THE CANDIDATES RESPOND

The Times asked the seven 6th District candidates in Tuesday’s primary for the Los Angeles City Council to answer several questions on pressing issues facing the city and the communities that they hope to represent. The following are their responses, which have been edited for space reasons.

If city law permitted, would you vote today to fire Police Chief Daryl Gates because of the Rodney King incident?

Galanter: The officers responsible should be prosecuted. Those who stood idly by should face the severest discipline. Everyone involved, including the chief of police, should be held accountable for their actions.

Gray: The mayor and City Council should have looked at the performance of the Police Department systematically long before this incident occurred. Steps should be made to have an elected, rather than an appointed, police chief.

Smiley: I believe for the good of our police department and to help heal the wounds in our communities, Chief Daryl Gates should resign. If he does not and the Police Commission and the Christopher Commission recommend he be terminated, I would vote to fire him.

Evans: I have long felt that Gates should step down, well before the King affair.

Grammatico: This is an emotional political question and not a leadership question. Only if Chief Gates were found to be at fault for the beating due to his own policymaking would I vote to fire him.

Mattison: With the widespread call for Chief Gates’ resignation, a vote for his dismissal would be the politically astute action. However, measures should be taken not to set a precedent for ousting every leader whose subordinates display conduct contrary to that leadership and public policy.

Bowman: City law does not permit the firing of Gates. The reality is the law must be changed. I would support and vote for an immediate change in the law.

Do you support the massive Playa Vista project as currently proposed by developer Maguire Thomas Partners, or should it be scaled back?

Galanter: No. I will not support any project with negative environmental impacts.

Gray: No. There should be at least 30% more open space without increased density. I would be in favor of further reductions or possible disapproval unless critical questions are answered regarding traffic congestion, water, sewage city services and other impacts.

Smiley: I would reduce the Playa Vista project as follows: reduce residential density to a level compatible with the adjacent Westchester community; increase open space and reduce retail and office space to avoid traffic gridlock and preserve the wetlands.

Evans: Playa Vista would be dead on arrival upon Mervin Evans’ arrival at City Hall.

Grammatico: Playa Vista should not exist. It is on restorable wetland and should be used as mitigation for past and future Los Angeles Harbor Department destruction of wetland. We must protect the remaining wetland at any cost.

Mattison: I support negotiating a scale back of the project.

Bowman: I am deeply concerned about any development that will further impact an already overburdened system. I would need to review information on the project’s impact prior to a realistic assessment of its status.

Would you welcome a major retailer such as IKEA as part of the redevelopment of Santa Barbara Plaza in the Crenshaw area, or would you insist on minority-owned businesses only?

Galanter: When it comes to a choice between a European developer who offered no jobs or investment opportunities in our community or local business people who have devoted their lives to the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw community, I will side with the community every time.

Gray: The Crenshaw mall, plaza and (other) Crenshaw businesses need additional major retailers to provide more jobs and more resources for the area. Though this should not be limited to minority-owned businesses, there must be maximum minority and female participation.

Smiley: As the councilperson, I would have entered into discussions with residents of the area, IKEA representatives and minority business owners to try and develop a plan that would have encouraged IKEA to come to Crenshaw and allowed its small businesses to remain.

Evans: A major retailer and new national outlets would provide a much-needed resource for jobs and growth in a critical area of the city.

Grammatico: The community has the right to make that decision. I would support any development that the local community endorses that is compatible with the Crenshaw-Baldwin Hills community plan and that the infrastructure will support.

Mattison: I do welcome a major retailer in Santa Barbara Plaza in the Crenshaw area. I feel that minority-owned businesses can exist along with the major retailers.

Bowman: A major retailer is vital to the survival of the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw business area. I would aggressively identify and seek out businesses that can enhance the quality of life in the Crenshaw area.

Which area of public service do you think is the most neglected in the 6th District (homeless, police, street maintenance, etc.) and how would you remedy it?

Galanter: Our challenge is to make government more responsive to community needs, whether the issue is crime, overdevelopment or protecting the environment. The key is to create opportunities for citizens to participate in decisions that affect our communities.

Gray: Under Galanter, all areas of public services have been neglected. The remedy is to elect me. We need to prioritize city functions and eliminate top-heavy administration.

Smiley: In Venice, the failure of the planning department and the incumbent councilwoman to develop local coastal plans that would place controls on rampant development. In Crenshaw, all basic city services. In Westchester, the failure to gain benefits for and protect the community from LAX.

Evans: Police-community relations and gang and drug problems. A can of beer is cheaper than a quart of milk. That’s a disgrace. Taxes on beer and wine should be carrying the bulk of the law enforcement budget in this state.

Grammatico: The most pressing public service issue is safety, so police would be the top priority. A solution would be to control the immigration of illegal aliens, who are overtaxing our ability to cope.

Mattison: Police--whether brutality or elimination of criminal elements--is a pervasive problem throughout the district. Police brutality can be dealt with by emphasizing the humanity of each person and by emphasizing police professionalism. The criminal element should be dealt with firmly.

Bowman: The most neglected public service is for senior citizens. There is a critical need for comprehensive health care services, affordable housing, transportation, in-home care and personal security for seniors.

What is the single most important issue facing the 6th District and what specifically would you do about it?

Galanter: Crime is the single most important issue because it is impossible to enjoy life if you feel constantly threatened by crime. I have committed myself to promoting Neighborhood Watch programs, foot patrols and local police substations to fight crime.

Gray: Besides Galanter, crime is the No. 1 problem in the 6th District. I would support increased funds for prevention programs and consistently support providing adequate law enforcement budgets.

Smiley: There are a number of important issues in this campaign, including growth and development, crime and various environmental issues. However, in my mind, the most basic and serious of all issues is the lack of credibility of the current councilperson.

Evans: I would move as hard as possible on stopping runaway development. No new housing construction permits for the next 60 months.

Grammatico: The most important issue is overdevelopment. I would stop all new water hook-ups and institute a building moratorium until we could stabilize the infrastructure and attain environmental standards.

Mattison: The single most important issue in the 6th District is the quality of life and the integrity of the family.

Bowman: The lack of leadership has led to loss of faith by many in the political process.