New candidate joins race to replace embattled Sacramento city councilman. Who is she?
Another candidate has jumped into the race to succeed Sean Loloee on the Sacramento City Council.
Penelope Larry, a self-employed project manager, is running for the 2nd District seat in next year’s election.
Larry, who rents an apartment in Del Paso Heights, is running because she wants to uplift disadvantaged neighborhoods in North Sacramento, she said.
Larry has lived in Sacramento for 25 years, aside from a four-year stint away, she said, but mostly in Natomas. While she has only lived in the district a short time, she has been worshiping at Potters House Church of God in Christ in Hagginwood for 20 years — which she said has given her a deep connection to the community.
“I’ve been helping this community for a long time without any aspiration for running,” said Larry, 60. “Through that I have met the stakeholders who know the community intimately. I’ve met people who have been here for over 40 years and knew it when it was vibrant and thriving and now they’ve seen the turnout and it’s changed. They have not always been satisfied with its current leadership. They are looking for some kind of change.”
Loloee, who has represented the district since December 2020, is the subject of a federal lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor alleging he has threatened to deport workers, has employed minors and has not given required breaks or overtime at his four Sacramento-area Viva Supermarket stores. Three of his stores and two of his homes were raided last month by federal agents. Loloee has denied the allegations and previously said was not seeking re-election.
Prior to Loloee, the district was for eight years represented by developer Allen Warren, who just prior to losing re-election in 2020 had over $200,000 in unpaid taxes.
“I believe the community at some level has gotten a bad rep for a few bad actors, and it’s taken on a life of its own,” Larry said. “But there’s so much good. There are people here that have great hearts.”
On the topic of homelessness, Larry said she would prefer to create more affordable housing, but in the interim would be open to more tiny homes and Safe Ground-sanctioned campgrounds in the district, if the conditions are dignified.
“I look at it as, ‘am I doing something I could put my mother in?’” she said.
She supports the Camp Resolution Safe Ground site that is located in the district on Colfax Street, where homeless people live in tents and city-supplied trailers. But, after a visit, she said she wanted to add air conditioning to the trailers, as well as lighting.
On the topic of the police budget, she said she would not want to increase it past its current all-time-high outlay of $228 million. She would like to grant more city money to grassroots nonprofit groups that are working to reduce gun violence in Del Paso Heights and across the city.
Larry formerly owned a men’s clothing store, which closed in 2022. She holds a marketing degree from Golden Gate University and an MBA from Western Governors University. She also is a former ESL instructor at San Diego State and Sacramento State.
In addition to Larry, former state Assemblyman Roger Dickinson, former Twin Rivers Unified School Board member Ramona Landeros, and former Grant High School vice president Kim Davie are also running for the seat. All are Democrats, though the race for the seat is non-partisan.
The primary election will be held March 5. If no single candidate gets at least 50.01% of the vote, the top two candidates will advance to a runoff Nov. 5. The term starts in December 2024.
