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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,
Your District
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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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?
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Answer from Grace Yoo:
The single most important issue facing the City of Los Angeles today is also the most basic: the maintenance of our urban environment, such as potholes, street lights, uprooted sidewalks, and unsightly alleyways. These are the resources that affect and are shared by all of us. According to the LA Times, 466 streets in District 10 alone received an F grade for having unsafe cracking and requiring immediate reconstruction. More than a third of LA streets received a score of D or lower, which is equally unacceptable. From the very young to the octogenarians, residents deserve far more. We deserve an environment that is maintained and safe for us to work, play and live.
We, the people, have been repeatedly promised public parks, which have been left as drafts on officials' desks or disconnected from funding sources. This has left us with empty, neglected, weed-ravaged lots throughout the district. These poor conditions are not just eyesores, but a daily reminder of our lack of representation. They chip away at property values that negatively influences the entire district and city. They are constant reminder of how low this community's most basic, daily priorities have been to the individuals meant to represent us.
As Councilmember, my first point of action would be to restore the neglected duties of basic city services, which currently is a low priority. Following the example of Councilman Bernard Parks, I would use my discretionary funds to pay to improve basic infrastructure needs. Angelenos deserve to have their needs met and I would take the necessary steps to make this happen.
Answer from Delaney "Doc" Smith, M.D.:
VOTERS MUST COME OUT TO VOTE MARCH 3, 2015. We are presently losing hundreds of small businesses and corporations each year to other parts of the country that have a more business friendly tax schedule. for new and existing businesses. I propose no city business taxes For new businesses for first 3 years which would serve as a magnet for new businesses and new job creation, which would ultimately increase the city's shrinking tax base. Tax reduction would free up money that could be used to increase wages including minimum wage without hurting small business.
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2. The City Administrative Officer has estimated a $300 million budget shortfall for 2015-2016. What steps do you propose to deal with this problem and how much do you estimate each step would reduce the shortfall?
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Answer from Grace Yoo:
I endorse the 2020 Commission's recommendations.(http://www.metalscoalition.com/Time_For_Truth_LosAngeles.pdf) Accordingly, I would decline the $50,000 stipend for a car and I would encourage other Councilmembers to follow my lead to save $750,000. I would also challenge the Council to stop the practice of dividing the proceeds from real estate transactions between the City and the local Council office and direct all of the proceeds to the general fund. I would give up my district's funds only when all Councilmembers participate.
Answer from Delaney "Doc" Smith, M.D.:
Much of the expenses are for pensions and benefits for an ever expanding city work force. We should look more to local businesses in the city of Los Angeles to contract out some of the services that can be performed by local residents. More accountability for monies collected and spent by Department of Water and Power officials by itself would largely address the current $300 million short fall.
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3. What is the single most important issue facing your Council District today, and how would you deal with it?
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Answer from Delaney "Doc" Smith, M.D.:
VOTERS MUST VOTE MARCH 3, 2015. The Water Reclamation Project also known as "Toilet to Tap" was quietly implemented 10-15 years ago in South Los Angeles and recent news releases suggest that "Toilet to Tap" will be expanded to other parts of LA without considering health related implications of drinking toilet water. Aside from the obvious waste drain water contains a wide variety of chemical that cannot be filtered, and even garbage from garbage from garbage disposals. Water used for drinking should be required to meet FEDERAL CLEAN WATER STANDARDS. WTHOUT SAFEGUARDS WE ARE SLOWLY BEING POISONED. SOMEONE WITH A MEDICAL BACKGROUND IS NEEDED AT CITY HALL TO PROVIDE DEPARATELY NEEDED INPUT REGARDING HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF PRESENT AND PENDING DECISIONS THAT AFFECT OUR MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE. NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR HEALTH WHICH IS DETERMINED BY WHAT YOU EAT AND DRINK.
Answer from Grace Yoo:
The single most important issue facing District 10 is the quality of life for the residents. Environmental and health concerns as well as economic growth which brings stability to families are essential to a thriving community.
We need to stop the "enhanced drilling" and "acid fracking" which requires very corrosive acids that literally melts rock. This seriously threatens the environment and public health of our neighbors, our friends, my family and myself.
Our economic growth can come from public works projects that would put people to work and would fix the potholes, uprooted sidewalks and broken street lamps.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' answers are presented as submitted.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
