Night of Close Races in Low Turnout Election Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor
March 8 - 21, 2013
Serving the Seven Cities of the Harbor Area
Councilman Joe Buscaino won his first full term in office March 5 in a 60-plus point landslide against James T. Law, a candidate that also ran in the race to replace Janice Hahn who vacated the council office after winning Cong. Jane Harman’s seat. During his victory speech, the councilman reminded voters of his administration’s accomplishments in the short time he’s been in office, from Watts to San Pedro. Among the accomplishments was the groundbreaking of Watts first movie theater since the 1968 Rebellion, the building of a pocket park to break up the large concentration of sex offenders in Harbor Gateway, the building of sports fields in Wilmington to replace the dust bowls kids on sports teams had to practice in, the fixing of the Paseo del Mar slide area, and the progress being made in the development of the Waterfront. Though Councilman Eric Garcetti got the edge against Counc2ilwoman Wendy Greuel by finishing the primary with 32 percent to Greuel’s 29 percent, the two will meet again in the May 21 election to decide who will become mayor of Los Angeles. Councilwoman Jan Perry on the other hand was edged out of contention by radio personality Kevin James, the race’s lone Republican candidate, by less than a percentage point. Neither candidate posed a serious threat to the top two vote-getters. Councilman Mike Feur will be heading into the runoff against City Attorney Carmen Trutanich on May 21, even though he beat the once popular San Pedro local by more than 10 points. For Controller, Ron Galperin and Councilman Dennis Zine finished nearly tied at 37 percent with the two separated by a couple hundred votes. Galperin got the edge but the two will meet again to decide who’ll become the City Controller for the next four years. Los Angeles residents voted down Proposition A by a 10-point margin. The measure would have increased the transactions and use tax by one-half percent in order to
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fund a variety of City services, including police and fire emergency services, senior services, gang and drug-prevention programs, pothole and sidewalk repair and others. Expenditures would have been reviewed by a citizen’s oversight and accountability committee, and subjected to independent audit. Charter Amendment B, a proposal that would allow public safety officers under the Department of General Services to switch their retirement plans governed by the more generous Fire and Police Pension Plan if they transferred to the LAPD or the Los Angeles Fire Department, passed by a wide margin. Los Angeles City Mayor JAN PERRY ERIC GARCETTI WENDY J. GREUEL KEVIN JAMES
Votess 45,480 93,978 83,308 46,684
Percentage 15.93% 32.93% 29.19% 16.36%
Los City Attorney CARMEN TRUTANICH NOEL WEISS MIKE FEUER GREG SMITH
80,587 23,045 116,883 46,578
30.17% 8.62% 43.76% 17.43%
Council District 15 JAMES T. LAW 2,255 JOE BUSCAINO 11,273
16.66% 83.33%
PROPOSITION A - NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC SAFETY AND VITAL CITY SERVICES FUNDING AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE. YES 117,820 44.82% NO 145,049 55.17% FIRE AND POLICE PENSION PLANS; COST NEUTRAL PURCHASES OF RETIREMENT CREDIT BY CERTAIN MEMBERS. YES 145,721 58.03% NO 105,386 41.96%
Mayor Jim Dear Re-elected, Councilwoman Julie Raber Out
The measure that gave Carson residents a choice to decide if they want to return to rotating mayorship or not failed by 80 point margin March 5. Proponents argued the measure would bring balance back to the city council alter the council dynamics from they saw as a “dictatorship” under Mayor Jim Dear. If the measure had passed, the mayorship would have
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Left, Controller Wendy Greuel blew in and out of San Pedro the day before the election, traveling to more than 20 locations that day. Above, she’s pictured with San Pedro residents at the Omelette & Waffle Shop after having breakfast with local community leaders. Councilman Joe Buscaino, above, recognizes his staff after election results shows a landslide win. Photos: Terelle Jerricks.