What do LA Natives or long time residents think about mayor villaraigosa (Los Angeles: homes, school)

[Slauson Rosecranz]

Originally Posted by CESpeed

I think he is more interested in setting himself up for a federal post than being the mayor of L.A. I long for the days when Tom Bradley ran L.A. L.A. was a wonderful city then. With Riordan, if you weren't rich, you didn't count. With Villaraigosa, if you aren't hispanic or can't get him to Washington, you don't count. I can't wait to get to Arkansas.

You hit it on the head, CESpeed.

Right on the money.

I bet those people who reluctantly voted AGAINST Hahn are feeling *really* stupid now!

Yeah, okay. Hahn was "boring". But he looked out for *EVERYBODY*. He didn't play favorites.

Bradley also wasn't particularly charismatic. And Bradley didn't play favorites, either.

Cheaterraigosa only looks out for his own. And that's BS. This is *everybody's* Los Angeles. Everybody.

How long will it be before we see this guy on Cheaters with Joey Greco?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by robertpolyglot

The L.A. of the 80s. She was the "leading lady" and the L.A. I remember.

There was that feeling, I remember that too. The Olympics, the Raiders, Dodgers, and Lakers were all winning. About the same time the "I Love LA" song and Roth's "California Girls" were hits too. Heck, even the freeway traffic subsided. I remember it wasn't that bad vanpooling from Woodland Hills to Rosemead that summer.

http://www.slaughterphoto.com/Artists/4891/ImCache/893_300_6222006114038PM_Olympics%20Los%20Angeles%2 01984%20Opening%20Ceremonies_2.jpg (broken link)

[TheRealAngelion]

No, I don’t like Villaraigosa. He’s more interested in higher office and in rubbernecking with the politically powerful than he is in running LA. He’s very anti business, promotes policies that would expand a growing underclass of poor, low wage income earners, and is soft on what I would call "quality of life" issues. The city is dirtier than it’s ever been and the wave of graffiti and vandalism of public and private property has reached epidemic proportions in the short time he’s been mayor.

In many ways LA is more dynamic, exciting and interesting than it was in the 80s, but the sense of civic cohesion, unity, and pride the city enjoyed under Tom Bradley is less evident today. Part of that is due to the heavy concentration of immigrants and transplants in LA now, but the lack of strong, visionary civic leadership is also a big part of it.

[happ]

Slauson Rosecranz;2926534]You hit it on the head, CESpeed.

Cheaterraigosa only looks out for his own. And that's BS. This is *everybody's* Los Angeles. Everybody

Who does Villaraigosa consider "his own"?

Hahn was brain-dead & corrupt

Riordan was/is a multimillionaire, Catholic, worked for free & put in more parks. Amazingly, he is a Republican though most in his party do not claim him.

Bradley was a patriarch [mayor for 2 decades - we grew up with him.

Now the Democratic machine is heavily labor as one would expect w/ a liberal mayor. Priority toward helping the middle-class/working-class is a Democratic value. Those who voted for Bush voted against their own needs unless they happen to be extremely wealthy, white and Baptist. As we go deeper into recession - thanks Republicans[/quote]

[Slauson Rosecranz]

Originally Posted by TheRealAngelion

No, I don’t like Villaraigosa. He’s more interested in higher office and in rubbernecking with the politically powerful than he is in running LA. He’s very anti business, promotes policies that would expand a growing underclass of poor, low wage income earners, and is soft on what I would call "quality of life" issues. The city is dirtier than it’s ever been and the wave of graffiti and vandalism of public and private property has reached epidemic proportions in the short time he’s been mayor.

In many ways LA is more dynamic, exciting and interesting than it was in the 80s, but the sense of civic cohesion, unity, and pride the city enjoyed under Tom Bradley is less evident today. Part of that is due to the heavy concentration of immigrants and transplants in LA now, but the lack of strong, visionary civic leadership is also a big part of it.

It's a shame that Metro Rail didn't exist during the Bradley era.

[TheRealAngelion]

Originally Posted by Slauson Rosecranz

It's a shame that Metro Rail didn't exist during the Bradley era.

Bradley was largely responsible for Metro Rail's creation. However, it's a shame that more progress hasn't been made with the extension of more subway lines.

[LALady]

Originally Posted by katenik

you mean, he wasn't before? i can't stand him. never could!

lol. I must admit never paid much attention to him before 'the affair'.

[LALady]

Originally Posted by VLWH

I have never seen any person try so hard to get themselves in front of the camera. I swear he must have a camera crew follow him everywhere he goes.

Amen to that! I think he'd run over his granny to get to the camera.

Originally Posted by TheRealAngelion

No, I don’t like Villaraigosa. He’s more interested in higher office and in rubbernecking with the politically powerful than he is in running LA.

Funny how quickly his star waned. He was a superstar when he took office. Do a google seach on all the articles written about him a few years ago. He was considered a possible Governor, then maybe a candidate for president. Not anymore. rumor has it that he might not even run for Governor.

[Slauson Rosecranz]

Originally Posted by TheRealAngelion

Bradley was largely responsible for Metro Rail's creation. However, it's a shame that more progress hasn't been made with the extension of more subway lines.

Indeed.

Making the "Purple Line" it's own separate line was so lame, so desperate.

I mean, c'mon. It only has two stops all it's own.

I just hope the powers that be don't feel the Expo Line makes the Purple Line extension to Santa Monica a redundant endeavor.

Most people I talk to feel it is (redundant).

[CESpeed]

I think they did the color change because a lot of people (tourists) ended up on the wrong train. I guess the signs saying North Hollywood or Wilshire/Western weren't bright enough.

Tom Bradley was a wonderful man who actually cared about the city. When he went to homeless shelters, it wasn't a photo op. And he didn't criminalize being homeless. Hahn might have been boring but he cared and would have been more in the vein of Mayor Bradley. I think L.A. would have been better off with him.