Ronnie Fishman (Ronnie Fishman)

Neighborhood: Westwood

Job: Retired Social Worker

Age: 68

What are the top issues facing Los Angeles, and why?

"Specifically in West L.A., is a huge traffic problem. It's just gridlock all the time and it makes living a real hassle. It makes it so that you have to tailor your life to when it more gridlock and less and it's terribly annoying. I think that issue needs to be addressed.

I think part of what leads to the problem is unbridled building. They just are building, building, building and the roads cannot keep up. I tend to feel, which is another problem, that the government here seems to be beholden to big builders and do not make decisions based on the people who live here, but more the big money builders. I would hope that Garcetti would not pander to the big builders.

Another priority is the roads. They are in horrible disrepair. I've run over a few potholes in the last week that are actually scary. You can't even seen them and all of a sudden it's like this huge jolt. I read an article that we have the worst road conditions of any city in the country. I think that needs to change. I think money needs to be devoted to getting roads more in repair. I mean they're busier than ever and we're suffering. I think he [Garcetti] needs to delineate a good amount of money toward roads, which have been sadly neglected."

What should Mayor Garcetti do to address your top priorities?

"Well I think somehow the environmental issues of the impact on an area have really been bypassed. If they have to build higher in order to have levels of parking, enough for guests and for the people who live there, or they shouldn't be allowed. I'm tired of the way of life is going down the tube, so that builders can make a fortune and we suffer. I also feel that there are not designating green spaces. Look at New York where they have a little part of the block that's a beautiful little - it doesn't have to be little - little kind of green park, pretty area. We do nothing. It's all concrete ugliness and I think we have to designate green spaces when we're allowing builders to build."

Who did you vote for in the May election?

"I voted for Greuel only because she is a woman, which sounds stupid, but in actuality, I'm really glad that Garcetti got it."

Don't you believe that Greuel would be even more indebted to developers?

Yeah, I mean after I voted - which was stupid on my part - I realized that she was really hooked into all of them and I'm hoping that Garcetti won't be. 

Have you seen any noticeable difference from today [Garcetti's 100th day in office] as you did the day before he was inaugurated?

"Well, I love that he's taking on the Department of Water and Power. I think that is fabulous. In that way, he's not afraid to bug the system. I thought he had to say and wanted to do with them, I applaud him for that and I was thrilled."

-Max Schwartz

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