MAYOR TOUTS TINSELTOWN ROLE IN L.A. HOLLYWOOD CHAMBER HEARS PLEAS AGAINST SECESSION.Byline: Harrison Sheppard Staff Writer HOLLYWOOD - Mayor 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 focused on fighting Hollywood secession Tuesday with back-to-back events highlighting what he said 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. has done for the community and saying an independent city would set back progress. Delivering a State of Hollywood speech to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce - which opposes secession on the Nov. 5 ballot - and speaking later at a joint news conference with Councilmen Eric Garcetti Eric Garcetti (born 1971) is the son of former Los Angeles county district attorney Gil Garcetti, and was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2001. He was reelected in 2005. and Tom LaBonge Tom LaBonge (b. Los Angeles 1953), member of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 4th district. He has served since 2001, taking over the position upon the death of John Ferraro. , Hahn said city leaders have been working hard to revitalize the area with new developments and affordable-housing programs. ``We think Proposition H is a threat to everything we've been able to do here in Hollywood,'' Hahn said. But secession supporters said an independent city of Hollywood could do much better than Los Angeles, and they pointed to the trash that still litters the streets and sidewalks. ``Shame on Mayor Hahn for sitting in here with the fat cats when you just walk right over there and you see a whole stack of mattresses and couches,'' said Gene LaPietra, president of the Hollywood Independence Committee, who was standing outside the Assistance League of Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, office near Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades. where the mayor spoke. ``It goes to what we've been saying: He couldn't find a venue that was clean enough in Hollywood to actually hold the event.'' Garcetti said the city has revitalized Hollywood in recent years by leveraging about $77 million in public spending to get $1 billion in private sector investment. He said the Cinerama Dome, where the press conference was held, benefitted when the city agreed to build and operate an adjacent parking structure. The city Community Redevelopment Agency spent about $32 million to buy the land and build the 1,725-space garage, and the facility is expected to be profitable in about four years, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a Garcetti aide. Hahn also cited a new Business Improvement District for the Sunset and Vine neighborhood, which the City Council approved Tuesday morning; plans to create a $100 million housing trust fund; and a guarantee of street closures for the Academy Awards for the next 20 years to make sure the ceremony stays at the new Kodak Theatre. ``We have a Hollywood renaissance, and secession would plunge us into the Dark Ages again,'' Garcetti said. |
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