Public Safety and quality of life.

By Mitch O'Farrell

Quality of life is everything in our residential neighborhoods and our commercial districts. If people don't feel safe, if parents don't feel their children are safe, and if businesses don't feel safe, they don't have a quality of life. Another component to quality of life is a higher standard in our deliver of basic city services. And finally, the ability to plan, fund, and executing capital improvements in our public rights of ways, our parks, and our public institutions.

Over the last ten years, while on staff at the 13th City Council District, I have led several planning and funding efforts to improve major thoroughfares including Eagle Rock Boulevard, Fletcher Drive, Glendale Boulevard, Hollywood Boulevard, Western Avenue, and Sunset Boulevard.

I will: Place a community garden in every distinct neighborhood in the 13th District.

I will: Help get the chronic city budget deficit under control so we can return to trimming trees, resurfacing our streets, alleys and curbs, and rebuilding our sidewalks.

I will: As Councilmember I will do more including planning and funding for Beverly, Melrose, and Santa Monica, and will work to secure state and federal funding for improvements there. I will also see that (the already funded) Sunset Boulevard Streetscape in Silver Lake, the Fletcher Drive Streetscape in Glassell Park, and the Western Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard Streetscapes in East Hollywood are implemented.

I will: Continue my close relationships with all public safety officials and gang intervention specialists to make sure we continue community policing, keeping young people from joining gangs, and offering incentives such as jobs, for at-risk youth and adults to join the mainstream and make something of their lives. All of society benefits when we do this.