Your Vote Matters

by Gary Toebben

Pension reform, business tax reform, economic development policies, public safety, education reform, LAX modernization and enhancing our transportation infrastructure; these are just a few of the issues discussed each week in this column. Yet the topic of today's The Business Perspective is the most important because it impacts all of these issues and many more. Tomorrow is Election Day and it is critical that we make choices that will set the City of Los Angeles on the right path.

Tomorrow, City of Los Angeles voters will participate in a watershed election, the likes of which will not be seen for more than a decade. Eight city council seats, a majority of that body, will be on the ballot. In six of these seats, we will have a new elected official who, with the power of incumbency, will likely serve 12 years. We will also elect a mayor who will be the odds on favorite to serve eight years. For a decade or more, these individuals will make thousands of decisions and cast thousands of votes that will impact our families, our pocketbooks, our safety and our quality of life. 

We will also decide whether to continue on the path of education reform within the Los Angeles public schools or revert back to the status quo. The persons elected to the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education will determine whether our young people will be able to compete in a global marketplace for high quality jobs in the future. And the vote on Measure A, will determine the level of public safety on our streets for years to come.  

For this election, the Chamber has engaged like never before. We have spent dozens of hours interviewing candidates and debating who the best and most viable choices are to represent the values of good government, job creation and education reform. The L.A. Jobs PAC is also investing hundreds of thousands of dollars to help city council candidates get elected. 

If you haven’t already voted by mail, now is the time to mark your ballot for the individuals that the LA Jobs PAC has put through the paces and chosen to endorse in these very important races. 

Mayor:                                 Wendy Greuel

Council District 1:             Gil Cedillo

Council District 7:             Felipe Fuentes

Council District 11:           Mike Bonin

Council District 13:           Alex Cruz De Ocampo

Council District 15:           Joe Buscaino

LAUSD District 2:              Monica Garcia

LAUSD District 4:              Kate Anderson 

Measure A:                         Yes

These recommendations were not easy choices, but we are confident that the candidates endorsed for mayor, city council and school board will provide the independent and courageous leadership the City of Los Angeles and LAUSD needs for a bright future. 

And that's The Business Perspective.