Candidate for
Council Member; City of Los Angeles; District 4

Tom LaBonge lives daily by his oft-spoken words: "Let's continue to enjoy and love the great City of Los Angeles." As the elected representative of the 4th Council District, LaBonge has a deserved reputation for not only knowing the name of every street in his district, but many of its residents and the history of their neighborhood. He is also known informally as "Mr. Los Angeles" for his deep knowledge and enthusiasm about the people who helped create one of the most diverse and thriving cities in the world from a tiny pueblo in a few short generations # from Griffith Jenkins Griffith, who gave Griffith Park to the people of Los Angeles to William Mulholland, who helped bring water to the arid basin from the eastern Sierras.

A native of Silver Lake whose family first came to Los Angeles in the late 1880s, LaBonge believes passionately in helping people, building coalitions with community activists and developing programs and policies to improve the lives of constituents. His advocacy on behalf of residents goes back to his teen years serving on Mayor Tom Bradley's Youth Advisory Council and has continued through 27 years of public service.

LaBonge served 15 years as the late Council President John Ferraro's Chief Field Deputy, serving the 4th District, before being asked to join the administration of Mayor Richard J. Riordan as his Special Assistant. After seven years with the Mayor's office, LaBonge was named Director of Community Relations for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. His track record of community outreach during his tenure with Ferraro, Riordan and LADWP is evidenced by the many projects he has spearheaded and the countless numbers of residents who will testify to his commitment for getting the job done.

In October, 2002, LaBonge overwhelmingly won election to the 4th Council seat and continues to be extraordinarily active in its' and the city's civic life -- initiating and supporting programs that empower individuals, groups and organizations to improve their quality of life. The priorities for his administration include: improving and expanding public safety programs involving police, fire and paramedic services; enhancing traffic mobility; expanding parks and open space; creating public-public partnerships to better leverage use of public lands such as joint use of schools and parks; and neighborhood preservation.

LaBonge has a lifelong love for Griffith Park and is one of its greatest champions. He is past co-chair of the Griffith Park Resource Board and past chair of the advisory group for the park. He also continues his decades-long involvement in the revitalization of the Los Angeles River and the development of the River Bikeway. A preservationist, LaBonge is a proponent of finding creative reuses of historic structures to maintain the history and charm of Los Angeles' many distinctive districts.

He is married to Brigid Manning LaBonge and has two children, Mary-Catherine and Charles.