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L.A.'s Financial Health Takes Center Stage In Tuesday's Election

Staff Reporters |
March 5, 2011 | 12:00 a.m. PST

Voters in the City of Los Angeles could next week impose more oversight on the nation's largest municipal utility provider, drive a stake through a portion of the city's spending plan with some ballot-box budgeting and hang itself in a legal mess by taxing nonprofit medical marijuana dispensaries.

Since the beginning of the year, three city council races have grown increasingly competitive. Incumbents have come under scrutiny as the city faces a $400 million deficit and the economy slowly emerges from its worst depths.

First, a pulse of the city:

"Many couldn’t care less about the candidates. Many don’t know there is a City Council election coming up, let alone who is running and who represents their district.

Yet the would-be constituents have concerns and desires that intersect with local politics." --Irked And Inspired: Los Angeles Residents Speak On The Issues

Kaitlin Parker and Sarah Golden spoke to people struggling to get by in District 10 with rising rents and persistent unemployment.

Emily Frost found an “old-timer” who’s witnessed the dramatic changes to downtown L.A., some good, some bad.

Ryan Faughnder and Sarah Sotoodeh spoke with tamale-hocking restaurant owners, students and a homeless barfly (and would-be tailor) to get the story of Boyle Heights’ arts district. 

Few in District 6 had a clue what the elections were about, but Kristie Hang nevertheless found residents angry about jobs and dirty streets.

Julia Gabrick chatted with locals about the state of libraries and the plight of the homeless

Alexandria Yeager found people irked by the state of public education in District 2.

And in the San Fernando Valley, Jennifer Whalen discovered a severe disconnect between local politics and real people.

 

 

 

Second, a look at the candidates:

The competitive races

DISTRICT 4

An Afternoon With Tom LaBonge: While the overly gregarious councilman may seem more comfortable in a track suit than a business blazer, there is no denying that his amiable nature stems from an actual concern for the people in his district.

L.A. City Council Candidates Criticize Each Other, Apologize, And Quote Anderson Cooper: O'Grady also accused LaBonge of being dishonest about wanting to protect Griffith Park from redevelopment....Box, meanwhile, argued that there are more effective ways to make streets safer than through higher speeds and traffic tickets.

DISTRICT 8

L.A. City Council 8th District Race Shows No Signs Of Cooling Down: Ultimately voters will be expected to decide between a grassroots campaign, labor union dollars and the experience of an incumbent in a race that has been marked by its mudslinging.

Bernard Parks Hits The Streets To Save His Seat: Parks has repeatedly claimed the city is giving too many employee benefits, causing employee unions to build their own campaign against him and spending more than $450,000 in support of  Hogan-Rowles.

Bernie Parks' Sudden Union Problem: No one was really expecting Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks to have much trouble defeating Forescee Hogan-Rowles in the upcoming city election. But that was before big labor got involved with the race for Council District 8.

City Council candidate Jabari Jumaane calls for more community involvement: "People think of themselves as powerless. We need to change that." (South L.A. Report)

Write-in candidate Armenak Nouridjanian discusses taxes, jobs and drugs: "I want to expedite distribution of our section 8 rental housing subsidies to poor working class people." (South L.A. Report)

Incumbent Bernard Parks talks about his achievements | Candidate Forescee Hogan-Rowles focuses on job creation (South L.A. Report)

DISTRICT 14

Martinez, Huizar Once Friends And Now Enemies Battle (L.A. Times)

 

Third, analyzing some of the ballot measures:

MEASURE L

L.A. Libraries Seek Reprieve From Jerry Brown: Do L.A. libraries need the money at stake in Measure L?

MEASURE M

Measure M Calls for Taxation on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries: City of L.A. is seeking to emerge from a murky haze with a fistful of cash by asking voters to impose a tax on medical marijuana dispensaries.

Pot dispensaries turn against L.A.'s marijuana tax proposal (L.A. Times)

MEASURE O

Proposed City Tax's Big Opponent: Small Oil?: "Contrary to Hahn's prediction, it has actually been small oil companies, not the major corporations, that have banded together to fight the measure." (KCET)

 



 

Buzz

Craig Gillespie directed this true story about "the most daring rescue mission in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard.”

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