Wendy Greuel, who serves as the city’s accountant in her role as controller, may have received her degree from UCLA, but she still seems ill-equipped to address issues facing Westwood and students on campus.
In discussing her platform with this board, Greuel presented some ideas but little research to prove any could actually work at UCLA.
When it came to job growth, Greuel spoke in generalities about linking students with their future careers and getting students to remain in Los Angeles after graduation. She floated the idea of installing an incubator program, designed to foster small business growth in its area, on campus, citing research that said similar programs had succeeded at USC.
But Greuel offered no comments on how one would work at UCLA.
Although she went to school during a time when Westwood had a higher profile, Greuel could not specify how to return the village to that level of vitality, saying she would need to meet with the neighborhood council, homeowners and students. This is a first step that some among her competition have already taken.
In nearly four years as controller, which were preceded by seven years on city council, Greuel has audited the cash-strapped city. Though she is in charge of finding extra money, and has done so, her revenue estimates sometimes miss their mark. This casts into doubt her ability to be fiscally responsible with the city’s budget, were she to be elected mayor.