Marty Block
Encyclopedia
Marty Block represents California's 78th district in the California State Assembly
. Assembly District 78 includes southern San Diego
, Chula Vista
, Lemon Grove
and
Spring Valley. Block is a Democrat
. He was elected to the Assembly in 2008, succeeding term-limited Republican
Representative Shirley Horton
. He is chairman of the Assembly Higher Education Committee. He successfully ran for re-election in 2010.
and education at Indiana University
as well as a law degree from DePaul University
. He began his career as a history teacher in Illinois
before coming to San Diego. Block retired after 26 years as a professor, dean and director at San Diego State University
where he founded the National Higher Education Law and Policy Institute. He is a five-time recipient of outstanding faculty awards at San Diego State University and was presented with the University Distinguished Service Award upon retirement by SDSU President Stephen Weber.
Block has been president of both the San Diego County Board of Education and the San Diego Community College District
Board of Trustees. He has frequently served as Judge Pro Tem of the San Diego Superior Court. Block’s community involvement includes time as commissioner of the San Diego County Commission on Children, Youth and Families. He also founded the San Diego Latino/Jewish Coalition and served as president of the American Jewish Committee
, San Diego Chapter. Block was elected as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
four separate times in 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2004.
In his 2008 California State Assembly campaign, Block ran a series of television commercials promising "I won't take any salary when the Legislature is late passing a budget" Both the 2009 and 2010 budgets were passed after the June 30 deadline, yet there has been no published evidence that Block adhered to his 2008 campaign promise and took a reduced salary; though it has been reported that Block collected his full per diem of $28,372 for 2010.
Block defeated his Republican opponent, John McCann, 92,045 (55.4%) to 74,160 (44.6%).
David Glanzer, the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Comic-Con served as Marty Block's Director of Communication for the 2008 campaign and later served as Press Secretary for the Assemblyman.
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
. Assembly District 78 includes southern San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, Chula Vista
Chula Vista, California
Chula Vista is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S....
, Lemon Grove
Lemon Grove, California
Lemon Grove is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 25,320 at the 2010 census, up from 24,918 as of the 2000 census.-History:...
and
Spring Valley. Block is a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. He was elected to the Assembly in 2008, succeeding term-limited Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Representative Shirley Horton
Shirley Horton
Shirley Horton is a U.S. politician, having served as a Republican Member of the California State Assembly. Horton represented the 78th Assembly District, which includes southern San Diego, Chula Vista, Lemon Grove and...
. He is chairman of the Assembly Higher Education Committee. He successfully ran for re-election in 2010.
Biography
Block earned his BA in political sciencePolitical science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and education at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
as well as a law degree from DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
. He began his career as a history teacher in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
before coming to San Diego. Block retired after 26 years as a professor, dean and director at San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
where he founded the National Higher Education Law and Policy Institute. He is a five-time recipient of outstanding faculty awards at San Diego State University and was presented with the University Distinguished Service Award upon retirement by SDSU President Stephen Weber.
Block has been president of both the San Diego County Board of Education and the San Diego Community College District
San Diego Community College District
The San Diego Community College District is a public community college division in the city of San Diego, California. The district is one of the five community college districts in San Diego County; part of the greater California Community College system...
Board of Trustees. He has frequently served as Judge Pro Tem of the San Diego Superior Court. Block’s community involvement includes time as commissioner of the San Diego County Commission on Children, Youth and Families. He also founded the San Diego Latino/Jewish Coalition and served as president of the American Jewish Committee
American Jewish Committee
The American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world...
, San Diego Chapter. Block was elected as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
four separate times in 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2004.
2008 California State Assembly campaign
In 2008, Block ran as a Democrat to represent California's 78th district in the California State Assembly. He received the endorsement of the San Diego Police Officer’s Association. The union, whose members are mostly Republican, represents over 2,000 officers. SDPOA’s president, Bill Nemec, said Block has been “sensitive to law enforcement issues” and will receive support from the union’s political action committee.In his 2008 California State Assembly campaign, Block ran a series of television commercials promising "I won't take any salary when the Legislature is late passing a budget" Both the 2009 and 2010 budgets were passed after the June 30 deadline, yet there has been no published evidence that Block adhered to his 2008 campaign promise and took a reduced salary; though it has been reported that Block collected his full per diem of $28,372 for 2010.
Block defeated his Republican opponent, John McCann, 92,045 (55.4%) to 74,160 (44.6%).
David Glanzer, the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Comic-Con served as Marty Block's Director of Communication for the 2008 campaign and later served as Press Secretary for the Assemblyman.