DISTRICT 4 HOPEFULS THINK LOCAL.Byline: Ryan Oliver Staff Writer The area that would become the 4th Council District in a new 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. city encompasses neighborhoods pro-secessionists often point to as the epitome of City Hall neglect. That's why the six Valley city council candidates are campaigning on such bread-and-butter issues as pavement, street lights, police and respect - things important to voters in a district that includes parts of Pacoima, Mission Hills and Sun Valley, Arleta and North Hollywood. ``We're treated like a stepchild step·child n. 1. A child of one's spouse by a previous union. 2. Something that does not receive appropriate care, respect, or attention: "Demography has a reputation for being the stepchild of . . . ,'' said Jose Bonilla Jose Bonilla:
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. ; it's where the gangs are. I think that's the stereotype people have, so they don't have to spend the dollars out here. They think these people don't vote, they don't contribute to campaigns, so why spend money out here.'' Bonilla ran a losing bid for the Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. 2nd
District seat that Wendy Greuel Wendy Greuel is President Pro Tempore of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 2nd District. Greuel was elected in 2002 to fill the remainder of the term of Councilman Joel Wachs. She was elected in her own right in 2003 and reelected in 2007. won in 2001. He has served as president
and treasurer of the Arleta Chamber of Commerce and Residents
Association.
His opponents are Jose San Miguel San Miguel (sän mēgĕl`), city (1993 pop. 118,214), E El Salvador, at the foot of San Miguel volcano (6,996 ft/2,132 m). It has textile, rope, and dairy-products industries. The region produces cotton, henequen, and vegetable oil. , who gave up his job as a machinist two years ago to become a full-time activist for the Hansen Dam Hansen Dam in Los Angeles County, California was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District in 1939 and 1940. The project is located near the northern edge of the San Fernando Valley on Tujunga Wash, about one mile below the confluence of the Big Tujunga Wash Recreation Area; Rebecca Galvan, a 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. teacher; Sam Solakyan, the 21-year-old owner of a medical transportation company; John Maddalo, a real estate broker; and William Davis There have been several notable individuals named William Davis:
The winner of the Nov. 5 election will take office when the new city begins July 1, 2003 - if voters pass Valley secession, Measure F. City officials' plan to replace all street lights along Ventura Boulevard Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east-west thouroughfares in the San Fernando Valley; as it was originally a part of the El Camino Real (the trail between Spanish missions), Ventura Boulevard is the oldest route in the San Fernando Valley. It was also U.S. with a new, uniform set of more aesthetically appealing lights and poles created a stir in the district. ``A lot of our community doesn't have lighting, they don't have sidewalks, the city doesn't maintain the sewers here,'' Bonilla said. ``I've talked with people who have have lived here since '54 and their streets have never been paved. We have sidewalks that look like they opened up and had a volcano erupt through them.'' Bonilla also wants increased police patrols and to repeal the living-wage ordinance that adds to city costs and discriminates against small businesses that can't afford to pay the higher wages. ``Our new city needs to begin a reconstruction program similar to the U.S. government's Marshall Plan Marshall Plan or European Recovery Program, project instituted at the Paris Economic Conference (July, 1947) to foster economic recovery in certain European countries after World War II. The Marshall Plan took form when U.S. in Europe after World War II.'' Solakyan, who owns a nonemergency medical transportation company, said he understands the needs of people struggling economically since he had to drop out of high school to support his family and later earned his diploma at an adult school. ``Sometimes I hear some of the politicians try and analyze these kids and say why they think they're in gangs. But I don't think what they say makes sense. I don't think they know why they're involved in gangs.'' Solakyan said his main priorities are establishing more mentor programs to keep youths out of gangs and creating a more business-friendly city. Galvan said she wants to assemble an office staff and survey her district to see exactly what's needed. ``There's a lot of run-down areas. Maybe if we broke off we would have the money to take care of that.'' Galvan wants more police and thinks the new city should work with landlords to upgrade apartments and more strictly enforce housing codes. She has taken no position on a call by some secessionists to split from the LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) and create a new district. San Miguel is among the candidates calling for the Valley to create an independent school district. ``We need to be able to improve the school system. We must give the children the best tools. In the future, we're going to try to do that. We want to bring the educational system into the Valley.'' San Miguel said he's successfully pushed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build bathrooms and expand parking at Hansen Dam and wants to see the park's environment and wildlife preserved. All six candidates said they support rent control. But Maddalo, a real-estate broker from Sun Valley, said he would seek to alter Los Angeles' current rent-control ordinance if the Valley secedes and make it more hospitable to landlords. ``It's definitely right now in favor of the tenants, and I want it to be in favor of the landlords because I'm a Realtor. We own our own houses and properties so we should be able to charge the amount of rent we want.'' He said he will work to establish an 800 number for residents to call and cite specific complaints such as a dead street light, illegally parked vehicles or an animal problem. A customer-service agent would take the call and forward the complaint to the appropriate city department, the residents' city council member and the mayor. Maddalo cites his primary issues as streets and lighting, illegal dumping, lack of police presence, enhancing services for the poor and homeless, and pressuring the LAUSD to decrease the number of students per class. Davis said he would try to create more senior and youth centers if elected. ``We can have a place where the elderly can give to the youth from their wisdom and experience and the youth can benefit from having a role model or some older person to look up to for guidance.'' Davis said he decided to run for council because of the neglect in his neighborhood. ``We've been suffering for years; it's a travesty and an insult. It's sad what's occurring.'' District 4 is bordered on the north by the city of 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. and San Fernando Mission Boulevard The following roads are named Mission Boulevard:
COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 JOSE BONILLA Age: 50 Residence: Arleta Occupation: Business administration manager Experience: Former president and treasurer of the Arleta Chamber of Commerce and Residents Association; founder of the Arleta Anti-Graffiti Program; charter member of the LAPD 1. LAPD - Link Access Procedure on the D channel. 2. LAPD - Los Angeles Police Department. Foothill Division Community Advisory Board Web site/email: None Top issues: Sidewalk repair; repeal of the living wage ordinance; increase police patrols WILLIAM GODFREY DAVIS Age: 59 Residence: Pacoima Occupation: Lawyer Career: Obtained law degree from University of Akron Enrollment in fall 2006 was 23,539 students.[1] The school offers more than 200 undergraduate degrees [2] and 100 graduate degrees [3]. The University's best-known program is its College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, which is located in a , specializing in civil law and mediation; former assistant dean of students, UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX ; regularly attends community meetings Web site/email: None Top issues: Community services for youth and elderly REBECCA GALVAN Age: 44 Occupation: Elementary school teacher Residence: San Fernando Career: Master's degree in school counseling, University of LaVerne; LAUSD teacher for 11 years; formerly owned a daycare center; member of LAPD Foothill Commmunity Policing Advisory Board Web site/email: None Top issues: More police protection and enforcement of existing housing codes JOHN M. MADDALO Age: 49 Residence: Sun Valley Web site/email: None Occupation: Real estate broker Career: Founded Medallion Realty in 1992; began working in real estate in 1988 Top issues: Street lights, illegal dumping, greater police presence, more public services for the poor, education JOSE SAN MIGUEL Age: 59 Residence: Pacoima Occupation: Activist Career: Member of Pacoima Beautiful, Pacoima Neighborhood Council and Hansen Dam Advisory Committee; former tool and dye machinist; civil engineering degree from Madero Technical Institute, Mexico Web site/email: None Top issues: Health care, public safety and education SAM S. SOLAKYAN Age: 21 Residence: North Hollywood Occupation: Owner of Medi-Transport Associates, a nonemergency medical transport company Career: Medical diagonstic stenographer An individual who records court proceedings either in shorthand or through the use of a paper-punching device. A court stenographer is an officer of the court and is generally considered to be a state or public official. diploma from the American Institute of Medical Diagonstics, member of Optimist International, medical consultant Web site/email: None Top issues: Combat gang violence; create a more business-friendly environment CAPTION(S): 4 photos, box, map Photo: (1) JOSE BONILLA (2) JOHN M. MADDALO (3) JOSE SAN MIGUEL (4) SAM S. SOLAKYAN Box: COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 (see text) Map: COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 |
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