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DOING WITHOUT CANDIDATES SAYING 'NO' TO CITY PERKS.


Byline: Harrison Sheppard Staff Writer

Northwest Valley Los Angeles City Council The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States.  candidate Greig Smith Greig Smith is a Los Angeles City Councilman, representing the 12th District, which includes Granada Hills, Northridge and other parts of the Western San Fernando Valley. Smith is also a reserve officer for the Los Angeles Police Department.  on Tuesday sought to portray himself as the most frugal candidate in the 12th District race when he pledged to give up certain taxpayer-funded perks if elected - but he was outflanked by several opponents who responded by promising to give up even more.

Smith said if he wins the council seat being vacated by his retiring boss, Councilman Hal Bernson Hal Bernson served as Los Angeles City Councilman for the 12th district. He was chair of the Transportation Committee. Prior to being on the City Council, he served in the Navy.

Preceded by
Robert M.
, he would not ask the city to buy him a new car, but would take a used vehicle from the city's existing fleet. He also said he would pay for his own home alarm system.

``With the budget crisis the way it is, we need to show fiscal responsibility,'' Smith said.

At least four others in the seven-person race, however, said they would forgo city vehicles altogether, as well as pay for their own alarms.

``I would definitely use my own car,'' said businessman Walter Prince. ``I don't see any reason why the city should buy them. Those (council members) are making $140,000 a year.''

Candidates Paula Boland, Norman Huberman and Julie Korenstein also said they would use their own personal vehicles if elected and would pay for their own alarm systems. Huberman added that he would donate $25,000 of his annual salary to community groups.

Currently, elected officials in Los Angeles This is a list of elected officials serving the city of Los Angeles, California. City officers
  • Mayor: Antonio Villaraigosa
  • City Attorney: Rocky Delgadillo
  • City Controller: Laura Chick
City council members
  • District One: Ed Reyes
 city are entitled to a new city-purchased vehicle every other year, with no restriction on cost. As the Daily News reported in December, the city spends millions of dollars maintaining vehicles for the elected officials and more than 100 of their staff members.

Twelve of the city's 18 elected officials got new cars in 2002 or 2001, with several of the vehicles costing more than $30,000.

The elected officials are allowed to use city vehicles for personal business within 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.  County. The city pays for gas and maintenance.

They are also entitled to free alarms in their homes, which call the police at a higher priority level than the burglar alarms in the average resident's home.

Candidate Rob Vinson said he would take a city car but would opt for an environmentally friendly Environmentally friendly, also referred to as nature friendly, is a term used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment.[1]  one, such as a Toyota Prius The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric vehicle developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation, and one of the first such vehicles to be mass-produced and marketed. The Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, and worldwide in 2001.  - one of several hybrid gas-electrics the city has been adding to its fleet in recent years. He would not ask the city to pay for his home alarm.

Accountant Armineh Chelebian, a write-in candidate Noun 1. write-in candidate - a candidate for public office whose name does not appear on the ballot and so must be written on the ballot by the voters
write-in

campaigner, candidate, nominee - a politician who is running for public office
, said she would only go without a city vehicle if the other council members did, although she would pay for her own alarm. But she added that she thinks the focus on perks is a distraction from real issues in the race.
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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Jan 29, 2003
Words:445
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