Articles

February 28, 2013

By Kenneth Miller

LAWT Staff Writer

 

Fueled with the support of the most powerful and influential allies in government and community leadership mayoral candidate Jan Perry, Los Angeles City Council Ninth District candidate Curren Price and city controller candidate Dennis Zine roll into the March 5 primary election with major momentum.

Three-term councilwoman, Perry stands at the ready to become the first African American woman to be elected mayor of the city of Los Angeles, veteran State Senator Price aims to expand his brilliant leadership to the ‘New Ninth’, and longtime public servant and city councilman Zine is an ideal fit to become city controller.

Collectively the trio brings more than a half century of public leadership experience and are endorsed individually by reputable officials such as Rep. Maxine Waters (Perry), Gov. Jerry Brown (Price), Mayor Antonio Villraigosa (Price and Zine) and Rep. Karen Bass (Price and Zine).

 

JAN PERRY for Mayor of Los Angeles

 

Since being elected to office a relative unknown in 2001,Perry captured the heart of Los Angeles voters when she was elected to succeed Rita Walters for whom she served as her Chief of Staff.

She was subsequently reelected for City Council’s 9th District in 2005 and 2009, and now has set her sights on becoming the first African American since the late Tom Bradley and the first woman in history to serve as mayor of the city of Los Angeles.

While on the council, Perry was instrumental in enacting tough restrictions on fast food restaurants in her district.

Before First Lady Michelle Obama made it a national campaign, Perry engineered a campaign to combat high obesity rates and also funded public parks to promote outdoor activity and supported incentives to encourage more grocery stores that provided quality food and produce within her district.

The downtown region of the city was an eyesore before Perry, but is now a thriving centerpiece that has served as an economic engine for the city.

“My own story started long before — growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland in a family that was forging its way, as many in the post World War II generation did. My parents believed in the American dream. My mom played the organ to support my father, a veteran, in his effort to complete law school. My dad worked hard and with a law degree in hand began the process of advocating for fair housing.  He and my mother joined the civil rights campaigns that were gaining momentum in the late 1950s. Both served at Fair Housing Inc. to establish the organization, served on the board, and hired the first director,” she explained

Perry’s penchant for supporting the causes of Blacks was instilled in her before she thought of public service, way back when her father was fighting restrictive covenants for fair housing rights and worked with the family to build new housing for African Americans in the Cleveland suburbs. That effort back then brought them national attention.

Ironically Tom Bradley had inspired her public service life when he was mayor.

When she made the decision to run to represent the Ninth Council District she knew many of the people living and working there and believed she could initiate programs that would improve the south Los Angeles communities and the downtown area.

She did then and she will as the mayor of Los Angeles, she said.

 “As mayor of Los Angeles, I am committed to bringing my passion and determination to bring greater economic investment, more job opportunities, quality housing for people of all income levels, and a commitment to sustainable growth to our city. I believe in the potential of Los Angeles and I know that I have qualifications, tenacity, and strength to continue to move our city forward.”

 

CURREN PRICE for Ninth District City Council of Los Angeles

 

Price has distinguished himself as the only contender with a solid record of achievement on one of the most pressing issues facing Los Angeles: access to quality, affordable healthcare.

 

His legislative record on matters of healthcare is in harmony with President Obama’s signature achievement, the Affordable Care Act — popularly known as Obamacare. In fact, the senator recently addressed the California Health Benefits Exchange Board, speaking passionately to the newly-created state agency about the vital importance of directing Obamacare awareness efforts at communities of color. During that appearance, state Secretary of Health and Human Services Diane S. Dooley called Price “a long and dedicated champion of universal coverage.”

As a lawmaker, Price authored landmark state legislation that mirrors a key benefit of Obamacare — reforming state laws to provide working parents with the option to add dependent children up to age 26 to employer-based health plans. When fully implemented, the Affordable Care Act could expand healthcare benefits for an estimated two million African-Americans in California.

Price has long championed expansion of Medi-Cal for low-income patients, and fought to improve reimbursement rates for doctors who treat those patients most in need.

Another piece of legislation authored by Price, which was signed into law, requires hospitals to provide the public with adequate notice before shutting down completely or eliminating services that are most needed in local communities. That law was inspired in part by the closure of Martin Luther King Jr. Hospital. Price had been among the elected leaders who helped in the fight to reopen the South Los Angeles facility.

“Access to quality, affordable healthcare is one of the defining issues of our time,” said Price. “The people of the 9th District — which has a shortage of facilities that can offer these vital services to residents — need their next representative to understand this issue deeply, and arrive on the job with the experience and connections to start unraveling our healthcare crisis on day one. Bringing in and sustaining increased healthcare services is an essential part of my plan to lead in the new 9th District.”

Price’s commitment to expanding health care coverage is a key factor in the long, diverse list of endorsements his campaign has earned from African-American community leaders, labor unions and elected officials.

“Our 9th District communities are uniting behind this campaign, because the people in our neighborhoods understand the urgency as it relates to matters of health and wellness — particularly for our children, young families and elderly,” said Price. “It will take proven leadership to make the kind of change we need in the 9th District, and expanding access to healthcare is central to improving the quality of life in South Los Angeles.”

 

DENNIS ZINE for Controller for the City of Los Angeles

 

Dennis P. Zine was born and raised in Los Angeles and has dedicated his entire professional career serving the residents of this city. He spent 33 years on the front lines of the Los Angeles Police Department before being elected in 2001 to represent Los Angeles’ 3rd Council District which includes the communities of Canoga Park, Reseda, Tarzana, Winnetka and Woodland Hills.

Zine currently serves as chairman of the Los Angeles City Council’s Audits & Governmental Efficiency Committee where he is committed to eliminating fraud, waste and abuse in city government.

His public service career began over 43 years ago with the Los Angeles Police Department. Within the LAPD, he rose to the rank of sergeant and worked a variety of assignments including patrol, motorcycle detail, detective, intelligence, administrative, and vice. He was also elected three times to the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

Zine has two sons, one an LAPD officer and the other a professional pilot. During his 10 years serving on the City Council, Zine has donated over $300,000 from his own salary to local charitable organizations. To prove his commitment to fixing the city’s budget troubles, Zine has voluntarily taken a 10% pay cut.

 

YES on Prop. A is a YES for Our Community

 

Last week’s edition of the Sentinel incorrectly stated No on Proposition A.  The L.A. Sentinel urges you to Vote Yes! on Proposition A in the March 5 city election.

We believe that voting YES! on Proposition A is best for our community and best for the city overall. Yes! on Proposition A will maintain needed services in the city and in our community. Vote Yes! on Proposition A because when you’re in trouble and need a paramedic “Every Second Counts.”

Proposition A will prevent fire and paramedic response times from growing longer, and will maintain our parks and vital services like fixing our streets, filling our potholes, preserving afterschool programs and maintain services for our seniors

Proposition A has been endorsed by an extraordinary coalition of business, labor and environmental groups that include the LA County Democratic Party, LA County Federation of Labor, LA and Crenshaw Chambers of Commerce, United Firefighters of LA, Sierra Club, LA Business Council, and League of Women Voters.

The economic recession has hit the city of Los Angeles very hard. YES! on Proposition A, on the March 5 ballot, will help the city recover from one the most devastating economic downturns in our lifetime.

To deal with the city’s lost revenue and the state taking over $1 billion dollars from the city, hiring has been frozen and over 5,000 positions have been eliminated. The remaining workers have forgone pay increases, reduced their paid holidays, and many have been furloughed. In fact, the city now has the smallest workforce since Tom Bradley was mayor in 1989.

The city has also partnered with the city unions in having employees to contribute more to their health care and retirement benefits. They have reduced the salaries of new police officers by 20 percent, improved collection of revenue owed the city, and consolidated several city departments. No city department or office has been spared from budget cuts.

These and other actions have reduced the city’s deficit from $1.1 billion down to $200 million. However, if the city is required to continue cutting, it will have a drastic impact on vital city services. According to Los Angeles City Council President Herb J. Wesson Jr., “We have cut every department to the bone and we now need the help of the residents of Los Angeles. Voting Yes! on Proposition A is the most responsible way to ensure our city remains a safe place to live. We need to protect our children, our seniors, and our community.”

The L.A. Watts Times agrees and we urge you to Vote Yes! on Proposition A.

It will have a drastic impact on vital city services. According to Los Angeles City Council President Herb J. Wesson Jr., “We have cut every department to the bone and we now need the help of the residents of Los Angeles. Voting Yes! on Proposition A is the most responsible way to ensure our City remains a safe place to live. We need to protect our children, our seniors, and our community.”

The L.A. Watts Times agrees and we urge you to Vote Yes! on Proposition A.

Category: Community