1ST LATINO CITY ATTORNEY AIMS TO MAKE L.A. BETTER FOR KIDS.Byline: Dominic Berbeo Staff Writer A day after being elected city attorney, Rocky Delgadillo Rockard John "Rocky" Delgadillo (born July 15 1960) is the current City Attorney of Los Angeles, California. Career
``We have to be thinking about the future,'' he said. ``If we don't focus on creating positive alternatives for young people, then we're not doing enough.'' All three citywide elected offices in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. will change hands July 1, with James Hahn For the Iowa politician, see . James Kenneth "Jim" Hahn (born July 3, 1950) is an American politician from the Democratic Party. He was the Deputy City Attorney (1975-1979), City Controller (1981-1985), City Attorney (1985-2001) and Mayor of Los Angeles, California succeeding Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. as mayor and Laura Chick taking over from Rick Tuttle Rick Tuttle (born 1940) was Los Angeles City Controller from 1985 to 2001. He stressed the importance of creating a strong democratic influence at UCLA, which was in his words "the best large public university in a major city. as city controller. And Delgadillo will become the city's first Latino city attorney while Chick will be the first woman in an elected citywide post in Los Angeles. Delgadillo - whose wife, Michelle, gave birth last week to their first child, Christian - said he felt blessed and overwhelmed. ``I can't wait to get started,'' he said. ``There is so much that needs to be done. It's very similar to what we were doing with the business team: creating opportunities. ``Some see it as giving kids a second chance. I see it as giving them a first chance because there are no opportunities in the neighborhoods they grow up in.'' Another goal he set is to reduce by one-third the city's legal liability, estimated by some to be as high as $1 billion, including hundreds of millions generated by the Rampart police scandal, which is still under investigation. The City Attorney's Office employs 459 lawyers and 500 other staff members handling issues ranging from criminal misdemeanors to civil lawsuits for and against the city. The office also has a conflict resolution program and units that deal with quality-of-life issues such as nuisance abatement A reduction, a decrease, or a diminution. The suspension or cessation, in whole or in part, of a continuing charge, such as rent. With respect to estates, an abatement is a proportional diminution or reduction of the monetary legacies, a disposition of property by will, when and domestic abuse. Delgadillo, who has headed Riordan's business team since 1994, got 52 percent of the vote and edged Councilman Mike Feuer for the position by about 25,000 votes. Feuer, who has served on the council since 1995, said he is not sure where the future will take him, but is positive he wants to stay in public service. ``I've always wanted to help people, and I hope I can continue to do that,'' he said. ``What I've learned is that government can be an incredibly wonderful thing.'' Delgadillo has had a charmed career in his quick rise to job as the city's top lawyer. There aren't many who can say they head one of the largest legal agencies in the nation at the age of 40. An East Los Angeles East Los Angeles, uninc. city (1990 pop. 126,379), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a residential suburb of Los Angeles, in an industrial area. It has a large Mexican-American population. There is a performing arts center and a cultural center. A junior college is there. native, Delgadillo went on to study at Harvard, played football there and was nominated for a Rhodes scholarship Rhodes scholarship Grant to attend the University of Oxford. The program was established in 1902 by the will of Cecil Rhodes. Until 1976, candidates had to be unmarried male residents in a Commonwealth country, the U.S., or South Africa. In 1976 women were accepted. . He taught public school in the inner city, then went on to earn a law degree from Columbia University Columbia University, mainly in New York City; founded 1754 as King's College by grant of King George II; first college in New York City, fifth oldest in the United States; one of the eight Ivy League institutions. Law School in 1986. He worked in a private legal firm and then worked with Rebuild L.A. after the 1992 riots before becoming a deputy mayor for Riordan. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: City Attorney-elect Rocky Delgadillo, right, who founded a scholarship committee when he was in private law practice, jokes with Lucky Hemphill, a public schools official, at a dinner honoring scholars Wednesday in Universal City. Delgadillo said he wants to make life better for students in his new job. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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