League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Los Angeles County, CA March 3, 2015 Election
	Fred Mariscal Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Los Angeles; District 4

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?

The CITY'S BUDGET DEFECIT

1- We need structural reform of the City's financial affairs by placing on the ballot a measure that requires the City to "Live Within Its Means."

This common sense amendment would require the city to develop and adhere to a Five Year Financial Plan, approve two year balanced budgets based on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and, over the next ten years, provide adequate funding for the elimination of the City's unfunded $10 billion pension liability and the repair and maintenance of our streets, parks, sidewalks, and the rest of our crumbling infrastructure.

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?

1- We need to limit workers' compensation costs, improving the City's purchasing process and increasing productivity through technology.

2-I'm adding my voice and calling for a no cost-of-living increases for the City's workers and pushed for employees to pay 10% of their health insurance premiums.

3- We must identify and eliminate wasteful spending, and make City Hall more transparent. We need start thinking about hiring a "City Manager."

4- We need Pension Reform.

5- We need to make LA a more business friendly City. I'm originally from Mexico City, and I know of a lot of businesses and companies who would like to do business in Los Angeles.

3. What is the single most important issue facing your Council District today, and how would you deal with it?

DEVELOPMENT

I believe in Smart neighborhood oriented development that takes into account traffic, parking, and our quality of life. However a lot of the development around the District has been done without taking into account traffic, parking, and quality of life issues.

1-We need to make sure that developers take these issues seriously into account, and listen to their communities. I will protect our neighborhoods as I'm already doing.

2- Many areas are being hit hard with the 'Mansionization' of newly built large homes on small lots.

A) I support the reduced Floor Area [RFA] to limit the size of new construction and remodeled homes.

B) I support the creation of Historical Preservation Overlay Zones [HPOZ] to protect the traditional and historical character of neighborhoods who are threaten by Mansionization.

C) We need to plug the loopholes in the BMO's bonuses and exemptions that are allowing builders to construct homes far larger than 50% of lot size.

D) No new home construction under the ICO be allowed to exceed 50% of lot size, per the BMO amendment's changes.

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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: January 14, 2015 10:26
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