Frazier
Photo courtesy of Jim Frazier
“I absolutely love it,” Frazier said. “I can’t wait to get there each morning. I’m so fortunate to work with an amazing staff to serve the people I represent. It’s exciting to meet with people and hear their ideas. It’s always been my dream to serve and help others.”
Frazier, the first Oakley resident to serve at the state level, was sworn into office on Dec. 3. Of the 38 freshmen assembly representatives sworn in, the most since 1966, Frazier is one of five to be selected to chair a committee. Frazier will head the Accountability and Administrative Review Committee, which reviews and studies the implementation, operation and effectiveness of state programs and agencies. He has also been appointed to the Transportation Committee, which oversees the Transit Authority, California Highway Patrol, and the operation, licensing and registration, and driver’s licenses.
As an advocate for protecting the Delta, Frazier is looking forward to serving on the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, which supervises water resources, flood management, fish and game, parks and recreation, and wildlife matters. He will also serve on the Insurance Committee, which handles discussions regarding insurance (excluding health insurance), workers compensation and unemployment compensation.
After undergoing three weeks of training, Frazier is ready for the meat and potatoes of his job as an assembly district representative. He represents Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley and Discovery Bay, as well as Rio Vista, Fairfield, Suisun City, and Vacaville in Solano County. He plans to open a district office in Fairfield and a satellite office in Antioch.
Frazier appeared on the political scene in 2007 as a planning commissioner for the City of Oakley. In 2008, he was elected to the City Council, serving as mayor in 2011. He said he never imagined he’d go into politics, but getting a taste for the state legislative process while advocating for Senate Bill 536, which created a special formula for allocating unitary property tax revenues to the Oakley Redevelopment Agency, whet his appetite for more.
“It’s contagious,” Frazier said. “Once you get a taste of helping people and getting things done, you want to do more to help. In the assembly, I get to serve more people and make a difference on a larger scale. It’s great to be a part of people’s lives and be helpful and represent them in this way.”
Frazier’s greatest concern for the moment is making sure he’s accessible to those he represents. When not on the assembly floor, he spends his days visiting communities in his district, taking part in meetings and community celebrations. He wants his constituents to know who he is and that he’s eager to hear their ideas and concerns.
“I want to hear from people,” Frazier said. “I want to know how I can help them. Contact me by phone, fax, e-mail. Write letters. If you’re in Sacramento, stop by my office. If you see me at the grocery store, come over and let me know what’s on your mind. Your concerns are my concerns.”
To contact Frazier, visit www.asmdc.org/members/a11.
My concern, though, is that he'll vote in lockstep with the liberal Democratic majority to increase taxes and regulations and to vote down Republican efforts to make California more business friendly. I hope I'm proved wrong.