2013 Los Angeles Mayor Race: Who Has the Best Chance of Replacing Antonio Villaraigosa?

Are LA voters angry enough to change the current administration at Los Angeles City Hall??? LA voters in the March 2011 Elections voted for incumbents - People do not care, why??? Why do we think LA city election on March 5, 2013 will be any different??? I would think with the poor performance and dismal track record by the current administration, the voters would demand to change the current administration at LA City Hall.4 of the current LA Mayoral candidates are mostly recycled LA City Council members who have proven themselves unworthy by their repeated failure to solve the City’s problems and Council staff members who have demonstrated their loyalty and obedience to their pockets, like well-trained dogs. The performance of the current administrations borders on criminal neglect.In order to move forward, we must educate the voters, let them know that the current administration goals are business as usual, there will be no significant changes and the city will be heading into bankruptcy.  The escalating costs of pensions and benefits will drain most of the city budget as we head into 2020. The increased taxes and fees on residents and businesses will push people and businesses to leave the city. This again will reduce revenues to the city.The city must initiate an austerity program. Cut salaries and benefits across the board, increase efficiency and performance. The Police Department should utilize civil service employees for clerical work, not Police Officers. The city must tighten its belt and reduce taxes and fees, streamline bureaucracy. Promote the health of existing businesses and actively go after new businesses.  Any city employee who is not performing his job to standards should be put on suspension without pay or benefits and if such action has not improved the workers performance, the worker/employee should be terminated.  The city must utilize its most expensive resource, its employees more efficiently, promote a good work environment and reward exceptional performance.  People must realize that if they do not do their job, they will have no job and no means of support. The city must streamline management and reduce management costs. A high administrative cost is not prudent and not sustainable. LA’s employee costs are one of the highest in the country.  We need a change in attitude, and that starts at the top. As they say in good leadership, “follow me”. The main question is, why LA voters don't care, why they are resigned to accept failure and diminishing LA city services. Can we not find a leader who will motivate City Hall and initiate hard choices to bring the city to financial health? City elections should be held on the first Tuesday of November with all the other elections to Federal, County & State.It will reduce costs and increase voter turnout.The peoples brigade for honest government  YJ Draimanhttp://www.yjdraimanformayor.c...  PS“The choice we face in Los Angeles and as a nation is simple: Do we want the clean energy and conservation technologies of tomorrow to be invented in America by American innovators, made by American workers and sold around the world, or do we want to concede those jobs to our competitors?”  Asks Energy Specialist YJ Draiman. “We can and must compete for those jobs.”  In Los Angeles, we have the technology, the climate, the resources and the manpower. Let us proceed with conviction. YJ Draiman http://www.yjdraimanformayor.c...

No clear lead for Los Angeles Mayoral Candidates  YJ Draiman, a relatively unknown candidate for Mayor, found himself in a prime position on the lineup with an audience that was his, and he faced that opportunity by driving his point’s home with a forceful presentation that was persuasive in its delivery.

In a clear demonstration of his compassion for the audience, he capitalized on opportunities to relax and revel in the supportive nature, punching campaign bullet points for the audience, challenging the current administration responsible for standing in the way of success. YJ Draiman’s vision is to make Los Angeles the World Capital of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.Kevin James found himself in the unenviable position of addressing a restless audience and he turned it around by wrangling their discontent and rallying them around his observation, “As the sixth speaker, I get to listen to the others talk about what’s wrong with LA and now we get to talk about solutions. Kevin stated numerous times that only Draiman’s speech mirrored many of his points.” http://www.yjdraimanformayor.c...

WHO WILL BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES? YJ Draiman?The next Mayoral candidate to address the audience at Holman Mayoral Forum on March 6, 2012, was YJ Draiman. Curiously, prior to last night, he’d received little publicity in the Los Angeles media. But based on his Presentation and the emails I’ve received from him, Draiman campaign for Mayor should be taken seriously.He’s an elected member of the Northridge East Neighborhood Council. He’s now working on a Doctorate in Energy Conservation and, as he told the audience last night, he thinks Los Angeles must become exceptionally business friendly – that it must rejuvenate manufacturing, and that to do all this, the City must make full use of its natural resources,(an idea he promises to explain at a later time, elaborating on his vision to make Los Angeles the World Capital for Renewable Energy, Energy efficiency & Water conservation in LA). YJ Draiman’s vision for Los Angeles is to make LA the World Capital for Renewable Energy, Energy efficiency & Water conservation.http://www.yjdraimanformayor.c...

WHO WILL BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES? YJ Draiman?The next Mayoral candidate to address the audience at Holman Mayoral Forum on March 6, 2012, was YJ Draiman. Curiously, prior to last night, he’d received little publicity in the Los Angeles media. But based on his Presentation and the emails I’ve received from him, Draiman campaign for Mayor should be taken seriously.He’s an elected member of the Northridge East Neighborhood Council. He’s now working on a Doctorate in Energy Conservation and, as he told the audience last night, he thinks Los Angeles must become exceptionally business friendly – that it must rejuvenate manufacturing, and that to do all this, the City must make full use of its natural resources, (an idea he promises to explain at a later time, elaborating on his vision to make Los Angeles the World Capital for Renewable Energy, Energy efficiency & Water conservation in LA). YJ Draiman’s vision for Los Angeles is to make LA the World Capital for Renewable Energy, Energy efficiency & Water conservation.http://www.yjdraimanformayor.c...

Another candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles is YJ Draiman, an elected member of Northridge East Neighborhood Council, is an Energy efficiency and Utilities audit expert. Promises a no nonsense approach to government with extensive cuts and increased efficiencies. YJ Draiman's vision is to make Los Angeles as the World Capital of Renewable energy and conservation.http://www.yjdraimanformayor.c...

My name is YJ Draiman and I am running for mayor of Los Angeles How can you have patience for people who claim they love America, but clearly can't stand Americans?  Los Angeles is a City that needs clear and coherent thinking to address the budget, the economy, city services. It needs a responsible attentive government, address unemployment and make Los Angeles business friendly with streamlined rules and regulations with reduced bureaucracy. We've got serious problems, and we need serious people, with no hidden agenda just represent the interests of the people of Los Angeles. My name is YJ Draiman and I am running for Mayor of Los Angeles.  PS. We need a city that enforces the current laws, promotes good education, respects the constitution, protects its citizens and make the city conducive to new business and employment - not milk its citizens with additional taxes and fees. Peoples concern today is: FSJHE – Food, Shelter, Jobs, Healthcare and Education

"Businesses fleeing." -- Good. Perhaps LA will lead the way for California succession and pro-socialism, egalitarianism. As opposed to our tradition of corrupt business and government that serves the rich, particularly real estate interests. While these interests are the core cause of poverty. Reduce inflation. That's what LA, and world capitalism needs. A reduction of capitalism, greed in world and local affairs. The sooner conservatives split town and state, the better. White bigots like Lightnapper and brethren DO NOT serve the better interests of citizens at large. In fact, they are, and have always been the main problem in the US. From witch burning to Prop 13, white Christians have proven to be Neanderthal in their consistent, abusive social behavior. The world needs a new way, a new role model to replace conservative, white-centered, isolationist economic, foreign policy etc. Graffiti often is an indication of gangs and violence, but more importantly, messages sent out to the world about mistreatment of people via greed. Gang violence is an example of the ills of economic polarity, where the rich don't give a crap about anybody but themselves and their greed. If you got rid of every Californian worth more than a million dollars (all millionaires+) the state would plummet into poverty and its population would be drastically reduced. What then? Violence and cannibalism throughout the land? I think not. More likely, good people (always the vast majority: "All creatures in the universe know the difference between right and wrong." -Prot, K-Pax) would come together and rebuild it better.

"white flight" is probably a good thing, anyway

@ Lightnapper: "Perpetual non-stop sidewalk/yard sales.."  -- What the ?

No matter who is elected, LA will continue to decay and to decline-- a social-political-economic free fall. White Flight. Businesses fleeing. Economic blight. Over-development. Corruption. Failing infrastructure. Open Borders, at least up to the Sheriff's jurisdiction. Rich Councilpersons. DWP rip-offs, Pot-holes. Gangbangers. Uninsured motorists. Unlicensed and unregulated street vendors. Blackmarket construction economy. Taco Truck blight. Illegal dumping. Rampant Graffitti. Perpetual non-stop sidewalk/yard sales. Did I miss anything? Oh yeah, the next mayor! At this point, who cares? LA needs another rich, entrenched politician like it needs another on-the-take LA City Building Inspector.

Patrick, my apologies to James and Draiman, otherwise stay tuned. We ll know in a couple of months, wont we?

He hasn't come out yet but at many meetings all over everyone is talking about Rick Caruso. Austine Beutner is considered an outsider and a corrupt DWP manager who allowed over 80 top staffers to get paid high salaries, allowed city employee transfers sneakily and didn't do anything positive for city. He has no name recognition. The saying from community members all over is NO ONE FROM CITY HALL. Why further promote incompetence for the clowns who have run our city to the ground. Rick Caruso is smart, successful and has great sense of how to work with people. The nay sayers will say he's a developer but he had the guts to get rid of Bitter Bernie who destroyed LAPD dept. and we lost 1,000 officers. Rick has done a lot of Latinos yet isn't like Broad wanting the world to know about it. He's connect in the city and has cared enough to help a lot of organizations and that rarely comes out in public. View his interview with Dave Bryant on Channel 35 and you'll see why I support him.http://www.lacityview.org/roun...

Hi Patsaouras,

You just may be right, but it should be pointed out that talk show host Kevin James, community activist YJ Draiman, and L.A. City Controller Wendy Greuel have filed papers and will run for mayor. It's interesting you're so confident that LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky will enter the race--do you have some kind of inside line? The experts I talked to are not sure about that at all.

Take care,Patrick Range McDonald,LA Weekly

Press is full of shit. They have the usual suspects, Latino, Black Jew, Republican, woman, and white man. The race will shape up with only Yaroslavsky, Perry and Beutner running.