Council: Svorinich’s Performance in Office

My letter concerns the less-than-stellar performance of the 15th District’s Los Angeles City Council representative, Rudy Svorinich.

Due to the elected official’s inability to take responsibility for his position, the entire district is suffering. His lack of experience, his lack of preparation, his surly and ill-chosen words regarding his predecessor and her accomplishments have cost the 15th District and its inhabitants dearly.

In regard to the homeless housing project in the San Pedro community, the councilman and his office staff were advised of the project during the first week of September, 1993. Attempts for meetings by city representatives were rebuffed. The councilman canceled two meetings with representatives and was advised that he needed to watch the project closely. He neglected to do so, and the rest, as they say, is history.

When he will be confronted with this by the vast number of irate homeowners, he will, of course, pass the “blame” (he does this all of the time) to:

1. His staff

2. The earthquake

3. Food poisoning

4. Tonya Harding.

Or he will deny this information altogether and denounce it as a “smear tactic.” Considering the councilman’s behavior thus far, bets can be made and paid that he will pass the buck on this latest antic, to be sure.

I originally voted for another candidate in the primary last year--that person didn’t make the cut, and I was faced with a choice between the incumbent and the present representative. I voted for Joan Milke Flores, recognizing that her experience and ability to further serve the district would far surpass Rudy’s.

Rudy hadn’t any legislative experience whatsoever; he hadn’t been in the area for several years; he lacked maturity and seemed to vacillate on some very important issues during his campaign speeches. He also did not own property and therefore, his level of vested interest in the community was tenuous. In fact, he relied more on his family’s ties with the community and less on his own during the campaign--and the red flag was up for me.

A lot of attention was paid to his ownership of Industrial Paints as a tie-in to the Harbor Area, but actually Rudy has spent a number of years in Sacramento as an aide to Assemblyman Gerald Felando.

Programs like the housing project have been set aside while Mr. Rudy Goes to Washington, chasing recognition for a project that will probably go through without his involvement. To give the reader an idea as to the level of respect Rudy commands with the Alameda Corridor Project Board, he couldn’t even draw a second nomination to head the board during a meeting a while back. The silence when his name was nominated was deafening.

For the betterment of the district, it’s time to remove the councilman and replace him with someone who knows what they’re doing. His “learner’s permit,” as he so cutely refers to his tenure in office thus far, has expired.

Besides, learner’s permits are for high school students, and this isn’t high school.

Or, is it?

LAURA WARREN

San Pedro