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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Essel, Krekorian Take on Business Issues at Forum

The two candidates fighting for the Valley seat on the L.A. City Council District 2 took on some business issues as they were peppered with questions from Valley neighborhood council leaders on Nov. 12. The debate, which tackled city finances, marijuana dispensaries, the proliferation of billboards, development, the entertainment industry and other topics, was organized by the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils and took place at Sherman Oaks Hospital. The candidates, former Paramount Pictures executive Christine Essel, and Democratic Assemblyman Paul Krekorian, both pledged before some 30 neighborhood council representatives to become important advocates for their projects and issues. Both said neighborhood councils should be granted appeal rights on land use issues and said they would introduce a resolution, once elected, to make that happen. “Of course neighborhood councils should have appeal rights… it’s central to what neighborhood council’s roles are, which is to stand up and reflect the views of the community,” said Krekorian. “It seems absurd that neighborhood councils can’t take the same action as any other person in the community- so of course I would make it a priority on my agenda,” said Essel. Concerned with over-development and density in their neighborhoods, some Valley representatives asked where the candidates stood on a bill encouraging development of affordable housing by allowing developers a density bonus if they price a number of units in the affordable range. Essel, who has been criticized by Krekorian and others for helping to spearhead the bill’s passage as chair of the Central City Association, said she was not in favor of increasing density and overdevelopment in the Valley. “SB1818 doesn’t belong in the streets of the San Fernando Valley,” Essel said. Also emphasizing his intent to curb density and overdevelopment, Krekorian said the city has to look at ways of implementing the law appropriately and look to other cities such as Santa Monica, where the law has been applied more effectively. On the topic of medical marijuana dispensaries, both said the city has failed to curb their proliferation. With 800 dispensaries in the city, while other municipalities of similar size only have a handful, the candidates called for better enforcement of new and existing regulations. Addressing runaway production, Krekorian touted his accomplishment in authoring recently approved legislation that created California’s first incentive to encourage film and television production in the state in more than 15 years. Essel, who served as Chair of the California Film Commission and garnered support to get the bill approved, said Los Angeles should follow in New York’s footsteps and offer an additional bonus on top of the state’s incentives to make it even more attractive for productions to film in the city. Both candidates said they would fight the proliferation of illegal billboards. Krekorian said special attention should be given to remove those billboards plastered along the sides of unhitched trailers parked along major Valley thoroughfares. After audience members raised concerns over parking meters in the Valley, which they said have adversely affected businesses, both candidates called the city’s action shortsighted and ineffective. “This is a typical shortsighted, short term government solution,” said Krekorian, adding that the city feels compelled to make these decisions because of the fiscal pressure it is under. The two candidates also sharply questioned each other’s credibility during the debate that, in an unusual format, allowed the candidates to ask questions to each other. “You’ve often said no one can buy your vote for $500, how about for $131,000, or for $45,000? Is there any way we can believe you can act independently,” Krekorian asked pointing to the union support Essel has received in her campaign. Local 18 Water and Power Defense League and the Police Protective League contributed $45,000 and $131,000 respectively to Essel’s campaign. Essel said she was proud to have the support of the police union, which Krekorian also fought hard to win. She said she had never met with IBEW and emphasized that her positions would not be swayed by those independent expenditures. “If they are betting that I’m going to win this race that’s their choice,” she said. When it came her turn, Essel pointed to a Sacramento Bee article that said Krekorian was among the top takers of gifts from special interests in Sacramento. “How can you actually insure that you’re not a typical politician?” she said. Krekorian said he has a proven record of not being part of the downtown-centric political power structure and bureaucracy, and that he has stood up for the community’s interests throughout his political career. The two continued attacking each other’s fundraising with Krekorian questioning Essel’s campaign ethics. “When can taxpayers expect to get their matching funds back?” asked Krekorian. Essel’s campaign accepted matching taxpayer funds from the city subjecting her campaign to the established $330,000 spending limit. However independent expenditures in her campaign pushed the $50,000 threshold required to bust the cap allowing her to spend unlimited amounts of money. This is all in accordance to city laws, Essel pointed out, and said her successful fundraising efforts were the result of hard work and many hours of being on the phone. “Perhaps you’re not as well known as I am, I’ve noticed most of your money comes from places like Burbank and other areas outside the city,” she said. Krekorian also called Essel’s pledge to not run for another office seat a “silly gimmick”. “Credibility is earned. I think I have the independence that you lack,” he said.

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