Bradley Bullish on L.A., Calls It Leader of State’s Prosperity

Mayor Tom Bradley, in a State of the City address Tuesday, hailed the Los Angeles area and his Administration as leaders who have “carried California to economic prosperity.”

Bradley’s speech before an outdoor audience of 150 supporters took place at the government- and privately financed $90-million Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Mart, one of several major projects the mayor often points to as an illustration of government “partnership” with business and labor.

Bradley called Los Angeles “the powerful engine that is pulling California toward prosperity” two days before likely Republican rival Gov. George Deukmejian is expected to also take credit for a rosy economy in his annual State of the State address on Thursday.

“The purpose of my report today was to show what we in Los Angeles have done. I’m proud of that,” said Bradley, who is expected to run for governor against Deukmejian in the fall. “There is no doubt, there’s no argument about the fact that this region produces the greatest amount of gross product, produces the greatest boost in the economy for California. Now that is not designed either to denigrate the work of some other city or some other region or even the entire state. It is simply a fact that I’m proud of what we’ve done in Los Angeles.

” . . . I don’t say it in a braggadocio form, I’m not trying to put down anybody else,” he added while speaking to reporters. “I applaud the fact that we in this state have done well. . . . It is the greater Los Angeles area that is leading that charge.

The timing of his speech, the mayor said, was tied less to Deukmejian’s speech and more to the new year. “It’s the beginning of the year. It’s the appropriate time for people to be making a state of whatever speech.”

Asked by reporters about the growing problem of the homeless, Bradley said it was no reason to alter the positive outlook of his speech. “I’m proud of the work that has been done . . . to provide housing options for the homeless in this city. We’re not suggesting we’ve done everything that can be done but we have every right to be proud with progress that we’ve made.”

In calling the city a “modern American boom town,” Bradley repeatedly referred in his speech to “greater” Los Angeles, citing statistical information that took into account prosperity not only in Los Angeles but up to 60 miles beyond--in Ventura, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Was Bradley patting himself on the back for progress that took place in areas outside of his jurisdiction? “Sure, both for this city and this area,” said Deputy Mayor Tom Houston. “Our harbor and our airport serve the five-county area and certainly the tremendous increase in international trade (to) $50 billion (in 1984) is to the benefit of the entire five-county area.”

Citing statistics gathered by Bradley staff members from city, county, state, federal and various bank studies, Bradley said jobs in greater Los Angeles have grown at twice the national average and that 60% of the state’s gross product comes from the area.

Asked if he was trying to convey the message that what has worked for the Los Angeles area can work for the state, the smiling and all-but-declared Democratic gubernatorial candidate replied, “Yes.”

Bradley pointed to major developments in the city, from the San Fernando Valley to downtown to the Eastside to Watts.

” . . . And now, thanks to the tax revenues we generate, the coffers of the state of California are bursting at the seams with over a $1-billion dollar surplus,” he said.

Deukmejian, with the approval of the Legislature, has set aside a surplus now at about $750 million for state emergencies such as fires and floods.