League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Los Angeles County, CA March 5, 2013 Election
	Joyce J. Pearson Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Los Angeles; District 3

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What do you think is the single most important issue facing the City of Los Angeles today? As Council Member, what would you do to deal with it?

Stifled economic opportunity for businesses and individuals is the #1 issue facing the City of Los Angeles today. In order for Los Angeles to be competitive with neighboring cities we have to streamline the business permitting process and promote tax fairness to level the playing field. We also need to build more mutually beneficial public-private partnerships that foster growth.

2. The City Administrative Officer has estimated a $200M budget shortfall for 2013-2014 increasing to $300M in 2015-2016. What steps do you propose to deal with this problem, and how much do you estimate each step would reduce the shortfall?

In the Mayor's current fiscal year budget proposal, he advocated an 8 point plan regarding civilian pension reform, most of which has begun with mixed success. Per request of the Mayor, The CAO was directed to study how the city can ensure the cost neutrality of recruiting city employees via the Government Service Buyback Program, and sharing the cost of future retirement benefits with employees. It is time to finish studying and start implementing fair and rational deficit reducing solutions that protect the taxpayers from unforseen and consequently unfunded liabilities. This would address more than half of the budget shortfall to the tune of $125 million. Rising health benefit costs, and unanticipated police & fire expenditures account for the next largest part of the deficit. We cannot continue to have constantly rising overtime staffing costs in either department, and simultaneously have young fire and police academy grads still waiting for years on end for an opening. To combat higher health benefit costs, we Angelenos can all play a role by doing a little preventive medicine by choosing to become healthier in our daily lives, and teaching our children to do so as well.

3. Do you support the ballot measure to increase the sales tax in the city?

NO, at least not with this current council in charge.

4. What role do you feel the City of Los Angeles has to play in addressing climate change? Please explain in terms of what you as a city councilmember would have the power to do.

Every community, large and small has a role to play in addressing climate change, and whether or not it is man-made is a false debate that ultimately gets us nowhere. Last year, we experienced a record drought in this country where 2,000+ counties were a federal disaster zone driving the cost of corn, chicken, meat, eggs, and dairy up; our north-eastern seaboard is from now on supposed to get used to tropical style hurricanes; there have been recent record floods in Pakistan, India, and Australia; and the Maldives are on their way to being submerged into the Indian Ocean. The Earth IS changing. If there are things we can do to be more thrifty and mindful of what resources we consume, and how we consume them, we need to do that like we used to a great generation ago. A city as world renowned as Los Angeles, that has already made great strides in reducing our carbon footprint should absolutely be at the forefront of pioneering green-technology use throughout the city spurring private enterprise and job creation. I would focus on expanding the use of solar panels on the vacant rooftops throughout the city, helping lower energy costs for ratepayers and generating surplus energy back into the grid, or promoting urban gardens to expand local farmer markets into areas who may not currently have access to fresh food in their immediate neighborhood.

5. How would you prioritize your local constituency versus the City as a whole when acting as a Council Member?

For too long, the West Valley residents have been ignored in downtown, its basic needs and services have not been met, and it is increasingly isolated from the development from the rest of the city as a whole. I am running to represent District 3 and ensure that we have an equal seat at the table and that the constituents who made it a priority to entrust me as their council member, will have their priorities voiced unapologetically to the council. The West Valley is not satisfied with being isolated into a bedroom and retail community only, and needs to be included in the city's overall development plan for the 21st century in a meaningful way that encourages patronage by tourists and residents alike, and for new business to move in.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: February 3, 2013 05:14
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