SATURDAY POLITICS: 10 Weeks Until Los Angeles City Elections

Council President Herb Wesson has a plan to control
Los Angeles city politics until 2020

in just ten weeks, on March 3, 2015 Los Angeles voters will go to the polls and decide who will represent them in seven even-numbered city council districts. In two of those districts (#8 and #4) there is no incumbent. However, even more important than City Council, School Board and Community College Board of Trustees races that will be decided is the two Charter Amendments which could change Los Angeles City politics forever.

Voters will be asked whether they want to change the dates of municipal elections to align them with county, state and federal elections, moving them from the current odd years to even years, and moving the primary from March to June and the general election from May to November.

On the face of it, this sounds like a good idea because turnout in municipal elections, which are often at seemingly bizarre times of the year, has been declining precipitously and has recently reached embarrassingly low levels. However, in order to effect the change, the result will be that Councilmembers elected in 2015 and 2017 will get 5½ year terms instead of the typical four year terms. Thus, if voters approve Charter Amendment One and Two current City Council President (if he gets re-elected in March) would be able to serve as City Council president until atleast June 2020!
I'm sure it's a complete coincidence that it is precisely that date when the primary election for the next Board of Supervisors seat currently occupied by Mark Ridley-Thomas (and which is considered the "Black" seat on the 5-member board) would be scheduled. Wesson is currently 63 years old and would be a formidable candidate to join the powerful body. Interestingly, the only member of the 15 Los Angeles City Council to vote against putting the Charter Amendments before voters was Bernard Parks (who unsuccessfully ran against Ridley-Thomas for that Supervisorial seat 2008 and was formerly the Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department).

One bonus of the Charter Member change would be that whoever is elected in 2017 as Mayor would also get to serve a 5½ year term, which would be a great boon for incumbent Mayor Eric Garcetti. Another troubling problem with the proposed charter change to even-year elections is that adding our local elections to the end of a very long federal, state and county ballot may actually reduce the number of people who vote on these races due to "ballot drop-off"

Factoring in the potential drop-off in votes on city races stuck at the end of a long even-year ballot, city races might have attracted just 23 percent of eligible voters last month. That’s because in that election in Los Angeles County, nearly 3 in 10 people who voted for a candidate for governor did not vote for the last judicial race on the same ballot. Calculating that drop-off from 31 percent turnout yields about 23 percent turnout, the same as voted in the 2013 general election for city offices. Even the numerical case for the scheme to change elections for our city and school board officials breaks down under scrutiny based on recent evidence. 

The charter amendments to change election dates are phony “reform.” Real improvements to city voting would consider moving the city election to match the months of even-year elections, to expand early voting and mail balloting, and to hold elections on a Saturday and Sunday, when people are more easily able to vote.

There are less than ten weeks to go  before Los Angeles voters will decide the very nature of municipal democracy but there is very little discussion going on about this critical public policy change. I hope that changes soon!

Celebrity Friday: Herb Wesson Becomes LA City Council Prez

The Los Angeles City Council made history recently by electing Herb Wesson its first African-American President. This is the second most important position in the government of our country's second largest city. Interestingly, Los Angeles has previously had an African-American mayor (Tom Bradley), but in a city which is now only around 10% Black with 3 Black members in a City Council of 15 people, Wesson's election is historic.

Wesson had previously served as Speaker of the California Assembly, spot on his resume he shares with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Bizarrely, even though the selection of Wesson to replace outgoing City Council President Eric Garcetti was technically unanimous, the two other Black members of the Council, Jan Perry and Bernard Parks, were not present.

Wesson's election was necessary because Garcetti and Perry have already announced they are running for the open Mayoral seat which must be vacated by Villaraigosa in Spring 2013.

The Los Angeles Times reports:

Los Angeles City Councilman Herb Wesson made municipal history Wednesday [November 16], with his colleagues agreeing unanimously to make him the council's first African American president. 

That vote may appear in the history books with an asterisk. Wesson's two black colleagues, both of whom have had strained relations with him in recent weeks, did not show up — providing the only no-shows during the vote. 

Councilman Bernard C. Parks, who for days refused to say whether he would back Wesson, called in sick Wednesday morning. Councilwoman Jan Perry received permission for an excused absence. But when called by The Times, she would not say where she needed to be during the council meeting.

Congratulations to Council President Wesson!

Los Angeles March 2011 Election Results

The March 8, 2011 Los Angeles City-wide election results are now available.

Proposition Me    Results
Measure G   Yes   74% YES
Measure H   Yes   75% YES
Measure I   Yes   78% YES
Measure J   Yes   81% YES
Measure L   Yes   63% YES
Measure M   Yes   59% YES
Measure N   Yes   70% YES
Measure O   Yes   51% NO
Measure P   Yes   66% YES
Measure Q   Yes   62% YES
Los Angeles City Council Races
LA CD 2     Krekorian* 76%
LA CD 4     Labonge*   55%
LA CD 6     Cardenas*  58%
LA CD 8     Parks*     50.89%
LA CD 10    Wesson*    73%
LA CD 12    Englander  58%
LA CD 14    Huizar*    64%
Los Angeles Community College District
Seat 1      Field*     59%
Seat 3      Veres      57%
Seat 5      Svonkin    35% (May 17 run-off)
Seat 7      Santiago*  66%
Los Angeles Unified School District
Seat 1      Lamotte*   74%
Seat 3      Galatzan*  62%
Seat 5      Sanchez    45.37% (May 17 run-off)
Seat 7      Vladovic*  63%

As you can see, most incumbents (indicated by the asterisk) were re-elected. In the hotly contested election in the gay-enclave of West Hollywood, one (appointed) incumbent, Lindsey Horvath failed to make the Top , placing 5th in preliminary results:

Scott Schmidt	1226
Lucas John	469
Abbe Land*	2548
Mark Gonzaga	474
Mito Aviles	919
Steve Martin	2026
John D'Amico	2471
Martin Topp	140
Lindsey Horvath	1902
John Heilman*	2359

Heilman has been on the West Hollywood City Council since the city was incorporated in 1984! The other two councilman, John Duran and Jeffrey Prang were not up for re-election, and Duran supported D'Amico. The West Hollywood City Council will now have 4 openly gay men and one straight woman.

California and Los Angeles Election Results Summary

Here is an update on MadProfessah's endorsements for the November 4, 2008 election. The results can be found at the Secretary of State's website.

Proposition Number (Topic)                MadProfessah      RESULT

1A (High Speed Train Bond)                YES               YES
2  (Humane Farming)                       YES               YES
3  (Children's Hospital Bond)              NO               YES    
4  (Teen Safety Initiative)                NO               NO

5  (Non-Violent Drug Offenses)             YES              NO

6  (Prison Expansion)                      NO               NO

7  (Renewable Energy Expansion)            YES              NO

8  (Eliminates Marriage Rights)            HELL NO          YES

9  (Victim Rights Amendment)               NO               YES

10 (Billionaire Renewable Energy Scam)     NO               N

11 (Republican-Favored Re-districting)     NO               YES

12 (Veterans' Housing Bond)                YES              YES

COUNTY AND CITY MEASURES

Measure A (Anti-Gang Parcel Tax Increase)  NO               NO

Measure B (Low Rent Housing Update)        NO               NO

Measure J (Community College Vond)         YES              YES

Measure Q (LAUSD School Bond)              NO               YES

Measure R (MTA Sales Tax Increase)         YES              YES

Measure U (Unincorporated County User Tax) NO               NO

State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas easily won his run-off election with Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks for the 2nd District Los Angeles County Supervisor seat.

Every judge that I endorsed lost except for Hilleri Grossman Merritt.

Ridley-Thomas Leads Parks 45%-39%

In the hotly contested 2nd District Los Angeles County supervisorial race to replace Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, Mad Professah-endorsed Mark Ridley-Thomas ended up placing first in a crowded field with 45.29% of the vote.

MRT will be in a November run-off with Los Angeles City councilman Bernard Parks (39.8%).

L.A.TIMES endorses Parks for County Supervisor

The Los Angeles Times editorial page endorsed Bernard Parks for Los Angeles County Supervisor on Tuesday.

The Times included the editorial on the same day it carried a story ("Black political leaders face a new era in Los Angeles") where it allowed Parks and his main opponent Mark Ridley-Thomas to sling insults at each other.

Leaning back in a swivel chair at his headquarters on Jefferson Boulevard, Ridley-Thomas issued a scathing assessment of Parks, describing him as vindictive and contemptuous of critics.

"It's amazing how anybody can alienate so many groups," Ridley-Thomas said, noting that law enforcement unions have sided unanimously with him over Parks.

He also accused Parks of trying to exploit sympathy over his ouster as police chief. He said the eruption of the Rampart corruption scandal when Parks was chief exposed his failure to fight police misconduct. And every morning, he said, Parks wakes up and asks himself, "What can I go and do to mess with Bill Bratton today?"
Parks said he never could have made it to the top LAPD job if he did not work well with others. He described the department's system for civilian complaints against officers as a showcase achievement of his reform efforts. He recalled that Ridley-Thomas wrote lavish praise of his tenure as police chief in 2002, saying in a newspaper article that Parks' "work ethic is unmatched and his competence unparalleled."

Parks criticized Ridley-Thomas' record on the City Council, saying he had left too many streets unpaved and failed to stop the spread of fast-food restaurants in the district.

Mad Professah has endorsed Mark Ridley-Thomas. If neither candidate gets 50% of the vote next Tuesday, there will be a runoff between the two top vote-getters in November.

Magic Endorses Parks For Supervisor

Earvin 'Magic' Johnson endorsed City Councilman Bernard Parks in his race for Los Angeles County Supervisor in the June 3rd Democratic primary against State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas.

The Los Angeles Times covered the story

Parks, who has been endorsed by business interests, including the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the L.A. Business Federation, is in a tight race against state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) to replace retiring 2nd District Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke. Ridley-Thomas, a former assemblyman and city councilman, is backed by the powerful public employees unions, which have raised more than $2 million on his behalf.

The endorsement of Johnson, revered as a basketball legend, has been important in past campaigns. The former NBA star has become a successful entrepreneur, building a veritable franchise empire of Starbucks coffee shops, Washington Mutual banks and Loews movie houses.

[...]

The district stretches from Culver City and Mar Vista to Watts and Compton, Lynwood and Carson. Johnson said he will appear on radio spots urging voters to elect Parks.

It looks like the establishment Black community has picked Parks over Ridley-Thomas, with Rep. Maxine Waters and former Speaker Herb Wesson endorsing him.


However, Rep. Diane Watson along with many others has endorsed Ridley-Thomas, including Mad Professah.

Parks Leads Ridley-Thomas In Money Race

The Los Angeles Times reports that Bernard Parks is leading rival Mark Ridley-Thomas in cash on hand although the State Senator actually raised more money in the latest reporting period.

Ridley-Thomas outraised Parks $316,000 to $279,000 for the reporting period March 18 to May 17. However, Parks has now raised a total of $647,000 compared to Ridley-Thomas' $526,000. And the City Councilman has over $223,000 in cash on hand compared to his opponent's $66,000.

Mad Professah has endorsed Mark Ridley-Thomas for Los Angeles County Supervisor.

LAPD Chief Endorses His Predecessor's Rival

Los Angeles Police Department chief William Bratton is endorsing State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas instead of former LAPD Chief (and now Los Angeles City counciperson) Bernard Parks in the interesting primary race for Los Angeles County Supervisor on the June 3rd ballot. Mad Professah has also endorsed Ridley-Thomas over Parks to replace Yvonne Brathwaite Burke in the County's plurality African American 2nd district.

Bratton's choice is a curious decision by one of the city's most astute politiciams because one would think that Bratton would like nothing less than to have the main who tried and failed to get a second term as LAPD chief (something Bratton achieved last summer despite presiding over a near-riot at an immigrant's rights rally the month before) to no longer be the person responsible for approving the budget of his department, which Parks does as Chair of the Los Angeles City Council Budget Committee.

The local paper of record reported:

"I'm not here as a police chief," said Bratton, careful to comply with a city ethics law requiring employees to make clear that "they are acting as individuals" when making political endorsements. But, he said, he also was "conscious of my right as a citizen."

A spokesman for Parks said the councilman didn't back political candidates when he held the LAPD's top job.

[...]

In backing Ridley-Thomas, Bratton said voters would get a strong leader with experience as a city councilman as well as in the Legislature. The only other time Bratton endorsed a candidate was in 2005, when he backed Alex Padilla's successful race for the state Senate.

Ridley-Thomas has received the backing of most of the county's unions and the Los Angeles Police Protective League. Parks' supporters include three county supervisors -- including Burke -- and six Los Angeles City Council member, among others.

Supervisor Burke Anoints former LAPD Chief Parks Her Successor

Los Angeles County Supervisor (2nd District) Yvonne Brathwaite Burke has endorsed current Los Angeles City councilperson and former LAPD Police Chief Benard Parks over State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas in the June 3 statewide primary election. Parks now enjoys endorsements from a majority of the 5-member Board of Supervisors, having been previously endorsed by Supervisors Gloria Molina (1st District) and Mark Antonovich (5th District).

Supervisor Burke To Endorse Parks As Her Replacement?

MadProfessah and other Los Angeles-based political bloggers have been following the race to succeed Yvonne Brathwaite Burke as Los Angeles County Supervisor in District 3, which is a "majority-minority" (primarily African American) voting district. The two main contenders are Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks and State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas. Kevin Roderick at L.A. Observed is reporting that Downtown News is saying that Burke will endorse Parks.

Parks versus Ridley-Thomas Electoral Smackdown Coming

Bernard Parks	Mark Ridley-Thomas

The electoral showdown between former LAPD Chief and current Los Angeles Councilperson Bernard Parks and former State Assemblyperson and current State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas for the 3rd District seat on the 5-member Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors being vacated by retiring Yvonne Brathwaite Burke has political junkies licking their chops.

Ridley-Thomas has received the backing of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, while Parks has received the endorsement of 1st District County Supervisor Gloria Molina.

The five Los Angeles County Supervisors are known as "the five little kings" because each represents nearly 2 million residents and incumbents often faced only token electoral opposition and served for decades. There are now term limits of 3 four-year terms (following passage of a 2002 ballot measure) but no new member has joined the "Supes" since 1996(!)

After Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, 75, decided to retire when her current term expires in 2008 many people were expected to throw their names into the hat to replace her. Former Speaker of the Assembly and current Los Angeles City Councilperson Herb Wesson was the most prominent but decided not to run for the seat in May 2007. Other people who have demurred from running are Congressperson Maxine Waters, Congressperson Diane Watson, Councilperson Jan Perry: a who's who of black politicians in Los Angeles. The 2nd District seat is gerrymandered to have a plurality of African American voters and the 1st District is gerrymandered to have a plurality of Latino voters.