We do not think Mark Herd is qualified to take over for current councilmember Paul Koretz, because Herd offered unrealistic or shallow solutions to problems, both in Westwood and at the city level.

Herd – a Westwood resident who grew up in the Village – is familiar with some local problems, like high business turnover rate and the tension between UCLA students and longtime Westwood residents, but does not have a firm grasp on how to address them effectively.

Herd also brought up topics that reflect a disconnect between his priorities and those of the university’s community. He took issue with UCLA’s construction of new buildings, for example, and is concerned about projects simply because they might bring traffic to Westwood – even if they would also bring more jobs.

To be fair, Herd was part of the effort to keep free two-hour parking on Broxton Avenue. He also understands the struggle for small business owners who face high turnover rates in the Village, and wants to reform the gross receipts tax to make it easier for businesses to stay afloat. Koretz also wants to alter this tax on business revenue, but has a more nuanced way of achieving it.

In 2010, Herd helped to establish the Westwood Neighborhood Council, which is city-funded and discusses issues pertinent to the Westwood community, then makes recommendations to the Los Angeles city council.

Thus, Herd has had interaction with the city council, and should understand its powers and limitations.

But he demonstrated a misunderstanding of a city councilmember’s role. He discussed using his powers as a city council member to address rising tuition levels at UCLA.

This is an issue that is related to the amount of funding the state allocates to the University of California, and it should not be a priority for a Los Angeles councilmember.

Yes, Herd is from Westwood and has dealt with a few of its problems, but being a city councilmember means more than being familiar with the issues in just one neighborhood.

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18 Comments

  1. HERD is the clearly the best candidate for CD5. He started the Westwood Neighborhood Council which lead the fight to stop Paul Koruptz and Council from selling the Westwood (Broxton) Garage. Koruptz wants to raise taxes on everyone of us, students, rented, homeowners. Paul voted to waste 1.5 million to sell the garage. He is a puppet of the special interest groups, (pension busting) unions, developers and billboard companies. Herd fought with students against tuition hikes. He is a great councilman in Westwood and would be a great city councilman if given the chance. Shame on those who wrote this bs pro machine spin.

  2. Wow, the Daily Bruin (Not objective) Bruin takes a local guy who tries to do good for his community, and completely guts him out. What a bunch of A holes! Herd is our candidate because he isn’t a cronny of the union controled, well oiled downtown machine. He wants fiscal reform, no tax increases, lower tuitions, parking for Westwood and most importantly, he’s not a tax and spend democrat, he’s a fiscally conservative democrat. BIG DIFFERENCE, HERD isn’t a cronnie. He’s a real genuine guy who beat the pants off of Paul at the debate! Even Pauls staff was impressed and complimenting Herd after the debate. Herd is awsome and don’t listen to the Daily Brusen. goto http://www.voteherd.com and watch Paul Koruptz and Mark M. Herd candidate statements objectively in THEIR WORDS, unlike this Daily Screwin article giving a really nice guy the shaft. Hey editorial staff….. GO F Yourself. And if your a future candidate, don’t EVER TALK to the DAILY SCREWIN cause they are scum spinners who do know service to the community when they endorse carreer politicians who wan’t to raise our taxes to pay for raises for union cronnies with 200k salaries. Paul is backed by the unions and doesn’t care about students, he just wants to tax them more.

  3. Were going with Herd, he’s the local guy, come on, and he’s for lower taxes and he’s cool, like me, he’s my bro. Best thing I like about Herd people don’t know about, He’s a Huge SINATRA FAN, listens to all Blue Eyes stuff. And if you don’t who I am than you don’t matter. Im the man of this town baby, Im the Shet de la shet you got that and everybody knows it in Westweird, tonight I’ll probably be sittin down with Mr. Garshady, boy is he sharp as a whistle and he went to Harvarrd Westlakes like Herd did and Herds dad, and Herds bro Eaton, and his other bro, Adum, and his uncle Bilwie etc. so anyway I say Herd for CD5. And Garshady for Mayor even though HERD tells me Kevin James and Herd is my bro. My lady Sandy Brownstone digs him too, she told me. And Sandy is one lady to reckon with. Boy you better be on your best behavoir when she’s around. Even Paul Koruptz poops in his pants when She says, DONT U DARE F WITH MY Fin PARKING STRUCTURE IN WESTWEIRD YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!! HERD TOLD ME U SPENT OVER 1.5 million……and you might do it again after the election WHAT!!!!!!…… at this point Mr. Koruptz starts a runnin………to be continued

  4. Bruin Lacks Objectivity in ther articles. This one in particular is so spun. What a bunch of idiots. F the brusin for now. We like Herd and this kind of bs spin only hurts him. They don”t talk shet about Pauls wanting to raise taxes on everybody which screws everybody over (especially poor and elderly) and makes new businesses not want to come here. Herd is for lower taxes, Paul and his cronnies have driven this great city of ours into the gutter and the DAILY SKREWIN screws over Herd. What bs. shame on the DB.

  5. So glad the Daily Bruin saw through this wingnut. After a friend who lives in Venice clued me into who this guy is — a Boardwalk vendor/politcal gadfly with no professional experience, I found this online: http://www.freevenice.org/Beachhead/April2011/Beachhead-color.pdf. Check out page five. It shows a picture of this Herd dude being thrown out of some Venice Neighborhood Council meeting, and he’s described as an “Ocean Front Walk Vendor” comparing the cops treatment of the homeless on the Venice Boardwalk to the Nazis treatment of the Jews (!). And now he’s supporting the Republican candidate for Mayor and complaining about high tuitions? Whatever. Looks like there’s only one real candidate in this race.

    1. WV Herd was fighting Against Homeless abuse in the video. He has a good reputation in Venice helping others, unlike you

    2. Yes, I remember that meeting, Herd was standing up for homeless rights against police abuse. He set up vendor booths to help homeless people work their way off the streets. He drove countless homeles people to hospitals, because he has a heart, unlike YOU wv. He also worked with the homeless shelters to help coordinate getting help for the homeless in Venice. He lived right on the boardwalk and brought fresh brewed coffee out for the homeless almost EVERYDAY. Unlike you, you old cranky hater from ww. He lived in Venice and was a surfer and popular activist there. You wv are a hater and should have soap stuck in your big fat boca!

  6. Bruin Lacks Objectivity in ther articles. This one in particular is so spun. What a bunch of idiots. F the brusin for now. We like Herd and this kind of bs spin only hurts him. They don”t talk shet about Pauls wanting to raise taxes on everybody which screws everybody over (especially poor and elderly) and makes new businesses not want to come here. Herd is for lower taxes, Paul and his cronnies have driven this great city of ours into the gutter and the DAILY SKREWIN screws over Herd. What bs. shame on the DB. As for the homeless Issue, Herd HAS HELPED GET MORE HOMELESS PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS THAN. ANYONE U KNOW

  7. WV is a POS. What an a hole. herd got 26% of the vote with only 1% of the $$$.Herd spent only 1k and Koretz spent $150,000.00. THAT IS SICK MONEY. and WV is a spin meister from the Koruptz campaign.

  8. Wow, the Daily Bruin (Not objective) Bruin takes a local guy who tries to do good for his community, and completely guts him out. What a bunch of A holes! Herd is our candidate because he isn’t a cronny of the union controled, well oiled downtown machine. He wants fiscal reform, no tax increases, lower tuitions, parking for Westwood and most importantly, he’s not a tax and spend democrat, he’s a fiscally conservative democrat. BIG DIFFERENCE, HERD isn’t a cronnie. He’s a real genuine guy who beat the pants off of Paul at the debate! Even Pauls staff was impressed and complimenting Herd after the debate. Herd is awsome and don’t listen to the Daily Brusen. goto http://www.voteherd.com and watch Paul Koruptz and Mark M. Herd candidate statements objectively in THEIR WORDS, unlike this Daily Screwin article giving a really nice guy the shaft. Hey editorial staff….. GO F Yourself. And if your a future candidate, don’t EVER TALK to the DAILY SCREWIN cause they are scum spinners who do know service to the community when they endorse carreer politicians who wan’t to raise our taxes to pay for raises for union cronnies with 200k salaries. Paul is backed by the unions and doesn’t care about students, he just wants to tax them more. And when is the Daily Bruin So called “journalists” going to write the “Real Scoop” about the 400k salaries that some deans are getting? LA Times is digging we hear, since the STUDENTS pay for that crap.

  9. Hey Daily Bruin, can the UCLA Dems and STUDENTS FOR LOWER TUITION get top spot or do you just spin crap about the grassroots candidate who tried to take out YOUR machine candidate Paul (TAXMAN) KORUPTZ. Prop A went down in flames! Just because Herd Biatch slaped you for not investigating Deans with 200 – 400k salaries while students pay for it in higher tuitions doesn’t mean you and your spinster wv should try to shame herd. HE’s awesome and you did a disservice to the community. YELLOW JOURNALISM by DAILY SCREWIN. DB is a total spin machine. Why don’t you INVESTGATE the FRAUD within UCLA like DEANS getting sick HIGH SALARIES and PENSIONS while students get 32% raises in their tuitions. In your article you say Herd can’t fight for LOWER STUDENT TUITIONS, well what are we doing on YOUR COMMENT SECTION RIGHT NOW? We’re doing what HERD suggested we do. GET LOUD AND BE PROUD BABY! WHY DID YOU ENDORSE PAUL (TAXMAN) KORUPTZ when he wants to RAISE TAXES ON STUDENTS. Why? Because the DAILY SCREWIN EDITORIAL (LOSER, im not a real journalist staff) doesn’t care about students getting screwed. The DB cares about itself and so we must PROTEST ON YOUR FRONT PAGES FOR LOWER TUITIONS AND HONESTY IN JOURNALISM (NO MORE SPIN DAILY SCREWIN, NO MORE SPIN).

    1. Yes indeed. Way to go, way to fight for lower tuitions! Wow, the Daily Bruin (Not objective) Bruin takes a local guy who tries to do good for his community, and completely guts him out. What a bunch of A holes! Herd was our candidate because he isn’t a cronny of the union controled, well oiled downtown machine. He wants fiscal reform, no tax increases, lower tuitions, parking for Westwood and most importantly, he’s not a tax and spend democrat, he’s a fiscally conservative democrat. BIG DIFFERENCE, HERD isn’t a cronnie. He’s a real genuine guy who beat the pants off of Paul at the debate! Even Pauls staff was impressed and complimenting Herd after the debate. Herd is awsome and don’t listen to the Daily Brusen. goto http://www.voteherd.com and watch Paul Koruptz and Mark M. Herd candidate statements objectively in THEIR WORDS, unlike this Daily Bruin article giving a really nice guy the shaft. Hey editorial staff….. GO F Yourself. And if your a future candidate, don’t EVER TALK to the DAILY SCREWIN cause they are scum spinners who do know service to the community when they endorse carreer politicians who wan’t to raise our taxes to pay for raises for union cronnies with 200k salaries. Paul is backed by the unions and doesn’t care about students, he just wants to tax them more. And when is the Daily Bruin So called “journalists” going to write the “Real Scoop” about the 400k salaries that some deans were getting? LA Times is digging we hear, since the STUDENTS pay for that.

      1. WV is a POS. What an a hole. herd got 26% of the vote with only 1% of the $$$.Herd spent only 1k and Koretz spent $150,000.00. THAT IS SICK MONEY. and WV is a spin meister from the Paul (TAXMAN) Koruptz campaign.

  10. Hey Daily Bruin, can the UCLA Dems and STUDENTS FOR LOWER TUITION get top spot or do you just spin crap about the grassroots candidate who tried to take out YOUR machine candidate Paul (TAXMAN) KORUPTZ. Prop A went down in flames! Just because Herd Biatch slaped you for not investigating Deans with 200 – 400k salaries while students pay for it in higher tuitions doesn’t mean you and your spinster wv should try to shame herd. HE’s awesome and you did a disservice to the community. YELLOW JOURNALISM by DAILY SCREWIN. DB is a total spin machine. Why don’t you INVESTGATE the FRAUD within UCLA like DEANS getting sick HIGH SALARIES and PENSIONS while students get 32% raises in their tuitions. In your article you say Herd can’t fight for LOWER STUDENT TUITIONS, well what are we doing on YOUR COMMENT SECTION RIGHT NOW? We’re doing what HERD suggested we do. GET LOUD AND BE PROUD BABY! Herd was with us protesting higher tuitions. WHY DID YOU ENDORSE PAUL (TAXMAN) KORUPTZ when he wants to RAISE TAXES ON STUDENTS. Why? Because the DAILY SCREWIN EDITORIAL (LOSER, im not a real journalist staff) doesn’t care about students getting screwed. The DB cares about itself and so we must PROTEST ON YOUR FRONT PAGES FOR LOWER TUITIONS AND HONESTY IN JOURNALISM (NO MORE SPIN DAILY SCREWIN, NO MORE SPIN). It’s nice to know the DAILY SCREWIN is now different then the he said she said channels CNN and FOX. Way to spin Daily Srewin, way to spin.

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