The Associated Press Antonio Villaraigosa
As a visionary candidate with local and state government
experience, Antonio Villaraigosa makes the best candidate for mayor
of Los Angeles. In his experience as a public servant, Villaraigosa
has demonstrated the ability to get things done, especially when it
comes to working with low-income neighborhoods and labor unions.
Though city attorney Jim Hahn currently holds a strong lead in the
race, a run-off election between the top two candidates is
likely.
Villaraigosa outshines his competition on many issues currently
facing Los Angeles, including education. Villaraigosa has an
11-point plan to help improve the Los Angeles Unified School
District, including the building of 100 new schools and expanding
after-school programs. Unlike candidate Steve Soboroff,
Villaraigosa does not want to break up LAUSD. Although the district
is too large, Soboroff’s plan breaks it into too many small
districts, possible segregating the community.
Congressman Xavier Becerra, though also not in favor of breaking
up LAUSD, has more simplistic and naive methods of helping improve
education like his plan to give all kindergarten students library
cards. But Villaraigosa takes a more proactive approach toward
education.
Villaraigosa’s approach to the problems inherent in the
Los Angeles Police Department also puts him above the competition.
Not only has Villaraigosa stated that he will remove Police Chief
Bernard Parks if the corruption of the LAPD is not addressed, he is
also the first candidate to endorse a federal consent decree to
reform the department and is a strong advocate of community-based
policing. Though Hahn may be an advocate of police reform now, as
city attorney, he had the opportunity to take a more proactive role
in investigating the LAPD, especially after the Rampart scandal.
Villaraigosa provides the aggressive attitude needed to reform the
LAPD ““ an attitude which Hahn had the opportunity to
establish, but didn’t.
In terms of concern for low-income families and the homeless,
Villaraigosa also surpasses his competition in his proposed
reforms. Villaraigosa has stated his support for a living wage and
supports the building of affordable housing projects. As a state
assemblyman, he even fought for $500 million for new housing funds
for the 2000-2001 state budget. Villaraigosa has also stated his
support for working more closely with the Housing and Urban
Development department to provide resources for the homeless, such
as substance abuse treatment programs. Villaraigosa also wants the
city to work closer with non-profit organizations to help provide
better shelter facilities for homeless woman and children. Unlike
Soboroff who wants to revitalize business in downtown Los Angeles,
Villaraigosa shows that he’s more concerned with the needs of
the homeless by proposing such action as setting up toilets along
Skid Row.
Villaraigosa has also shown his concern for issues that affect
UCLA students. Last month, during the protests to repeal SP-1 and
2, which ended the use of affirmative action in hiring and
admissions at the University of California, Villaraigosa sided with
the students and even wrote a letter to the UC Regents asking them
to put on the agenda a discussion for the repeal of these
policies.
Clearly, the experience and results that have defined
Villaraigosa for the last eight years as a servant to California
make him the most qualified candidate to serve as a mayor of Los
Angeles.