League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Los Angeles County, CA March 5, 2013 Election
	Frederick Sutton Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Los Angeles; District 11

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What do you think is the single most important issue facing the City of Los Angeles today? As Council Member, what would you do to deal with it?

Our core services( Public safety, infrastructure) are no longer running smoothly. Due to mismanagement in City Hall, our local issues are no longer being addressed.

1) I will not make promises I cannot keep 2) Introduce a Charter Amendment to "Live Within our Means" 3) Encourage business to come back to LA and expand the tax base 4) Represent the citizens and not special interests 5) R claim our natural rainfall for water needs

2. The City Administrative Officer has estimated a $200M budget shortfall for 2013-2014 increasing to $300M in 2015-2016. What steps do you propose to deal with this problem, and how much do you estimate each step would reduce the shortfall?

1) We must defined core services (Public safety & infrastructure) and need to make government more efficient and cut waste.

2)Support a "Live Within Our Means Amendment", which will require the city to develop and adhere to a Five Year Financial Plan (the "Plan") for the General Fund, all Special Revenue Funds, and the Budget, excluding the three proprietary departments. The Plan will include detailed information, including, but not limited to, income statements, balance sheets, cash flows, and levels of outstanding debt.

The Plan will also incorporate the financial requirements of the Infrastructure Plan, the Pension Funding Plan, and all other phases of the City's operations.

3) Make Los Angeles business friendly to attract business and grow the tax base.

4) Save the pension funds by modifying the defined benefit plans for new hires

I believe these steps when analyzed and implemented will balance our budgets and restore our services in the long term.

3. Do you support the ballot measure to increase the sales tax in the city?

No. It is regressive and does not solve the long term problems.

4. What role do you feel the City of Los Angeles has to play in addressing climate change? Please explain in terms of what you as a city councilmember would have the power to do.

Encourage reclamation of our natural rainfall to fill our aquifers. We can use this water to support over 20% of our needs, will reduce our reliance on pumping water from other parts of the state, clean our oceans and help make our City more environmentally sustainable.

5. How would you prioritize your local constituency versus the City as a whole when acting as a Council Member?

I have spent my whole life in district 11. I went to elementary school and high school in the district. The city has been so mismanaged that local constituent issues have been put on the back burner. That is why I have run. I want to restore opportunity to the city and everyday I am not in council chambers I will be hands on in the community. We need a representative who is responsive to all the constituents.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: January 4, 2013 15:08
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