Williams Aide to Seek 4th District Council Seat

Describing himself as “the next generation of leadership . . . eager to tackle” the 4th District’s longstanding problems of crime and youth unemployment, Wes Pratt on Tuesday declared his candidacy for the San Diego City Council seat being vacated by William Jones.

At a news conference outside his Southeast San Diego home, Pratt, a lawyer and executive assistant to County Supervisor Leon Williams, joined the increasingly crowded field for the council seat held from 1969 to 1982 by Williams and for the last 4 1/2 years by Jones.

Both Williams and Jones initially were appointed by the council to fill vacancies.

Without criticizing either his current boss or Jones, Pratt, a Democrat, alluded to the 4th District’s recent political history in taking a verbal swipe at one of his likely opponents this fall, former City Hall aide Marla Marshall.

“What we need is a candidate from our district to represent us downtown,” Pratt said. “What we don’t need is a candidate anointed by downtown moving in to represent us.”

Crime, Joblessness Cited

That remark was a thinly veiled reference to the controversy over Marshall’s recent move into the 4th District to run for the seat from which Jones will step down this fall.

A 36-year-old Los Angeles native who moved to San Diego 11 years ago, Pratt cited unemployment and crime as the most pressing issues in the 4th District, which covers Southeast San Diego, Paradise Hills, Logan Heights and parts of Golden Hill and Encanto.

The district’s estimated 50% unemployment rate among minority youths contributes to a crime rate that also is the highest in the city, Pratt said.

Current efforts to attract major companies to the district need to be complemented by small business development and revitalization of existing businesses, Pratt said.

A graduate of Drury College in Springfield, Mo., and the University of San Diego Law School, Pratt served as administrative assistant to Assemblyman Pete Chacon (D-San Diego) before going to work for Williams. Pratt and his wife live in the Skyline area, and have three children ranging in age from 7 months to 16 years.

In addition to Pratt and Marshall, other declared or potential candidates in the 4th District include Richard (Tip) Calvin, a former police officer and head of a printing and publishing firm; Felipe Hueso, a transportation firm executive; the Rev. George Stevens, a special assistant to Rep. Jim Bates (D-San Diego) and associate pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, and Pete Wigfall, a county probation officer.