Santa Monica’s Measure LV – the ballot measure to require voter approval of any project taller than two stories, as well as of any zoning or specific plan updates – presents Santa Monica residents with an important decision regarding what kind of city to become. Numerous groups have aligned against Measure LV, noting the negative impacts it would have. Santa Monica Next aptly pointed out that restricting development will not improve commuting times. The Los Angeles Times explained that restricting construction of housing will exasperate Santa Monica’s (and Los Angeles County’s) housing crisis. And the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters noted that the Measure would hamper efforts to improve sustainability and curb regional sprawl.

Bike The Vote L.A. agrees with each of these assessments of the negative impacts of Measure LV. Santa Monica has a crisis of housing affordability, an imbalance between jobs and housing, and an inherited history of car-centric planning. These issues are prime factors that drive congestion within the City limits and on Los Angeles County’s Westside. There are many helpful examples from Southern California and around the country of cities that have implemented a host of planning and policy initiatives in recent years to begin to address congestion – improving transit, biking, and walking as mobility options; providing more housing near jobs; unbundling parking from residences; and implementing congestion pricing – rather than limiting housing supply. Measure LV, in contrast, offers no solutions to relieve traffic.

As a group focused on improving the safety and quality of mobility options as well as the overall livability of cities and neighborhoods, we recognize the need for smart and sustainable development to address issues of housing affordability, equity, and mobility. Measure LV would only make automobile traffic worse and drive up housing prices, while leading to longer and less bikeable commutes for many people in Santa Monica and around the region. Bike The Vote L.A. urges a “NO” vote on Measure LV.

[Click HERE for our full 2016 Santa Monica Voter Guide]

The 2016 Los Angeles County Supervisor election looks to mark a major shift in a historically conservative board toward a new, more progressive governing body. The five-seat Board of Supervisors oversees a $28 billion budget – the largest for any county in the United States – that has huge impacts on Angelenos’ transportation options. Its responsibilities include oversight of L.A. County Metro, the Sheriff’s Department, and public health programs. In unincorporated areas like East L.A. and Marina del Rey, the County’s Public Works Department is directly responsible for street design and engineering, including bike lanes, crosswalks, and other safety measures. With a possible extension to transportation funding pending (Measure R2), the makeup of the Board of Supervisors will have important and long-lasting impacts to mobility within Los Angeles County.

Of five seats on the Board, three are up for election this year, two of which are completely open races without an incumbent running for re-election due to term limits initiated in 2002. District 2 encompasses much of L.A. County’s urban heart, stretching from Carson in the south through South L.A., Inglewood, Culver City, Mar Vista, and most of Central L.A. south of Wilshire Boulevard. District 4 covers the Beach Cities from Marina del Rey down to Long Beach, then stretches through the Gateway Cities region and all the way east to Diamond Bar. District 5 covers parts of the San Gabriel Valley, Glendale, Burbank, Chatsworth, as well as the vast northern reaches of the County, including the San Gabriel Mountains and the Antelope Valley.

Bike The Vote L.A. members have reviewed the candidates for Los Angeles County Supervisor, including public statements, appearances at debates, and responses to questionnaires sent out by local non-profit groups, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and BikeSGV. See below for our grades of candidates for County Supervisor in the 2016 California Primary.

2016 California Primary election: Tuesday, June 7th, 7am-8pm
Find your L.A. County Supervisor District: http://rrcc.lacounty.gov/onlinedistrictmapapp/
Find your polling place: http://lavote.net/locator

District 2: Mark Ridley-Thomas

In District 2, incumbent Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas is running unopposed for re-election in 2016, and could not be more deserving of residents’ votes. Ridley-Thomas has been a leader working to build a better regional transportation system, inclusive of bicycling as a viable mobility option. During his first year of tenure as Chair of the Metro Board of Directors, Ridley-Thomas has steered Metro towards progressive transportation priorities, including the pending implementation of Metro Bike Share in Downtown Los Angeles, community college transit passes, and continued support for CicLAvia and other County-wide Open Streets events. Ridley-Thomas sees bikes as an important component of a healthy transportation system, and the need for bike infrastructure to make roads safer for all users. He pushed (unsuccessfully) for a needed road diet to address speeding and crashes on Angeles Vista through View Park/Windsor Hills. But perhaps the most ambitious and significant of Ridley-Thomas’ advocacy for bicycling has been his vision for the Rail-to-River project: a temporary bike & pedestrian pathway along the Slauson railway right-of-way and adjacent to one of the most dangerous and bike-unfriendly streets in the County. Los Angeles County has taken some great steps towards building a layered transportation system under Mark Ridley-Thomas’ direction. We know he will continue to work toward safer and more livable streets across the County.

Bike The Vote L.A. 2016 Grade: A

District 4: Janice Hahn

A current U.S. Representative and former L.A. City Councilmember, Janice Hahn has a history of consistent support for biking and progressive transportation. While serving on the City Council, she voted for L.A.’s 2010 Bicycle Master Plan. Hahn was the only District 4 candidate to respond to LACBC’s questionnaire, and in her response, she makes it clear that she supports implementation of the County’s own Bicycle Master Plan, protected bike lanes, Bike Share, and Vision Zero. We had some concern with Hahn’s suggestion that traffic congestion might be a target of environmental mitigation rather than vehicle miles traveled (VMT) – the standard that California is working to reposition environmental laws to address. But we have hope that, as Hahn becomes an active player in transportation policy at the County level, she will refine her focus toward solutions that improve the quality of mobility options – not just the convenience of those who currently drive.

Bike The Vote L.A. 2016 Grade: A-

[Click HERE for Janice Hahn’s questionnaire response to LACBC]

 

District 4: Steve Napolitano

Bike The Vote L.A. 2016 Grade: B-

(Steve Napolitano has not yet responded to a questionnaire sent by LACBC)

 

District 4: Ralph Pacheco

Bike The Vote L.A. 2016 Grade: C+

(Ralph Pacheco has not yet responded to a questionnaire sent by LACBC)

District 5: Mitchell Englander

Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitchell Englander has made some great strides on transportation, becoming one of the City of Los Angeles’ strongest advocates for safe streets. Englander led the City’s charge to tackle L.A.’s hit & run epidemic, pushing through a ‘yellow alert’ system for hit & runs and establishing standing rewards to find the culprits. Englander also embraced and helped to implement the City of Los Angeles’ first parking-protected bicycle lane on Reseda Boulevard in Northridge.

Englander was one of only two candidates in the District 5 race to provide a response to a questionnaire sent to all candidates by local bicycle advocacy groups LACBC & BikeSGV. His response showed an excellent understanding of the challenges to providing better mobility options across the region. Englander notes his support for investment in making streets safer, the need for collaboration with individual jurisdictions to provide a connected network of bike infrastructure. He expresses a desire for L.A. County Public Works to generate guidance for roadway design in line with The Model Design Manual for Living Streets, support for Vision Zero, and building equity into transportation decision making. In 2015, we endorsed Mitchell Englander in his re-election campaign to L.A. City Council. Just one year later, he has shown that not only did he deserve that endorsement, but that he has an excellent vision to make L.A. County a safer region with better mobility options.

Bike The Vote L.A. 2016 Grade: A

[Click HERE for Mitchell Englander’s questionnaire response to LACBC & BikeSGV]

 

District 5: Ara Najarian

As a Glendale City Councilmember, past Mayor of Glendale, and a Metro Board Member; Ara Najarian has shown himself as a longtime advocate for transit. He played a lead role in getting Measure R – Los Angeles County’s current major source of transportation funding – on the 2008 ballot. With Measure R, Najarian helped push for the recently opened extension to Metro’s Gold Line. Najarian is a staunch critic of a proposed 710 highway expansion project, understanding it as a poor investment that will only perpetuate more vehicular use and emissions. His efforts in support of transit earned him Streetsblog LA’s 2012 Streetsie Award for Elected Official of the Year. We would like to hear more about how Najarian sees bicycling as a component of a sustainable transportation system, but appreciate the progressive stance on transportation that he will bring to the Board of Supervisors.

Bike The Vote L.A. 2016 Grade: A-

[Update 6/4/2016: Najarian’s response to LACBC/BikeSGV’s questionnaire has been posted. We are encouraged in that he is engaging with the safe streets community and with his suggestion to reallocate existing boulevards to accommodate protected bike lanes. We still would like to see him commit to support for Vision Zero, provide specific implementation goals for the County Bike Plan, and to provide ideas for providing a regional network of connected bike infrastructure.]

(Click HERE for Ara Najarian’s questionnaire response to LACBC & BikeSGV)

 

District 5: Billy Malone

Bike The Vote L.A. 2016 Grade: B+

[Click HERE for Billy Malone’s questionnaire response to LACBC & BikeSGV]

 

District 5: Kathryn Barger

Bike The Vote L.A. 2016 Grade: B-

(Kathryn Barger has not yet responded to a questionnaire sent by LACBC & BikeSGV)

 

District 5: Darrell Park

Bike The Vote L.A. 2016 Grade: B-

(Darrell Park has not yet responded to a questionnaire sent by LACBC & BikeSGV)

 

District 5: Elan Carr

Bike The Vote L.A. 2016 Grade: B-

(Elan Carr has not yet responded to a questionnaire sent by LACBC & BikeSGV)

 

District 5: Raj Pal Kahlon

Bike The Vote L.A. 2016 Grade: C+

(Raj Pal Kahlon has not yet responded to a questionnaire sent by LACBC & BikeSGV)

 

District 5: Bob Huff

Bike The Vote L.A. 2016 Grade: C+

(Bob Huff has not yet responded to a questionnaire sent by LACBC & BikeSGV)

Public outreach over bike lanes installed on Colorado Blvd. has become an issue over the last week in the race for L.A. Council District 14. Former County Supervisor Gloria Molina – who has stated that she does not support reallocating roadway space in order to create bicycle lanes – along with fellow challenger Nadine Momoyo Diaz, have repeatedly accused incumbent Councilmember José Huizar of failing to adequately consider the residents’ and other stakeholders’ input when approving bike lane projects. In particular, Molina referenced Huizar’s 2013 green-lighting of bike lanes and other street safety improvements on Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock as one example of deficient outreach that allegedly did not respect the will of the community.

Following up on these comments at a 2/12 candidate forum co-hosted by the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council (ERNC), ERNC’s president provided a factual accounting of the public process preceding Huizar’s approval of the project as background information to all CD14 candidates’ campaigns (link). The process, as documented by ERNC’s Executive Committee, included at least four public meetings where dozens of speakers weighed in on whether to reallocate space on Colorado, significant outreach, as well as more than 100 letters and emails received by ERNC regarding the project. The ERNC Executive Committee’s Fact Sheet regarding Colorado Blvd. is reproduced here below the fold:

Colorado Boulevard Bike Lanes Fact Sheet

I.
The bike lane story is summed up in the May 24, 2013 Department of City Planning Recommendation Report about bike lanes on Colorado Boulevard and North Figueroa Street. In addition to a comprehensive analysis of the project by the City of Los Angeles, it contains a list of the public meetings held about the project, and a summary of the feedback from those meetings. Specifically mentioned in the document are:

– A public hearing on February 13, 2013 at the Los Angeles River Center at 570 W. Avenue 26.

– A webinar-style public hearing on February 20th, 2013 where interested public could provide feedback on all of the proposed bicycle lanes in Year of the First Five-Year Implementation Strategy.

– Numerous public meetings held by community groups like TERA, Take Back the Boulevard, Council Districts 1 and 14, and the various Neighborhood Councils in those districts where the City of Los Angeles planned to install bike lanes as part of the backbone of the city-wide 2010 Bicycle Plan.

Among those meetings, the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council either held or attended forums specifically about the 3 miles of Colorado Boulevard bike lanes on the following dates:

– ERNC board meeting of March 5, 2013. Agenda is here. The meeting minutes are here. At this public meeting, the ERNC discussed but deferred a vote on the Colorado Blvd portion of the bike lanes, so that even more public input could be gathered at a March 27 meeting held by Councilmember Huizar’s office. As reported in the ERNC newsletter, which is distributed to 1,500 stakeholders, and is reprinted by news organizations and the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment:

“The City of Los Angeles has offered several chances for Eagle Rockers to learn about the possibility of bike lanes on Colorado Boulevard, and what they might mean for traffic speeds, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, health, and commerce. With the help of CD-14, TERA, Take Back the Boulevard, the Chamber of Commerce, and the ERNC, they’re doing it again – this Wednesday, March 27, at 7pm at Occidental College.”

– CD-14 Town Hall meeting on March 27, 2013. The ERNC attended this large public meeting, held by Councilmember Huizar and numerous community groups. (See flyer below.) Here is a link to an Eastsider LA article about the meeting.

– ERNC board meeting of April 2, 2013. Agenda is here. Minutes are here. Over 100 stakeholders attended this public ERNC meeting. As reported in the ERNC newsletter:

“At the April ERNC Board meeting, a packed house (and more!) listened to almost 2 hours’ worth of public speakers, City officials, and ERNC members explain, discuss, and opine on bike lanes along Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock. By the end of the meeting, it was abundantly clear that Eagle Rockers wanted buffered bike lanes installed along the length of Colorado – and soon – and the ERNC voted unanimously (12-0) to support them.”

– CD-14 Town Hall Meeting on June 3, 2013. The ERNC attends another large public meeting held by Councilmember Huizar’s office, which is held after the Planning Department’s report is issued, but before work is begun. It features a revised lane design based on public input at previous public meetings. As reported in the ERNC newsletter:

“The ERNC voted unanimously last April to support the DOT’s buffered bike lane plan for Colorado Boulevard, based on the overwhelmingly positive public input we received from residents and business owners. One of the concerns we heard from individuals and especially businesses was that while bike lanes were a good idea, there were other problems on Colorado that needed to be addressed… Some of you suggested that since all the paint is going to be stripped off the streets when the bike lanes go down, why not use this opportunity to fix a whole host of existing traffic problems? We’ve tried hard to make sure that the good folks at the DOT and Mr. Huizar’s office heard this message – and now they’re coming to town with a revised plan for the bike lanes that is way more specific than it’s been in the past. And they’re asking for your input about the design.”

II.
The ERNC’s vote to support the installation of bike lanes on Colorado Boulevard reflected overwhelming neighborhood support for the project. No vote in the recent history of the ERNC was as well-informed.

– The ERNC received (and read) at least 117 letters and emails specifically about the bike lane implementation plan, from stakeholders who listed their zip codes.

– In addition to dozens of speakers at 4 public meetings attended by hundreds of stakeholders living in Eagle Rock’s 90041, 42, and 65 zip codes, the ERNC heard a report from two board members who personally visited almost every business on the Colorado Boulevard bike lane route, to inform them of upcoming meetings about the bike lanes, and to listen to their opinions.

– The ERNC also separately received a list of 50 Eagle Rock business owners on or near Colorado Boulevard, who signed letters of support for the Colorado Boulevard bike lanes. (See flyer.) Here is a sample of one of the business owner letters.

III.
The ERNC prides itself on informing Eagle Rock stakeholders about important local issues and events, and making sure Eagle Rockers’ voices are heard loud and clear – as well as accurately and proportionally. The Colorado Boulevard bike lane issue was a shining example of how the Neighborhood Council system in Los Angeles can be a vital link between individual stakeholders and their Council District representatives that ensures every voice is heard.

2015 PRIMARIES BIKE-FRIENDLY SLATE CARD:
(see below for summaries)

• L.A. CD4 – Tomás O’Grady, Carolyn Ramsay, Sheila Irani, Steve Veres
• L.A. CD6 – Nury Martinez
• L.A. CD8 – Marqueece Harris-Dawson
• L.A. CD12 – Mitch Englander
• L.A. CD14 – José Huizar, Nadine Diaz
• West Hollywood City Council (pick 3) – John Heilman, Lindsey Horvath, Joe Guardarrama, Tristan Schukraft, John D’Amico, Matt Ralston, James “Duke” Mason
• Burbank City Council (pick 2) – Will Rogers, Sharon Springer, Christopher Rizzotti, Emily Gabel-Luddy
• Pasadena Mayor – Terry Tornek, Jacque Robinson, Jason Hardin
• Pasadena CD1 – Brian Biery
• Glendale City Council – Erik Yesayan

VOTING INFO:

• Election Day for L.A. & West Hollywood is Tuesday, March 3rd. Polls are open 7am-8pm.
• The deadline to register to vote is 2/17. You can even register online: http://bitly.com/btvregister
• Where’s your polling place? Check lavote.net, or call 3-1-1.
• In the City of LA, Early Voting has already started at City Hall and Piper Technical Center (more info).
• City of Burbank Election Day is 2/24 (register by 2/9)
• City of Pasadena Election Day is 3/10 (register by 2/23)
• City of Glendale Election Day is 4/7 (register by 3/23)

ABOUT THIS ELECTION:
The upcoming city elections across Los Angeles County (March 3 for City of L.A.) are Primaries to determine which candidates who will move forward to a run-off (May 19 for City of L.A.). Unless a single candidate gets over 50% of the vote, the two candidates with the most votes will proceed. These local-only elections have exceptionally low voter turnout in Los Angeles, so we as advocates have a chance to have a huge influence on who gets in office. This election is a key moment to help shape how Los Angeles will – or won’t – make streets safer for people walking and bicycling. We need everyone to get out and volunteer for candidates in the next few weeks and, of course, vote on March 3rd (or February 24th in Burbank, March 10th in Pasadena & April 7th in Glendale).

ABOUT US:
Bike the Vote is made up of people who care about the future of Los Angeles. We seek to educate candidates about the importance of bicycling and walking and to support candidates who are committed to improving the safety of our streets. We invite any and everyone (except for paid staff of campaigns) to join our conversation and help make future decisions!

 

 

L.A. CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 4:

Bike-Friendly:
Tomás O’Grady
Carolyn Ramsay
Sheila Irani
Steve Veres

In L.A.’s most competitive council race, there are 14 candidates running to fill the position previously held by bike-unfriendly councilmember, Tom LaBonge. The bad news is that a number of candidates have demonstrated a poor understanding of street safety concepts, and a couple have expressed outright anti-bike prejudice. The good news is that many candidates are becoming more versed in livable streets, and that three candidates stand out as livable streets proponents: longtime safe streets advocate, Tomás O’Grady; one of the leading fundraisers in the race, Carolyn Ramsay; and transportation-savvy candidate, Sheila Irani. Another leading fundraiser, Steve Veres, also provided a thoughtful response to LACBC’s questionnaire (link), and came out in support of the Hyperion Bridge retrofit Option 3. Nonetheless, we’d like to hear more specific comments from Veres on street safety projects.

The race is all-but-guaranteed to go to a May 19th run-off, and so the ideal outcome would be to have two of these four emerge from the primary. Each has slight advantages that make them great candidates.

Advocates in the district are well-acquainted with Tomás O’Grady, a repeat candidate for this seat who was runner-up to LaBonge in 2011, as a leader within the Vision Hyperion group. He sees a future for L.A. as a multi-modal, ‘Vision Zero’ city and has consistently and forcefully stated that he will support reallocating space away from cars to make streets safer for people bicycling and walking (link).

Among the leading pack of candidates, it is encouraging to find a livable streets platform articulated by Carolyn Ramsay, a former CD4 chief of staff. She recently joined O’Grady in taking a stand in favor of a multi-modal Hyperion Bridge, and has communicated a practical approach to building a similar consensus for road diets and other street safety projects throughout CD4. In her response to LACBC, she highlighted a focus on building protected bike lanes in the district and increasing penalties for hit & run drivers (link).

Sheila Irani has the most experience in transportation planning and emphasizes her experience working (unsuccessfully) to build consensus for bike lane projects as a former LaBonge staffer. Having someone on the Council with Irani’s pro-bike attitude and solid expertise would be a boon for safe streets advocates. Some of her responses to LACBC, however, are disappointing (example: “it is a tough sell to get bike lanes on major corridors and I do think we should keep the bike lanes to adjacent streets as much as possible”) (link). If Irani progresses to the runoff, we’d like her to clarify her stance on improving safety, mobility and access for people bicycling and walking, particularly on major corridors.

All three of these candidates are well worth your vote, though personal preference may tip the scale for you one way or the other.

L.A. CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 6:

Bike-Friendly:
Nury Martinez

Sitting councilmember Nury Martinez is the former executive director of Pacoima Beautiful (a pro-complete streets community organization), and is one of our best advocates on the City Council for safe mobility options. With Martinez enjoying wide support, it’s not clear yet how competitive this race will be, but she is well deserving of your vote for a safer San Fernando Valley.

L.A. CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 8:

Bike-Friendly:
Marqueece Harris-Dawson

Marqueece Harris-Dawson leads the fundraising race for CD8 to replace termed-out Councilmember Bernard Parks, and thankfully is as far a departure from Parks as one could get. The former director of Community Coalition, Harris-Dawson has ground-level experience with the district, a focus on improving the lives of community youth, and a fresh, progressive perspective on improving South L.A, including support of bike lane projects (finally!).

L.A. CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 12:

Bike-Friendly:
Mitch Englander

Current councilmember Mitch Englander is running unopposed for CD12, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth pointing out that he has been a consistent supporter of bike lanes in his district and is leading the charge for repair of streets and sidewalks across the city in a way that improves the safety of both pedestrians and people who commute by bike (link). Just recently, Englander authored a motion and worked with LAPD to create a “yellow alert” system for hit & run crimes to address Los Angeles’ hit & run epidemic (link). Englander has been a solid ally for street safety, and we look forward to seeing what he can accomplish in a second term on the Council.

L.A. CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 14:

Bike-Friendly:
José Huizar
Nadine Diaz

The race for Council District 14 is a primarily a grudge match between two powerful figures: sitting Councilmember José Huizar, and termed-out former County Supervisor and all-around political power player, Gloria Molina.

Safe-streets advocates know José Huizar well as a steadfast ally who pushed for My Figueroa when it appeared to be in danger, green-lit Eagle Rock’s buffered bike lanes on Colorado Boulevard, and supported the build-out of Downtown’s network of bike lanes. Huizar has gone further than any other candidate city-wide in making ‘complete streets’ a central component of his platform (link). His response to LACBC’s candidate questionnaire was impressive, including support for an expanded bicycle network and an ‘Yellow Alert’ system for hit & run crimes (link).

Not to be lost in the shuffle is bike-friendly candidate, Nadine Diaz, who is a cyclist herself. While polls last year showed Diaz unlikely to proceed past the March primary, she gave thoughtful responses to LACBC, including a call for stiffer penalties for the perpetrators of hit & runs (link). Her statements that there had been insufficient outreach on bike lanes in NELA, however, have been unfortunate and misinformed.

Molina, on the other hand, has been silent on street safety in this campaign, having neglected to respond to LACBC’s candidate questionnaire (in a familiar fashion to then-candidate Gil Cedillo in neighboring CD1 in 2013). We had hoped that Molina was still the same bike-friendly person who supported annual bike rides for kids in East L.A. (link) and pushed for the Rail-to-River project in South L.A. (link). But after hearing her express opposition to bike lanes installed in CD14, that mobility “isn’t just about bikes and pedestrians,” and that the Downtown renaissance has disrupted automotive access to the area during DLANC/ASNC’s candidate forum; it is clear that Molina does not have road safety interests in mind.

WEST HOLLYWOOD CITY COUNCIL: (3 SEATS)

Bike-Friendly:
John Heilman
Lindsey Horvath
Joe Guardarrama
Tristan Schukraft
John D’Amico
Matt Ralston
James “Duke” Mason

The race for West Hollywood is full of a great deal of candidates who get that safe streets improve the lives of all residents, and only a couple of candidates who think that increasing motor vehicle speeds – to the detriment of everyone’s safety – is a solution for congestion. WeHoVille asked candidates a comprehensive series of transportation-related questions, which resulted in a great deal of thoughtful responses from the majority of candidates (link).

Candidates Tristan Schukraft, James “Duke” Mason, Matt Ralston, sitting Mayor John D’Amico, and Transportation Commission Chair Lindsey Horvath all call for improving walking, biking, and transit as a way to provide convenient mobility options for residents. And while they don’t address bikes specifically in their comments, Mayor Pro Tempre John Heilman & Joe Guardarrama also call for traffic calming and efficient transit options. West Hollywood residents have a great selection of candidates to ensure the city continues on its path towards safer streets. UPDATE: 10 of 12 candidates have provided responses to a questionnaire by the WeHo Bicycle Coalition showing wide support for the 2011 West Hollywood Bike Task Force’s recommendations, primarily from those noted above (link).

BURBANK CITY COUNCIL: (2 SEATS)

Bike-Friendly:
Will Rogers
Sharon Springer
Christopher Rizzotti
Emily Gabel-Luddy

Walk Bike Burbank sent city council candidates a thorough questionnaire and received some great responses from some candidates, and some dreadful responses from others who clearly don’t support goals for safer streets (link). Candidates Christopher Rizzotti (link) and Emily Gabel-Luddy (link) both communicated clear and thoughtful support for safer streets, and could make great advocates on the Burbank City Council.

But responses to Walk Bike Burbank from candidates Sharon Springer and Will Rogers were exceptional in their vision for better mobility options. Sharon Springer explains that an embrace of ‘complete streets’ is the solution to congestion problems that face the district (link). Will Rogers thoughtfully rebuts the flawed logic that existing levels of bicycling don’t warrant new bike lanes, stating, “I believe it’s absolutely critical it be made clear that bicycle and other transportation projects aren’t simply intended to serve a current need, but rather are necessary to make possible the sweeping changes in our habits that are necessary to our future.” (link)

PASADENA MAYOR:

Bike-Friendly:
Terry Tornek
Jacque Robinson
Jason Hardin

The biggest transportation issue in the Pasadena mayoral election is the 710 tunnel, which is universally opposed by all six mayoral candidates. Councilmember Terry Tornek, Vice Mayor Jacque Robinson, and local magazine publisher Jason Hardin have all incorporated safety for people bicycling and walking as elements of their platforms. All three provided promising responses to the Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition’s candidate questionnaire (link).

PASADENA CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 1:

Bike-Friendly:
Brian Biery

Running to fill Jacque Robinson’s position on City Council, Brian Biery gave a thoughtful and thorough response to Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition’s questionnaire (link). Biery has made “Improving Alternate Forms of Transportation” a central issue of his platform, and supports dedicated bike lanes and complete street retrofits throughout District 1. Biery also noted that he supports a Vision Zero initiative to prioritize human life over driving convenience, making him an exceptional candidate for Northeast Pasadena.

GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL: (2 SEATS)

Bike-Friendly:
Erik Yesayan

Former Glendale Planning Commission Chair, Erik Yesayan, is also well known in the livable streets community as the co-founder of Walk Bike Glendale. In addition to prioritizing bike safety projects, Yesayan champions walkable communities within Glendale, and supports adoption of a Pedestrian Safety Master Plan for the city (link). Yesayan would be an exceptional advocate for livability and mobility options in one of L.A. County’s more populous cities.

 

L.A. CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUMS:

1/29: CD4+CD8 Forum (Climate Resolve)
Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/la-city-council-candidates-forum-environment-jobs-and-transportation-tickets-15210176046

2/2: CD4 Forum (Los Feliz Improvement Association)
Link: http://www.lfia.com/?p=2557

2/4: CD4 Forum (Hillside Federation)
Link: http://www.hillsidefederation.org/

2/5: CD4 Livable Streets Forum (Streetsblog LA)
Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/livable-streets-candidates-forum-tickets-15305080909

2/7: CD14 Forum (Boyle Heights Beat)
Link: http://www.boyleheightsbeat.com/boyle-heights-beat-to-host-l-a-council-district-14-candidates-forum-9303

2/7: CD8 Forum (Empowerment Congress Central Area NDC)
Link: https://www.facebook.com/MyECCANDC/posts/403886386446982

2/8: CD4 Wilshire Corridor Debate (Mid City West NC)
Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1685694031656850/

2/11: CD14 Forum (Downtown Los Angeles NC)
Link: https://eventsrsvp.ucla.edu/CD14_Forum/logon.aspx?NoId=Y

2/11: CD6 Forum (Van Nuys NC)
Link: http://vnnc.org/2015/02/vnnc-general-meeting-agenda-february-11-700pm/

2/12: CD14 Debate (Historic Highland Park NC)
Link: http://staging.highlandparknc.com/site/cd14-town-hall-and-debate/

2/15: CD4 Caucus (Los Feliz NC)
Link: http://www.losfeliznc.org/lfnc-announces-cd4-candidate-caucus-on-february-15th-2015/

2/17: CD4 Forum (Greater Toluca Lake NC)
Link: http://www.gtlnc.org/docs/CD4%20Candidate%20Forum.pdf

2/18: CD14 Debate (Pat Brown Institute)
Link: http://www.calstatela.edu/univ/ppa/publicat/cal-state-la%E2%80%99s-pat-brown-institute-co-host-la-city-council-district-14-debate

2/18: CD4 Forum (Laurel Canyon Association)
Link: https://twitter.com/LCAssoc/status/563885230721757184

2/18: CD8 Forum (Hyde Park Operational Partnership for Empowerment)
Link: http://ow.ly/i/8Ge7h

2/19: CD14 Forum (El Sereno Chamber of Commerce)
Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1375530662763230/

2/22: CD10 Forum (Neighborhood News)
Link: http://theneighborhoodnewsonline.net/news/community/1033-cd10-candidates-forum-feb-22-2015

2/23: CD4 Forum (Beachwood Canyon Neighborhood Association)
Link: http://beachwoodcanyon.org/?p=534

2/24: CD4 Forum (Silver Lake NC)
Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/442148149275424/

2/25: CD14 Forum (The Eagle Rock Association)
Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/346833172175404/

2/25: CD4 Forum (Griffith Park Friendship Auditorium)
Link: http://beverlypress.com/2015/02/candidates-to-debate-issues-prior-to-cd4-primary-election/

2/26: CD4 Debate (East Hollywood Neighborhood Council)
Link: http://beverlypress.com/2015/02/candidates-to-debate-issues-prior-to-cd4-primary-election/

2/28: CD8 Forum (South LA Alliance of Neighborhood Councils)
Link: http://slaanc.nationbuilder.com/the-great-8th

….….…..

2/17: DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE
Link: http://bitly.com/btvregister

3/3: MARCH PRIMARY ELECTION
Link: http://lavote.net/locator