League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Los Angeles County, CA June 3, 2014 Election
	Yuval Daniel Kremer Answers Questions Candidate for Supervisor; County of Los Angeles; Supervisorial District 3

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 steps do you think the Board of Supervisors should take to improve the foster care system and in particular to provide safe emergency or temporary placement for infants and children?

First, I am an Educator; I was a Camp Counselor (7 and 8 year old boys), Bus Driver (Beverly Hills/PCH/Topanga route), and Jr Camp Arts & Crafts Specialist (for 3,4, and 5 yr olds); and I obviously care tremendously about the safety and well-being of all children, having worked with them almost my whole adult life, and even before I was an adult (as a Jr Counselor and tutor). I myself plan to adopt in the future, possibly fostering as well, likely an older child/children, who are harder to place. I am currently educating myself on the problems the County is facing in this area, apparently primarily in one of the five supervisorial districts. I am especially listening to the ideas that the other candidates have in this area. Each of us brings different skill sets and knowledge to this race, and it is a Huge 24/7 Job, that requires a steep learning curve FOR ALL OF US. The public needs to understand that the Supervisors oversee a very large geographic area of close to 90 cities (there are actually two LA's, the City of LA and the County of LA) and a budget of close to 25 Billion Dollars, and therefore have large staffs of specialists to help them carry out their duties. For example, Supervisor Gloria Molina has a staff of roughly 30 people. I plan to hire a great staff of specialists, each of whom are highly competent and passionate about the area they are assigned to, including this area. I will also listen to the County Manager's staff and Public Input in this area. Let's just say, should I be chosen, I will know what to do regarding this issue before I step into office. It's better to get it right than to throw out some quick razzle dazzle words and get it wrong. We have MANY months ahead of us, with the June primary, and a virtually certain November runoff (because there are 8 candidates). The winner only takes office in December !

2. The County Supervisors sit also on the board of the Metropolitan Transit District. What would be your top priorities for the MTA?

Let's first understand that Traffic in the Valley and on the Westside is Horrible because the MTA has decimated Bus Service, contrary to the promises made to Bus Riders in order to pass the Measure R Sales Tax Increase. I think this is an intentional effort by MTA to shift even more money to Very Expensive Rail which will take Decades to build, while making Taxpayers suffer enough so that they vote for tax increases to pay for that Rail, which will STILL require a massive Bus Network (including much-needed additional N/S service) because LA is so spread out. I oppose turning Carpool Lanes into Toll Lanes, which I consider to be Double Taxation, and I oppose so-called "Road Diets", which take lanes away from cars and hand them to bicyclists, and would make traffic even worse. I would restore the Bus Service Hours that have been cut. Since Bus Service has been cut in half, that would mean DOUBLING current Bus Service Hours. Heavy Rail is being built on the backs of Bus Riders, while MTA blatantly manipulates ridership data by making Bus Ridership highly inconvenient and allowing Rail folks to ride for FREE for the last Decade (unlocked gates scandal recently exposed by the Times). MTA has also added Rail Service in the middle of the night for drunk partiers every 15 minutes, while cancelling the Beverly Blvd Rapid used by workers to go East/West across the County's busiest traffic...now that trip takes half a workday, stopping every two blocks. I would expand MTA's popular Red Rapid Bus program to all major streets, as well as increase its frequency and evening/weekend hours. Bus Riding has to be Convenient for the public to get out of their cars ! I would also keep fares low for public transit, audit the MTA's Multi-Billion Dollar Annual Budget, and eliminate the wasteful spending. The five Supervisors sit on the MTA Board along with others. I would use that seat to shine a media spotlight on MTA. I would fire MTA's CEO, whom I consider to be Anti-Bus. I would also lobby Sacramento to kill off the One Hundred Billion Dollar Bullet Train Boondoggle, and to instead use those Taxpayer Billions for local road repair, new carpool lanes, new light rail, local Rapid Bus Service, Neighborhood Circulators (DASH and Commuter Express), as well as Safety Stoplights, Pedestrian Crosswalks, needed Safety Stop Signs...and Bicyclist Safety Efforts.

3. Do you support the creation of an independent oversight commission for the Sheriff's Department?

No...I support electing a GOOD non-political Sheriff, with oversight from the Board of Supervisors (which controls funding). If that becomes insufficient, that is what ACLU lawsuits, the County DA, the State, and the Feds are for ! Oh, I forgot...the Local Media also is great at exposing Sheriff's abuses !

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' answers are presented as submitted.

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

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: April 21, 2014 14:27
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