Thursday, February 20, 1997
MAYOR:
Senator focuses on environment, crime prevention as key issuesBy
Brooke Olson
Daily Bruin Staff
Meyerhoff Park opened this week and already politicians are
making use of the podium to attract the attention of UCLA
voters.
On Wednesday, state Senator Tom Hayden, D-Los Angeles, and actor
and director Sean Penn advocated the democrat’s bid for mayor of
Los Angeles.
"UCLA students have a role to play in reforming the city,"
Hayden said, elaborating on his commitment for crime and violence
prevention, stronger environmental laws and partnerships between
campuses and K through 12 schools.
Hayden’s presence on campus came only a day after Republican
Mayor Richard Riordan officially launched his re-election campaign.
Riordan returned to the powerful theme that swept him into office
four years ago: improving public safety without raising taxes.
The mayoral campaign, which goes to the voters on April 8, pits
two candidates who have vastly different visions for the city
against each other.
Over the last few weeks, Hayden has sketched out detailed
approaches to a host of Los Angeles issues, ranging from his plan
for revamping the city’s public transportation to his proposals for
refocusing the city’s crime prevention efforts.
However, Riordan aims to improve the safety of all Angelenos and
to expand his "Riordan foundation", which donates computers to all
public K through 12 schools.
The only issue that the two candidates agree on is the
importance of crime prevention.
Riordan’s "number one priority" is public safety and over the
last four years he has expanded the police force, formed a new
Police Academy, replaced worn-out equipment and added new computers
and community police substations.
"I am proud of our progress, but I am more proud of the men and
women in the blue who put their lives on the line every minute of
every day for Angelenos," Riordan said in his speech Tuesday. "They
wear their badges with honor."
In addition, Riordan has worked to create more jobs that would
keep people off the street, said campaign spokesman Todd
Harris.
Hayden also advocates dealing with the causes of crime as well
as crime itself by increasing drug treatment programs and the
number of inner city jobs.
"A mayor needs to be tough on crime, but equally tough on
dealing with the causes of crime," Hayden said. "Los Angeles needs
a mayor who will focus on a peace process within the inner
city."
Critics of Hayden point to the state senator’s poor attendance
record as proof the legislator does not care about the people of
Los Angeles. Since 1989, Hayden has missed 4,988 voting
opportunities in the state legislature .
Among the bills that Hayden failed to vote on are tougher
sentencing for gang members, a grant program to reduce crime and
violence and a bill that would strengthen the response of law
enforcement to domestic violence calls.
Hayden dismissed critics by claiming that he has a 90 percent
attendance and voting record. In addition, he noted that it is not
really important to attend legislative sessions between January and
March because "there’s nothing that really goes on (there)".
Voters largely support Riordan’s efforts to reduce crime.
According to a recent Los Angeles Times poll, 48 percent of the
respondents believed Riordan would do a better job of holding down
crime, compared to the 23 percent who believed Hayden would better
serve the area of safety.
But crime is not the only issue dividing the mayoral race.
Environmental issues and partnerships between campuses and K
through 12 schools are also at the forefront.
Hayden also said he will lessen air pollution, clean up Santa
Monica Bay and expand parklands.
"Los Angeles could serve as a natural model for clean-up,"
Hayden said, remarking that Riordan has lobbied against stronger
air quality laws and clean-up of Santa Monica Bay.
"Half a million people in L.A. suffer from respiratory illness,"
and the mayor can prevent such situations, Hayden said.
Although Riordan has avoided attacking Hayden directly, the
mayor’s campaign staff is quick to lob challenges  such as
the environment  at the senator.
"Hayden supported a bill in the legislature that would ease
environmental regulations," Harris said. "(Riordan) is committed to
the people of Los Angeles, be it personal safety or clean air and
water."
But the mayor’s impact on the environment is limited, said
members of the campaigns. Most of the environmental legislature and
regulation occurs in either the state or federal government,
leaving the mayor with simply the option to offer vocal support or
opposition to specific legislation, campaign staff members
said.
Despite repeated accusations and denials by members of both
campaigns, students believe that the mayoral race will bring major
issues and problems confronting Angelenos to the forefront.
"I think the election will be able to develop the issues Â
such as education, crime and education  under strict review
and critique by (Los Angeles) voters," said York Chang, former UCLA
student and 1995-96 undergraduate president.
SHAWN LAKSMI/Daily Bruin
To show his support for democratic mayoral candidate and current
state Senator Tom Hayden, actor and director Sean Penn speaks to
students at recently opened Meyerhoff Park Wednesday.