Warren Furutani and Paul Koretz: Separated at Birth? Why do People Who Parrot One Another Run for Los Angeles City Council?

By Jill Stewart Thu., Jul. 21 2011 at 3:14 PM

Keith Plocek

Warren Furitani, separated at birth from ... Paul Koretz?

Lots of folks want to run for the Los Angeles City Council District 15 seat being abandoned by Janice Hahn, recently elected to Congress. Voters will probably soon realize that several of the CD 15 candidates sound exactly the same as the current City Council.

The L.A. City Council votes unanimously a lot. Not 50 percent of the time, and not 75 percent of the time, but 99.993 percent of the time, says a respected think tank.

They think alike. There's virtually no room for serious dissent on the Los Angeles City Council. With the flight of the almost always unanimous-voting Janice Hahn, are they also going to start looking alike?

Candidate Warren Furutani is remembered best by some in Los Angeles for doing little of value during his long, seat-warming years on the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education.

During Furutani's era on the LAUSD school board, the schools circled the drain. Virtually no reform was in sight. Things were far worse than today's dismal, but, much more hopeful, situation at LAUSD.

Furutani looks like current City Councilman Paul Koretz, doesn't he?

Is it doubly strange that Koretz and Furutani were both California state legislators?

That both seem to parrot one another?

~~And that both had to/will have to carpetbag inside the L.A. city limits because they didn't/don't actually live in Los Angeles?~~ (Furutani lives in Harbor Gateway, so he won't need to move inside the city limits as did ex-West Hollywood City Councilman Koretz.)

Los Angeles City Council: Dissent is so unpleasant

Early word is that no matter who wins among the candidates to replace Janice Hahn -- two other contenders for her seat are union honcho Pat McOsker and former Councilman Rudy Svorinich Jr. -- the L.A. City Council's unanimous vote rate will remain at or near a disturbing 99.993 percent.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, the election is set for Nov. 8, with a very likely runoff next January because none of these folks will win 50 percent of the vote outright.

There's no media-anointed "favorite" candidate yet, but who knows? City Hall could enter a new era of not only thinking alike, but looking alike.

Tags:

City Council District 15, Janice Hahn, Los Angeles City Council, Paul Koretz, separated at birth

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Guest

Wow Jill Stewart's got a bone to pick huh? I'd love to hear from those Angelians who think Furutani did nothing during his time on the LAUSD. If you follow so cal politics at all, you'd know Furutani has been a staunch fighter for his constituents. Stewart's article screams of having nothing real to write about.

Magali Sanchez-Hall

Somehow this article was published without facts, in reality Warren Furutani has done more than anybody I have ever known. My brother was run over and killed on PCH and Sanford in the city of Wilmington, Assembly member Warren Furutani was the key person to help our community by pushing for a traffic light on that intersection. Please do not give wrong information when he is the only one trying to bring funding to improve our community.

Hawlky

The LA City Council not discriminate on the basis of appearance.

http://www.vivipainting.com/

anonymous

Don't dog owners eventually start looking like their dogs.

Lemon Fresh

Unlike some of the other people who have announced for the City Council election and are moving back into San Pedro, Warren Furutani has lived in the Harbor Gateway -- which is in the City of Los Angeles -- for 20 years. Perhaps his Gardena post office designation confused you. Check a map -- and your facts.