Gould Discusses Issues Vital to CD 15

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By Noel Gould, Candidate for Council District 15

I’m Noel Gould and I’m running for Council District 15. Our district is terminally ignored and our council office is totally ineffective. Enough! It’s time for a CHANGE! I, with my staff, will host town hall meetings every two weeks in order to listen to you. Then we’ll work together to find creative solutions.

San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City, Harbor Gateway and Watts voters have been tricked for the past five years by incumbent Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino, who has not only deliberately failed to respond to community concerns about the homeless issue and inconsistent over-development of our communities, but has also completely failed to provide the necessary police support and crime suppression. These failures, according to Los Angeles Police Department’s COMPSTAT Harbor Area and Southeast area reports, have increased total violent crimes by 45 percent in the past two years: a 400 percent increase in rapes in the last month of 2016 alone, a 200 percent increase in shooting victims, and a 100 percent increase in murders this past year. But arrests are down 190 percent. So Joe just doesn’t care.

That’s why I decided to run for council: because Joe is killing our community with bad decisions, or indecisiveness. He is a also perfect example for why Measure S should pass to help slow the out-of-control and inconsistent development in our region.

Buscaino, a former LAPD senior lead officer, has the know-how to address safety and police-related issues. But he’s failed to deliver and he must be defeated! Joe no longer has a “cop mentality” about service; he’s now a full-fledged “developer pimp,” who receives large contributions from developers and gives them whatever they want, even if, it means ignoring zoning laws, and the health and safety of his constituents.

One classic example of Joe’s “dirty deeds” is now under investigation by the Los Angeles County District Attorney. It involves the “Sea Breeze” housing project he and Mayor Eric Garcetti jammed into the middle of an industrial zone near Harbor UCLA Medical Center. According to the Los Angeles Times, Joe took almost $95,000 from the developer, Garcetti took $60,000, and former Councilwoman (and now County Supervisor) Janice Hahn took more than $200,000 then changed the zoning laws so that the project could go forward. The city’s Planning Commission even opposed the project 100 percent, but Buscaino and Garcetti, as Hahn before them, caved in to the developer.

“The Times reports that a spokesperson for DA Jackie Lacey confirms the office is reviewing the donations.”

“After the Planning Commission voted unanimously not to recommend the project, the council approved it anyway, with crucial support from Garcetti and Buscaino,” the article read. “Both Garcetti and Buscaino … received sizable contributions from associates of the project’s developer.”

Another example of Harbor Area residents suffering from Joe’s inaction: Harbor Division lost 30 officers to other parts of Los Angeles and Joe has refused to fight to get them back. Six years ago, when the new Harbor Division station was built, it came with a state-of-the-art jail that’s NEVER BEEN OPENED. Even the LAPD officer’s union has supported protests by port area locals demanding staffing for the jail.

Your safety is at stake because when local officers arrest a suspect, they have to drive to 77th Street Station at Florence and Broadway to book the arrestee. They have to do their paperwork there as well, which means they’re out of service here at home for 4 to 5 hours! If you call for help and our cops are in Los Angeles booking suspects, you are at great risk of harm or death.

Buscaino could have fought to get the jail staffed, but he’s too busy trying to cram high-end condo high-rises onto San Pedro lots that have always housed single-family residences. And, by the way Wilmington, Watts and Harbor City — YOU’RE NEXT!

Joe’s cozy relationship with billionaire developers and the District Attorney’s investigation are now on full display. That’s one big reason why Measure S on the March 7 ballot is so important.

For 20 years, the Los Angeles City Council has refused to update the Los Angeles General Plan that determines zoning in our neighborhoods. As a result, these billionaire developers from New York, Miami, Canada and Australia are opposing Measure S. They want to turn all of Los Angeles into a skyscraper skyline, right here, in earthquake country; and, here in the Harbor Area from Wilmington to Cabrillo Beach.

Measure S simply tells the city it has two years to finally update that 20-year-old general plan or it can’t give special zoning favors to billionaires like Buscaino has been doing.

Measure S does not affect the building of affordable housing or housing for the homeless. And if you build on a lot and comply with current zoning, Measure S doesn’t affect you either.

However, if you want to slam a 14-story luxury condo project like Joe wants to squeeze in between the Beach City Grill at 6th and Nelson, and Neil’s Pasta & Seafood at 5th and Nelson, in downtown San Pedro making NO street parking available, Measure S says:

“No, you’re in violation of San Pedro’s local community plan.”

Measure S stops Joe from these kinds of “political favors” in exchange for money from his out-of-state and foreign billionaire-developer sugar daddies.

I support Measure S and I oppose everything Buscaino stands for because he is more committed to special interests and his dream of becoming Los Angeles’ next Mayor than taking care of crime and unacceptable developer- raping of our communities by his billionaire pals.

“And why hasn’t Joe Buscaino done something about the homeless problem?”

That’s an easy answer: The more homeless on the street, the faster property values drop and the cheaper the property deals his developer pimps can receive.

I’m Noel Gould and I will open new communication channels with every community in the 15th Council District every two weeks during my term. My staff and I will make sure we hear YOUR concerns, and you will be able to hold us accountable on a constant basis for our promises.