COUNCIL HOPEFUL ENDORSED; ALARCON GIVES SUPPORT TO AREA ACTIVIST.Byline: Yvette Cabrera Daily News Staff Writer Emphasizing the need for a council member with strong community roots, state Sen. Richard Alarcon endorsed a Northeast San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. leader Friday to fill the 7th District seat he vacated. Corinne Sanchez, a family law attorney and president and chief executive officer of the nonprofit agency El Proyecto Del Barrio bar·ri·o n. pl. bar·ri·os 1. An urban district or quarter in a Spanish-speaking country. 2. A chiefly Spanish-speaking community or neighborhood in a U.S. city. , beat two contenders that Alarcon said he considered for the key endorsement. ``I chose not to select the politician. I chose not to select the campaign expert. I chose to select the community servant because that is, I believe, the answer for this community,'' Alarcon told a crowd of more than 40 people who gathered at Memory Gardens in Brand Park for his announcement Friday morning. Alarcon bypassed former San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. Mayor Raul Godinez, 36, and Alejandro Padilla, 25, an aide to state Assemblyman as·sem·bly·man n. A man who is a member of a legislative assembly. assemblyman Noun pl -men a member of a legislative assembly Noun 1. Tony Cardenas Tony Cardenas served in the California State Assembly. In the Assembly, he had the powerful position of chair of the Budget Committee. He is now a Los Angeles City Councilman, representing the 6th district, which includes parts of the San Fernando Valley. , D-Panorama City, two of the three candidates Alarcon narrowed his possible endorsement list to from a field of about 10 possible candidates. ``His endorsement is definitely going to give me a big boost,'' said Sanchez, a 51-year-old Sylmar resident. ``People look at my history and track record with the services that have been delivered here and they'll see that I've demonstrated my commitment and the kind of results I can produce for our area,'' said Sanchez, citing her work in employment, health care and youth services. Valley secession Several key issues confront candidates in the 7th District special elections April 13, including the San Fernando Valley's exploration of cityhood, 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. city charter reform and the proposed break-up of the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. . Sanchez said she hasn't taken a position on Valley secession but supports a study to determine whether separating the Valley from Los Angeles would be financially practical. Sanchez also said she supports the motive behind secession activism: gaining for the Valley its share of city services The examples and perspective in this article or section may represent an unduly geographically limited view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. . ``I don't believe we get our fair share, and I want to make sure that when elected that I make sure where the city's money is going and start getting more resources in the Northeast Valley and the Valley as a whole,'' Sanchez said. Last year, Sanchez briefly joined the executive board of Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment, the group pushing for a study of Valley secession. She resigned from the board a month after receiving Valley VOTE correspondence that leaned in favor of secession. ``I told (Valley VOTE) when I went that I didn't have a position on secession, but that I knew that it would have an effect on the Northeast Valley,'' Sanchez said. ``I didn't want to get into something that I didn't agree with at the time and I still had questions about.'' On efforts to revise the city's charter, Sanchez said she supports expanding the City Council from 15 to 25 districts and does not support giving the mayor sole authority over the hiring and firing of city general managers. Sanchez said she also has not taken a position on a proposal to split up the LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) . ``We confront (these issues), we study them, we look at the facts, we come to the answer that is reasonable and fair for our community,'' Sanchez said. Issues Sanchez will include on her platform are employment, job training, education and community safety. Political legacy Alarcon said he chose the person who he believes could best carry on his legacy. Numerous projects are funded and awaiting construction in the district, including four libraries, two fire stations and an environmental awareness center. ``I had to make a decision about who I felt was the most experienced person to finish all those projects and be creative and innovative enough to represent this district in the best way possible,'' Alarcon told the group. ``And I'm here to tell you that I believe that person is Corinne Sanchez.'' Sanchez said she respects Godinez and Padilla but feels they lack community experience needed to ``hit the ground running.'' ``I've worked with the city bureaucracy, I know what I'm up against, I know who I need to work with to make things happen,'' said Sanchez, who is seeking office for the first time. Sanchez said she has already raised $25,000 in campaign funds and has $50,000 in commitments. Other key Sanchez endorsers are County Supervisor Gloria Molina Gloria Molina is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and the current chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.[1] Molina grew up as one of ten children in the Los Angeles suburb of Pico Rivera, California, U.S. ; state Sen. Hilda Solis Hilda L. Solis (born October 20 1957), an American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing the 32nd District of California (map). , D-El Monte; and City Councilman Michael Feuer Michael Feuer (1958-)[1] is a Californian politician and lawyer. He now represents the 42nd Assembly District which includes Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, and part of Los Angeles in the California State Assembly. He was elected in 2006 on the Democratic ticket. . Sanchez has served for 16 years as president of the Arleta-based El Proyecto Del Barrio, which provides health care, job development and other services to more than 25,000 low-income residents in the Valley through five sites. Daily News Staff Writer David Baker David Baker may refer to:
CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Corinne Sanchez of the Northeast San Fernando Valley is running for the 7th District Council seat. John Lazar/Daily News |
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