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District 6 Voters Worry Candidates Too Cozy With Condo Companies

Taylor Villanueva |
March 3, 2015 | 12:22 p.m. PST

Staff Reporter

As city council elections approach in Los Angeles, the candidates are preparing their final visits before Tuesday’s vote. 

Nury Martinez (Laura Greanias/Twitter)
Nury Martinez (Laura Greanias/Twitter)

Los Angeles residents hope to vote for the best candidate out there that will address each region’s major issues.

In District 6 specifically, these issues surround topics like overdevelopment and heavy traffic.

Residents say the planned Balboa Park Terrace is a major eyesore. The state of the new development has been a “concern” for residents, according to an L.A. Times article.

Resident Jim Stein told the L.A. Times that building this prospective apartment complex in what is currently a “wooded lot” will result in an additional “1000 car trips through the area each day,” with the only way for people to drive in and out through Victory Boulevard.

Residents say plans for addition “high-density housing developments” like the Balboa Park Terrance threaten existing homes.

Along with the rapid pace of development, District 6 locals say they are worried about corporations funding the two candidates for the upcoming elections, especially the “array of development and real estate interests” that are backing incumbent Nury Martinez.

Martinez was elected into office in 2013. According to her election biography on Southern California Public Radio, her top priorities include cleaning up neighborhoods, increasing access to jobs and reducing human trafficking.

Martinez will face off against former Assemblywoman Cindy Montanez.

Cindy Montanez (Ms. Geek/Twitter)
Cindy Montanez (Ms. Geek/Twitter)
Montanez’s priorities include fixing streets, cleaning up neighborhoods and reevaluating the city budget.

“I’ve heard that this community feels it is being ignored and neglected,” Montanez told the L.A. Times. 

As part of her campaign, she says she wants to focus more on the people in the community.

Although she lost to Martinez in a 2013 special election and has fewer financial backers than her opponent, Montanez believes her concern for specifics will help her become a councilmember.

Although Martinez won the 2013 election, Montanez was ahead for the primaries, so Tuesday’s election will be a close one.

During her time as councilmember, Martinez has advocated for the increase in minimum wage.

She told the L.A. Times that an increase would bring families out of poverty and hopefully eliminate the need for multiple jobs.



 

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