This is an archive of a past election. See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/la/ for current information. |
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Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Mayor; City of Los Angeles | |||||
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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Most Important Issue,
Budget Shortfall,
Sales Tax,
Climate Change,
Public Transportation,
Education
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
Answer from Wendy J. Greuel:
Answer from Kevin James:
Answer from Norton Sandler:
Answer from Emanuel Alberto Pleitez:
I'm already doing what the next mayor needs to do. My team and I have reached out to over 100,000 people face to face or by phone. Having stakeholder meetings, making myself available for phone calls or office visits, and going door to door to talk with Angelenos are just a few of the ways to make sure all voices and concerns are heard. It's what I'm doing now and what I'll continue doing as mayor. Answer from Yehuda "Yj" Draiman:
Jobs and the Economy + solutions + YJ Draiman r6
As Mayor of LA, how would I create jobs? We have a tremendous amount of natural resources here in Los Angeles, which we need to develop. To put it succinctly, "You can not drill for American oil and natural gas in China, Saudi Arabia or anyplace else other than America."
The more domestic energy we produce, renewable and non-renewable, the more domestic jobs we create. Moreover, jobs in the exploration and production of oil and natural gas pay more than twice the national average. At the same time, the domestic energy we produce will increase R&D in renewable energy sources, thus, increase efficiency.
Just look how far we have come in the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency in the past 10 years. I intend to accelerate that trend, and to take advantage of every resource possible in technology and funding. As I stated many times; "Those who control the energy supply control whole continents"; "Those who control the water sources control life".
Americans should demand products made in the USA. We can produce a better product with better quality at a competitive price. It is my intention to provide numerous incentives to retain businesses here in Los Angeles, and to offer those incentives to bring businesses back to Los Angeles.
Employment creates revenues and saves the government money and resources by taking the unemployed off the government subsidy and social services. It also creates the "multiplier affect", which is a snowball of economic growth.
One of my top priorities is to ensure that we continue to develop and promote renewable energy sources. Many in the natural gas industry believe the day when renewable energy dominates our energy landscape is far off. I disagree. With American ingenuity, innovation and determination, the dawn of renewable energy sources can be upon us now.
What I propose is a "do-it-all strategy" in which we focus not just on developing renewable energy, but also on the development of our abundant fossil fuels. While further technology and innovation in building construction would need to be developed, such need would also provide more jobs. More importantly, our reliance on over-priced outside energy would be decreased resulting in positive economic growth.
I would promote the design of a thermal solar system that provides energy, heat and hot water. In addition, I would initiate a new and advanced fuel technology for vehicles such as hydrogen, natural gas and ultra-capacitors for energy storage. Los Angeles wastes an enormous amount of energy and work hours due to traffic congestion. I plan on an expedient advancement of our public transit system and devise systems to reduce traffic congestion.
In urban areas: roads, sidewalks, buildings and other structures prevent rainwater from being absorbed in the ground and replenishing the aquifers. It is time for us to compensate for that loss by collecting the rain runoff into retaining ponds. We need to implement the use of rainwater harvesting, gray water technology, collecting the billions of gallons of rain runoff into retaining ponds, desalinization projects powered totally by renewable energy (solar and wind combo systems) and other methods of conserving natural resources. As such, we would make existing renewable systems more cost effective and more efficient.
The result of my programs would be the increase of jobs, the decrease of energy and operating costs, and a reduction of our reliance on foreign oil. That in turn would result in decreasing the deficit and creating permanent jobs.
In short, the key to Los Angeles economic recovery is not an increase in taxes and fees. Rather, true long-term recovery will rely on the increase of efficiency and productivity; the reduction of bureaucracy; and the promotion of businesses and employment. All of which will instill confidence in our economy, generate greater revenues for the city of Los Angeles and other governmental entities.
American confidence in government is at an all time low. We no longer have the same level of faith in our institutions and leaders that we once had. Consequently, we are seeing a continued erosion of our outlook on the future. This outlook must change by initiating a massive and sound education program that produces innovation and technology.
We have an opportunity to jumpstart our economy, protect our environment and put our city on the path toward energy security through greater use of our domestic energy production such as natural gas. Our domestic energy production can serve as a foundation for our energy and economic independence. This path will enable us to develop the required innovation and production of other forms of energy sources.
To realize a course toward energy and economic security we must do what is necessary to instill confidence in the responsible development of our energy sources. We can use natural gas as a solid foundation on which to develop extensive R&D in renewable energy sources, and the efficient means to operate and maintain the mechanisms needed for such use.
Improving our educational system is the key to our economic survival. In a global, knowledge-driven economy, there is a direct correlation between engineering education and innovative progress. Our success or failure as a city will be measured by how well we do in providing the needed educational tools to promote innovation in all fields.
Leadership is not a birthright. Despite what many Americans believe, our city does not possess an innate knack for greatness. Greatness must be worked for and won by each new generation. Right now that is not happening. However, we still have time. If we place the emphasis we should on education, research and innovation, we can lead the world in the decades to come. Nevertheless, the only way to ensure we remain great tomorrow is to increase our investment in science and engineering today. In addition, we must invest in trade schools to train our future workers in the new and old technology.
We have to learn how to balance the need of the people vs. the need to protect the environment. Any extreme to either side is not good.
In today's fast moving technologies, government as well as companies must learn to adjust and maneuver quickly to keep pace, or they will be out of business or incur deteriorating revenues and infrastructure. We must learn how stay competitive and resourceful to survive and thrive economically.
I submit: Leadership by example. I plan to cut waste, maximize productivity, reduce bureaucracy, increase efficiency and conservation in all city departments and assets, eliminate duplicating tasks and reward excellent performance and innovative methods of job performance. In addition, we have to use the Neighborhood Council's more effectively; they are the eyes and ears of all the communities in Los Angeles. These are hard economic times; we must all put our shoulder to the task.
We must put all our differences aside and work together in harmony for the good of the people and the city of Los Angeles. Your vote for me will be one more step in this positive direction and it will be a win for all the people in LA.
YJ Draiman
http://www.smartvoter.org/2013/03/05/ca/la/vote/draiman_y/
http://bit.ly/draimanformayor2013 youtube Answer from Jan Perry:
Answer from Emanuel Alberto Pleitez:
Unfortunately, because of poorly-timed and ill-advised decisions (including a massive 2007 pay increase), we likely won't be able to provide all the benefits we've promised our workers. We must find a way to reform our benefit system for both new hires and current employees. This could be accomplished with increases in the retirement age, adjustments to the benefits formula (such as the COLA), a move towards a 401(k)-like plan, and buyouts. Answer from Yehuda "Yj" Draiman:
Answer from Kevin James:
My ideas for pension reform include the following:
First, pension reform has to include all of the city unions, including the DWP.
Second, we must raise the retirement age. I agree with the proposal to raise the retirement age for civilian employees to 67. As for public safety employees (as well as civilian jobs that require a certain level of physical exertion), we should move those employees to other needed positions requiring less physical strain during later years of their employment if the situation warrants it.
Third, we cannot maintain the current discount rates of 7.5% to 8% - that rate must come down to reality.
Fourth, we must raise the contribution rates that employees contribute to their own pension and health insurance costs. I know some of the unions have agreed to this already, but more is needed.
Fifth, we must further cap an employee's pension collections. This can be done a couple of ways, by capping the amount an employee can receive, or by limiting how much the city contributes each year -- all while recognizing that it might have to be further limited depending on the city's ability to move out of the current financial crisis.
Sixth, limiting pension calculations to an employee's base salary.
Seventh, we must also do something to stop the abuses of the pension system. For example, we should ignore an employee's last year of compensation when calculating pension benefits. That is when you see more abuse of the system.
Two of the more sweeping pension reform proposals that are now being put on the table I believe also deserve consideration. The first proposal is the elimination of the defined benefit pension in exchange for a 401(k)-style individual investment plan. The second (which was floated in the recent story about Riordan's meeting with Mayor Villaraigosa) returns power over the pensions to the voters.
Real pension reform is not an ideological issue, it is an actuarial issue - we simply do not have a choice.
Finally, I have a feeling that I am the only Mayoral candidate that has looked into recent developments in California case law concerning the vested-rights doctrine. Not to get too "in the weeds", but the courts appear to be on a trend toward easing the definition of what constitutes vested rights. That will give future city officials more leeway in renegotiating prior obligations -- especially city officials willing to battle it out in court in the name of saving city services and I am willing to have that battle.
These efforts, along with making Los Angeles a business friendly city, can close our budget gap over the next four years.
Answer from Yehuda "Yj" Draiman:
Answer from Kevin James:
Answer from Emanuel Alberto Pleitez:
Instead, we must increase the tax base, which in LA means ensuring that residents are working. There's untapped potential in places like South LA, where people are hungry for work. Unfortunately, due to lack of investment and lack of the right skills, unemployment is high in these areas. With the right investment incentives and skills training that matches the needs of employers, we can put LA back to work and increase revenue.
Answer from Emanuel Alberto Pleitez:
While managing the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board, I helped deliver the recommendation to President Obama for a national initiative to retrofit America's homes for energy efficiency + Home Star. The initiative provided performance-based incentives for homeowners and industry, consumer financing opportunities, and standards and quality training. Not only does this make our homes more energy efficient, it also puts people to work.
We don't need to wait for an energy system redesign. The technology and workforce is available + let's use it. As Mayor, I will implement a local home retrofitting program and other clean technologies citywide. By doing this, we'll be making residents more conscious of environmental issues, why they're so important, and how they can reduce pollution and their carbon footprint. Answer from Yehuda "Yj" Draiman:
Every City in our country should have a role in addressing climate change.
YJ Draiman proposes & welcomes innovative renewable energy zone approach which will create 200,000 + new jobs over the next 5-10 years.
An ambitious project that will transform the way universities, business and industry collaborate, and establish Los Angeles as a world leader in the research, development and design of next generation renewable energy technology, was announced today, January 2, 2011. Spearheaded by YJ Draiman and the Economic development agency, Various Enterprises, and National Technology Renewable Energy Zone, will be established in the city of Los Angeles with the Universities of Southern California Technology Innovation Development at its heart.
A large parcel of land will be allocated to set up the renewable energy enterprise zone site, which will be within the boundaries of Los Angeles. There will be an academic center, which will be transformed into a center of excellence for academic research, commercialization and industry collaboration.
The renewable energy zone initiative, which would span further than the confines of the City of Los Angeles and include Southern California, is expected to create 200,000 + new jobs over the next 5-10 years and give a boost to the Los Angeles economy through further industry academia collaboration and inward investment.
The developer said: "This new vision of the Renewable energy Technology Innovation Center will be the cornerstone of Los Angeles Technology and Renewable Energy Zone. The developer's vision for The Renewable energy Zone is to provide a breeding ground for ambitious companies to harness cutting-edge research, access the best people and develop the products, which will shape the renewable energy industry of tomorrow.
"Southern California has already claimed a place on the renewables map attracting energy heavyweights and pioneers in the solar and wind sector and I believe that by establishing this zone we will help reinforce Los Angeles position as a location of choice for the rapidly expanding renewables industry." Developer said: "The Universities in the Los Angeles area's Technology and Innovation Center is a transformational project for Los Angeles, building on California's great tradition of innovating new technologies and developments in fields; including energy and engineering while creating and supporting hundreds of jobs. Through this collaboration, the aim is to quadruple the scale of research program investment in Los Angeles in areas key to economic growth by up to $10 billion + in five to ten years. "And now, as an integral part of Los Angeles Enterprise's new Technology and Renewable Energy Zone, which aims to establish Los Angeles as a premier location for inward investment into world-leading technology and renewables research and development, we have the potential to deliver huge economic and social benefits, not only in Los Angeles but nationally and beyond."
See Energy Zone: http://www.yjdraiman.org/page14.php Answer from Kevin James:
Being environmentally aware is not an option, it's a moral imperative, and with proper planning and implementation of new technology, it makes good business sense and can be accomplished with less expense than thought. In addition, the business opportunities for developing, marketing and installing new environmental solutions are significant.
Repeating slogans is not going to deliver the success our city needs. Rather, setting a realistic schedule for environmental improvements taking into account the capacity of our current infrastructure, and holding people accountable for the metrics of our plans and for achieving results is what counts. As Mayor, I will ensure that all department heads implement an accountability system for all tasks, including environmental, so progress can be tracked and so people can be held accountable for not getting things done on time and on budget.
Answer from Emanuel Alberto Pleitez:
Subway and rail projects are popular ideas, but we've been talking about them for years, and any rail transit options could take another decade to complete.
In the meantime, we need to find solutions to transit problems that we can implement today. We need to facilitate multiple modes of transportation: buses, taxis, car-share, bike-share, and carpooling. We need to encourage the private sector, and partner with private companies, to provide some of these options. We need to improve the environment for private dollars to invest in our transportation networks.
And we need to make sure development in our city is transit-friendly and transit-oriented. This means that people live near where they work, or near mass transit options. Transit-oriented development will feature prominently in my community development plans. No longer will someone on the Eastside or South LA need to spend three hours commuting to work. I'll make sure they have good transit options, and good jobs where they live. Answer from Kevin James:
We need to do a much better job of planning our public transit projects. Connectivity is a big issue in Los Angeles. If public transportation is not efficient or effective, large portions of the public will not use it. At-grade light rail is an example of transit that supports other modes of transit. However, we have failed at connectivity in many areas around the city. The areas around Mission College near Sylmar are just one example. We must complete the public transit connection to LAX + and do so now.
The MTA should re-work their kiosks to make them more user-friendly. The kiosks are now very poorly designed and discourage use (which gives passengers with choices an additional reason to avoid public transportation).
As you know, transit is only one aspect of density. LA must live up to its General Plan and related Community Plans + this includes issues surrounding water, power, urban forests, parks, etc.
Density must be supported by a strong and workable infrastructure + this is not only an environmental issue, but a public safety issue as well. Answer from Yehuda "Yj" Draiman:
Answer from Kevin James:
By failing to move these troubled students into available "high-attention" facilities, the District is giving up on them thereby setting them up for the school-to-prison pipeline. Under my proposed reform measure, students transferred to "high-attention" facilities can work their way back into the main stream school through good grades, good attendance and good citizenship.
I would also invite all stakeholders, particularly parents, to have a voice in the reform measures to improve the LAUSD by holding town hall meetings throughout the City in order to inspire, inform, motivate and empower parents and community members to become a more integral part of the education process to bring about these needed reforms.
Given the size and complexity of the LAUSD, I will create within the Mayor's office an Education Information Officer that will serve as a sounding board for parents, students, teachers and administrators. This office will be part of the Mayor's office and completely independent of the LAUSD. In the face of recent LAUSD scandals, including the Miramonte scandal, allegations of the misuse of funds, and fading confidence in our school district, Angelenos need to know that there is a safe place to go outside of the LAUSD to bring their issues and concerns.
The Mayor's office will also create an education liaison that will attend all LAUSD board meetings and will also serve as an education advisor in the Mayor's office. The Mayor's education office will create and operate a user-friendly resource website the will be a one-stop-shop for providing easy access to policies, municipal codes, and state and federal laws that directly relate to school facilities, rules, guidelines, and funds. This resource will also provide information about, and links to, organizations that cover education-related matters such as bullying, gangs, special education needs, drug use, school violence, school safety, and construction and land-use issues.
I will utilize the influence of the Mayor's office, including the power of the podium, to fight cuts to Adult Education Programs, which are critical in providing the training and skills necessary for many of our students to find jobs in today's workforce and to become productive members of society. Additionally, our public schools should reinstate vocational training at the middle school and high school levels. Partnerships with private business and industries will contribute to the cost of these reforms, and provide internships and job placement opportunities.
Unfortunately, the solution is not as simple as either protecting teacher seniority or laying off teachers based on who is the lowest-performing. Teachers do not get to pick their students. What we need is a full and comprehensive evaluation system that takes into account certain contributing factors, including class size, language barriers, socio-economic factors, and special needs circumstances of students. Such an evaluation system should also include peer evaluations. We must compare apples to apples in the implementation of the teacher evaluation process. Some students start out at a lower performance level than others and teachers should not be penalized simply because they were assigned a steeper hill to climb based on the student-related factors described above.
I would also advocate for the LAUSD to create a trade-tech diploma to return vocational training classes to our schools. These are good jobs that the community needs, and I have published a position paper on this that is included as one of my position papers below. Answer from Yehuda "Yj" Draiman:
Answer from Emanuel Alberto Pleitez:
I will create partnerships with businesses and colleges to ensure Angelenos are able to learn about, train for, and succeed in educational and economic opportunities. This means the creation and expansion of programs that match our students, regardless of age, with businesses and programs looking for potential employees. These programs, coupled with an increased emphasis on training for the most highly demanded skills, creates the potential for our students to learn both inside the classroom and outside through on the job training. I worked on a similar initiative--Skills for America's Future--while with the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page. |