Jan Perry’s understanding of the Los Angeles Unified School District and her thoughtfulness in other policy areas make her a candidate we would trust as mayor. But, with factors like the revitalization of Westwood and job creation, she fell short of Eric Garcetti.
Perry knows the strengths and weaknesses of the city’s education system. As a city councilwoman, she brought more schools to areas near transportation corridors, making them more accessible to families without cars. Her focus on the elementary to middle school transition, where grades and standardized test levels start to fall off, could help remedy the drop-off in the current education system.
Perry is also very knowledgeable about the city’s transportation system and has served as chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Exposition Light Rail Construction Authority. If elected mayor, she plans to expand the Green Line of the city’s light rail system to extend all the way to Los Angeles International Airport. During her time as city councilwoman, Perry has also pushed for the expansion of the city’s current subway system.
But Perry’s weak point is her plan for job creation. She plans to bring businesses and large companies to areas of the city where rent is lower and more accessible to those who cannot afford higher prices of living, a category which many recent college graduates may fall under. However, beyond tax incentives and credits, she does not have a more detailed plan to bring investments and jobs to a city that has long been characterized as “anti-business”.
Perry leads the way on the issue of education, but her lack of specificity on other important issues like job creation leave her second behind Garcetti as our choice for mayor.