Consejo Municipal — Ciudad de Hawthorne

I am a former New York resident and a graduate of Fordham Law School. I moved to Hawthorne in 2003. Community involvement and activism are important to me. As President of my neighborhood homeowner's association, I fought to improve safety in our neighborhoods and raise awareness about being prepared for a disaster. I was elected to the Hawthorne City Council in 2011.  As a former Federal Prosecutor, I worked to make our nation a better place.  As a Mediator/Arbitrator, I know how to bring people together to improve their relationships and accomplish a goal which will benefit the entire community.

I support collaboration among cities in the Southbay to work on regional solutions to common problems. I support neighborhood oriented development, tailoring the size of development to what is appropriate, based on what the community wants and its overall impact on the community.  I support strong police, fire, code enforcement and paramedic services for the protection of the community. I support strenthening local businesses and giving them the tools to compete in the 21st Century economy.      

I hold a BA, MA in Education and Counseling with a Pupil Personnel Services Credential from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. For the past twenty five years, I have consistently worked with schools, social service agencies and community groups in assuring that children and families receive adequate physical, mental health services, and support structures that positively affect their academic achievement. As a Member of the Hawthorne School District Board of Trustees for these past eleven years, we have reduced class size, increased academic achievement, created three academies (S.T.E.M., fine arts, and businesses), and increased parent involvement in our schools through the creations of parent academies. Currently, I serve as the president and CEO of the Moneta Gardens Improvement, Inc. (MGI), a non-profit organization serving the families and children of the Hawthorne. In addition, I am also the Executive Director  for the South Bay Universal Child Development Center-“The Castle,” which is also a non-profit organization dedicated to provide early childhood education to the children of Hawthorne free of charge. 

As a leader of numerous organizations in Hawthorne, I’ve gladly enjoyed the privilege and opportunity to dedicate my time to promoting safety, education, community development, and social equity in the City of Hawthorne. I have worked in conjunction with our city officials and civic organizations to make life better for our entire community. I have helped our police department and the first responders maintain their level of services.  

In the last two decades, I’ve dedicated my time to promoting safety, education, community development, and social equity in the City of Hawthorne.  I firmly believe that investing in all of the aspects of the community will produce a vibrant future for generations to come.  Serving Hawthorne through the city council will offer me a wealth of opportunities to advance our city and demonstrate that Hawthorne really is the “City of Good Neighbors.”  As a community organizer, educator, counselor, volunteer and business executive, I look forward to contributing to the efforts that propel our city into the future. 

I would bring my diverse knowledge and understanding of programs related to federal, state, county and local entities. My broad knowledge and expertise in all aspects of business management and development can offer the council and city staff an advantage in vital negotiations for new business development plans.  My involvement in many different service clubs and organizations dedicated to the welfare of Hawthorne’s citizens has exposed me to the dynamics of our diverse community.  I have learned to identify and address individual and collective needs through the Hawthorne Presidents Council, the Lions Club, the Hawthorne Moose Lodge, PTAs, and other civic groups. 

I am running because Hawthorne needs a new path free of corruption and self-interest. I am a Champion of Integrity. I fight for everyone in our city: like our senior citizens whom most live on a fixed budget and must fight to make ends meet; our youth who need more academic enrichment programs to help mold them into productive citizens; family breadwinners whose priority is to be able to raise their children safely; our fearless and brave veterans who served our country; and our homeless who require the basic needs.  

Jason Gromski is an aerospace engineer, and has been the President of Hawthorne's Ramona Neighborhood Association. He is a proud resident of Hawthorne, California.

Jason is running for City Council to build a Hawthorne that works for you: a city where our blocks are safe, new businesses are opening their doors, and our communities receive the kind of services we deserve. These are promises he knows how to deliver -- As a 15-year veteran of Northrop Grumman building rocket propulsion and aircraft fluid systems, Jason has learned to identify a problem, figure out how to fix it, and then lead a team to actually get it done. 

Outside of his work in the aerospace industry, Jason has been dedicated to serving Hawthorne — and improving the life of its residents -- since moving to the city nearly 10 years ago. As a member of the Civil Service Commission he has focused on ensuring we have the right people working on behalf of our community. As the Chair of the Hawthorne Economic Development he has partnered with local businesses to bring new jobs to our city, and outlined plans to bolster economic growth. And as President of the Ramona Neighborhood Association, he has helped improve the everyday quality of life on behalf of local residents. 

These experiences have shaped Jason’s top priorities for the future of Hawthorne: creating good-paying jobs for our residents by supporting small businesses and cutting red tape, enhancing our everyday quality of life by creating more parks and recreation opportunities, and improving public safety by building our police department to 100 officers strong. 

Like so many, Jason’s passion for this kind of public service was cultivated when then-Senator Obama launched his bid for the White House. Jason served as a community organizer in the South Bay, and helped lead the efforts of USC Students for Barack Obama.  On that campaign, he not only learned what was possible when we bring people together around a common vision, he learned how to organize a community and lead grassroots activists.  

The son of a union firefighter, and the byproduct of public education, Jason grew up in South Bend, Indiana.  He is a graduate of Purdue University with a Masters from the University of Southern California.  He is a table tennis enthusiast, and part-time amateur chef.