League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Los Angeles County, CA March 5, 2013 Election
	Octavio Pescador Answers Questions Candidate for Council Member; City of Los Angeles; District 13

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What do you think is the single most important issue facing the City of Los Angeles today? As Council Member, what would you do to deal with it?

Los Angeles is facing a dire fiscal situation. My top priority is to increase revenue for the City by creating good, green and safe jobs. I will establish strategic public-private partnerships to improve productivity, efficiency and effectiveness in City Hall. We will gradually scale back the gross sales receipt tax, promote the permanent extension of tax incentives for film production, and attract green real estate/infrastructure investments. We will accomplish this while safeguarding the safety of Angelenos and the rights of public employees and their families.

2. The City Administrative Officer has estimated a $200M budget shortfall for 2013-2014 increasing to $300M in 2015-2016. What steps do you propose to deal with this problem, and how much do you estimate each step would reduce the shortfall?

The City's CAO and the Coalition of LA City Unions engaged in a very informative debate last year. Sound arguments were advanced by both sides and a compromise was reached during negotiations. Based on what I learned from their respective analyses I would focus on two items: a) Adopting a zero-based approach toward the use of carry-over encumbrances and requiring City departments to justify the maintenance of prior year encumbrances. (Circa $60 M). b) Implement recommendations made by the 2010 Commission on Revenue Efficiency (Up to $25 M per year with a potential of $100 M revenues/savings annually).

3. Do you support the ballot measure to increase the sales tax in the city?

I support progressive taxing that incentivizes local job creation. The current proposal doesn't fit such criteria.

4. What role do you feel the City of Los Angeles has to play in addressing climate change? Please explain in terms of what you as a city councilmember would have the power to do.

The City plays a critical role in addressing climate change. I will champion the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability's "Vision 2021 LA: A Model Sustainability Agenda for Los Angeles' Next Mayor and City Council." http://www.environment.ucla.edu/media/files/Vision_2021_LA.pdf

5. How would you prioritize your local constituency versus the City as a whole when acting as a Council Member?

Public service is a privilege and City Council is a key institution for the well being of the people. Council members are obliged to reconcile the specific interests of neighbors and the public good of the City. There are specific projects that offer a benefit to millions of residents while imposing a heavy burden on a household or community. Effective public servants find a way to mitigate the negative impacts to individuals while maximizing the benefits to the majority of the population. Not everyone ends up happy in such circumstances yet as long as processes are transparent and driven by a spirit of good faith, the mandate of a public servant retains its legitimacy.

---

Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Candidate Page || Feedback to Candidate || This Contest
SmartVoter Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter

---

Created from information supplied by the candidate: January 5, 2013 07:08
Smart Voter <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund   http://www.lwvc.org
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.