Blumenfield, Bonin win outright Council seats
by Brian Leubitz
The Los Angeles mayoral election went largely to expectations, as Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel won the top two spots and will head for the runoff. In other races, Mike Bonin won his seat outright, as did Asm. Bob Blumenfield. That, of course, means another vacancy in the Assembly and further erosion of the Democratic caucus until the seat can be filled. That being said, it was something of a scattershot night as the results rolled in.
Mike Feuer will face Carmen Trutanich in a run off for the City Attorney job, as Feuer was unable to get to the 50% mark. And unfortunately, Measure A, the sales tax increase for emergency and other critical city services did not pass. LA Democratic Party Chair Eric Bauman had this to say about it:
Unfortunately, the special interests have managed to twist the truth and defeat our efforts to save critically needed emergency and vital city services in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Democratic Party will continue to stand up for Angelenos and fight back the special interests that have time and again impeded progress in Los Angeles.
If you’re in LA, expect to see many more commercials as the Mayoral contest continues in earnest.
Photo credit: flickr user waltarrrrr
I’m a refugee from LA
(I remember the Yorty years)
What are the differences between these candidates ?
Is is just Tweedle-Dem and Tweedle-Fem ??
Is one competent ? Progressive ? Accomplished ?
Any perceived differences ??
Will either one be effective and responsible ??
WHAT are their Objectives for LA ?
What are their plans ?
Or is it all personality ?
Measure A failed for exactly the same reason Measure Q failed in Contra Costa recently. People are sick and tired of pumping money into so called services, masquerading as lavish pension benefits for public employees.
Go ahead, shut my damn fire house. I’m not paying those bums another dime to retire at 50 on $250K a year.
“LA Democratic Party Chair Eric Bauman had this to say about it: Unfortunately, the special interests have managed to twist the truth and defeat our efforts to save critically needed emergency and vital city services in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Democratic Party will continue to stand up for Angelenos and fight back the special interests that have time and again impeded progress in Los Angeles.”
Prop A lost 55%-45%. There was no organized opposition to the measure. There was a “Yes on A” committee that raised #1.3 million from, well, special interests- a few unions and big commercial developments. There was no “No on A” effort- no $ raised.
Wait, by special interests does Mr. Bauman mean the LA Times and LA Daily News? These papers wrote editorials against Prop A. Or maybe he means Mitch Englander and Dennis Zine, 2 duly-elected LA City Council members who opposed the proposition.
Indeed, the two remaining Mayoral candidates, Mr. Garcetti and Ms. Greuel, both are on record opposing the proposition.
When the “special interests” you are fighting include the newspapers, the city council and a majority of voters who just voted their preference, AND your side had the support of the “special interests” , I think it may be time to change the rhetoric before you get called a fool. Wait, I just did that. Never mind.