TOPICS : CITY COUNCIL ELECTION : 5th District Candidates Speak Out on Crime, Ethics

When I was growing up, Los Angeles was the city of opportunity.

Our schools, roads and hospitals were the best in the nation. Economic prosperity combined with the spirit of our people to put Los Angeles in a class all its own.

No doubt, things have changed. Riots, natural disasters, economic recession and overcrowding have taken their toll. But they have not taken us out.

I still believe that Los Angeles, with its tremendous wealth of human, natural and financial resources, can be a new model for the nation, providing our children unique opportunities into the 21st Century.

But I believe that it will require individual action at the local level. Each and every one of us must become involved in our community, participate in our elections and work together to turn our city around. And this individual participation must be coupled with a government that’s accountable and accessible to the taxpayers. There must be a two-way street between the neighborhoods and City Hall.

I’ve spent the last 25 years working one on one with people throughout Los Angeles to protect our streets, improve our schools and deliver for our neighborhoods. I know the people. And I see the potential.

Now, I want to put my lifetime of volunteer neighborhood service and practical experience to work for the 5th Council District at City Hall.

As your next council representative, I will continue:

Protecting Our Community

Los Angeles has the most understaffed police department in the country--a fact that I find remarkable and unacceptable. It is my goal to put 10,000 officers on our streets, an increase of 2,200, and expand community policing programs throughout the district.

But I also believe that greater police presence is not the only answer to our public safety problems. We need to provide our children with safe, stimulating places to learn and play--and remember that shopping malls are not drop-off centers for our kids. That’s why I’m committed to keeping our parks and libraries open, to ensuring that our after-school programs are well managed and to expanding drug-prevention and education efforts for our young people.

The bottom line: Our police, schools and community must work together to fight crime. The Beverly-Fairfax Patrol in my community is a superb example of neighbors organized to watch out for neighbors in close cooperation with the police. This model should be emulated everywhere. If elected, I will assign a deputy to work with homeowner and business groups to create this type of neighborhood watch program in every part of the 5th District.

I am proud that my public safety commitment and experience has earned me the endorsements of Mayor Richard Riordan, Sheriff Sherman Block, Deputy Police Chief Bernard Parks, former police chiefs Tom Reddin and Ed Davis and police officers throughout the city.

Delivering for Our Neighborhoods

I am also committed to protecting and preserving our neighborhoods. That’s why homeowners throughout the district, including Richard Close, president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn., are endorsing my candidacy. They know that I’ll continue to work with them to preserve the quality of life in residential neighborhoods by enforcing zoning laws and preventing the encroachment of commercial projects.

I will work to deliver essential city services--from street repair to curbside recycling to parks and libraries that are safe, clean and well staffed. I will work to build parking structures and wipe out graffiti in our business districts. And I’ll make good on the city’s promise to eliminate “ghost towns” and rebuild all our earthquake-shattered communities.

Reforming City Government

By changing the way our city does business, these and other important proposals can be implemented without raising taxes. First, we must make our city more business-friendly. I support granting incentives for manufacturers who invest in Los Angeles and Riordan’s proposal to cut the business tax.

And second, we must be relentless in our efforts to make government more accountable to the taxpayers. As the only candidate to speak out for charter reform, which the voters just approved, I will continue to work with Riordan to bring efficiency to city government and savings to taxpayers.

My campaign is based on the belief that there must be a two-way street between government and the neighborhoods. Together, we can protect our neighborhoods and reform city government. And that when we pull together, Los Angeles will once again be the city of opportunity.