Council Candidates Debate High School Plan
Tackling the first contentious issue of the race, candidates for the 7th District seat on the Los Angeles City Council staked out positions Tuesday on whether a high school should be built on the old Gemco site in Arleta.
To the applause of more than 100 Neighborhood Watch volunteers, candidates Corinne Sanchez, Ollie McCaulley and Raul Godinez II announced their opposition to a proposal to build a high school on the 12-acre site of the former shopping center.
“I will not support the high school at Gemco,” Godinez said. “I would never have proposed a high school at this site without coming to this meeting and talking to the community.”
Sanchez and McCaulley also cited strong neighborhood opposition to the project in calling for the administrators to look elsewhere for a school site.
Alex Padilla, a front-runner with Sanchez in the 7th District race, told the crowd he has not taken a final position but called the school district “irresponsible” for not getting community input on the subject.
In an interview, he said he thinks the Gemco site should be seriously considered. He said some neighbors do support it.
“I don’t believe it should be ruled out,” Padilla said. “The response I have heard has been mixed.”
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