Torrance Councilman Jon Kaji shares plans for El Camino College and the city

By Oriana de Quay • November 10, 2025

Torrance City Councilman Jon Kaji of District 1 explains his plan to keep the next generation in the South Bay during the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society’s club meeting in the Behavioral and Social Science Building on Tuesday, Oct. 21. Kaji said he wants to bring big technology firms to Torrance and build artificial intelligence data centers. Kaji wants to create job opportunities in the South Bay to keep the youth here. (Ryan Hirabayashi | The Union)

Torrance City Councilman Jon Kaji spoke during the El Camino College Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society‘s club meeting Tuesday, Oct. 21.

Kaji represents District 1 of the city of Torrance, which includes ECC, the Roadium Open Air Market, North High School and a portion of the 405 Freeway, among other landmarks and centers.

The club invited Kaji to inform students of his future plans for the college and Torrance.

He mentioned topics including increasing surveillance on campus and Torrance annexing the El Camino Village to allow the Torrance Police Department to also patrol the college.

Torrance City Councilman Jon Kaji tells ECC students he wants to have Torrance be more self-sufficient in the Behavioral and Social Science Building on Tuesday, Oct. 21. Kaji said right now Torrance relies on Southern California Edison for power, and the City of Torrance should be responsible for its own power. In addition, the city can use the money they're using to pay Southern California Edison elsewhere. (Ryan Hirabayashi | The Union) — Torrance City Councilman Jon Kaji takes a picture with students in the Behavioral and Social Science Building on Tuesday, Oct. 21. Kaji spoke at the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society’s club meeting and said the city of Torrance should become more self-sufficient. He added that Torrance relies on Southern California Edison for power, but that it should be responsible for its own power and use the money it pays to Southern California Edison for other needs. (Ryan Hirabayashi | The Union)

(L-R) Torrance Councilman Jon Kaji of District One accepts gifts from the El Camino College Associated Student Body Chief Justice Aliyah Mongeau and Vice President Joshua Arasheben in the Behavior Social Science building on Tuesday, Oct. 21 invited by the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society Club (Taheem Lewis | The Union)Torrance Councilman Jon Kaji of District One speaks at El Camino's Behavioral and Social Science Building on Tuesday, Oct. 21. Councilman Kaji told ECC students his plans to make El Camino safer. Kaji's plan is the annexation of El Camino Village, so not only ECCPD, Torrance police will patrol the area of El Camino. — (L-R) Torrance Councilman Jon Kaji of District 1 accepts a gift from El Camino College Associated Student Organization Chief Justice Aliyah Mongeau and Vice President Joshua Arasheben in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Building on Tuesday, Oct. 21. Kaji spoke at the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society’s club meeting. (Taheem Lewis | The Union)

Kaji also talked about building artificial intelligence data centers in Torrance and making the city more self-sufficient by creating its own power instead of relying on Southern California Edison.

The AGS Honor Society encourages active members and gives students an opportunity to network and build on leadership skills, according to their website.

Community members are invited to join Kaji in a discussion regarding District 1 economic development, transit, public work project updates and other topics in the North Torrance Library from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13.

For more information, visit the city of Torrance’s website.

Intern Ryan Hirabayashi contributed to this story.

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