State Assembly candidates Friedman, Kassakhian square off during forum at City Hall
Candidates for the 43rd state Assembly district presented many shared solutions to the district’s problems and often diverged on accountability during a candidate forum on Thursday.
Around 20 people attended the forum at Glendale City Hall, where two Glendale officials — Councilwoman Laura Friedman and City Clerk Ardy Kassakhian — responded to user-submitted questions as coordinated by the Glendale/Burbank chapter of the League of Women Voters.
The first question, outlining the most urgent needs in the district, set the tone for the rest of the night. The two candidates overlapped on what areas should receive the most attention, but disagreed when it came to their opponent’s record on the issues.
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Friedman started by listing a slow job market, homelessness and transit as issues she would like to address, but Kassakhian countered that her years on the council didn’t reflect her stated urgency.
“I’m glad that councilwoman Friedman is bringing up some of these issues and, some of them, it’s the first time I’m hearing about them from her,” Kassakhian said. “These are quality-of-life issues that impact us all, that unfortunately are a result of overdevelopment that occurred right here in Glendale where the council member has been serving the last several years.”
The two clashed again over strategies to halt escalating housing and land costs. Kassakhian said development is to blame for traffic congestion, rising costs and lack of affordable housing. Friedman rejected those claims in her response.
“We’re one of the most aggressive cities when it comes to affordable housing, and I’ve also been very supportive of those affordable housing units,” Friedman said. “Every single study out there says that when you create housing, even if it’s luxury housing, that still relieves the pressure downstream.”
When asked about adjusting the state’s justice system to avoid long delays for cases, Friedman proposed more funding for the courts, and Kassakhian said he hoped to create reintegration programs for former inmates in order to reduce recidivism.
The district’s ability to continue attracting jobs in the entertainment sector was also debated. Kassakhian said he wants to keep current film tax credits for jobs in the entertainment industry so that they remain local.
“Entertainment industry jobs are actually manufacturing jobs,” Kassakhian said. “It’s one of the few manufacturing jobs that are still left local. Let’s make those tax credits permanent.”
However, Friedman said more needs to be done beyond tax incentives to keep entertainment jobs from moving overseas.
“Film tax credits are good, but they are not gonna solve the problem. We have to give those companies a real reason to stay here,” Friedman said. “We also need to tell them that that if they’re a United States company that’s based in the U.S., we expect you to keep your job base here in California and not outsource all of your jobs... just because it’s cheaper.”
The rest of the night was cordial back-and-forth discussions on familiar issues, including preserving the former Rockhaven Sanitarium in Montrose, not extending the 710 freeway with a tunnel and fostering clean energy.
Also, both said they support Measure B to build a new 14-gate replacement terminal at Hollywood Burbank Airport.
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Jeff Landa, jeff.landa@latimes.com
Twitter: @JeffLanda
