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Los Angeles Daily News, CA
Article Published: Sunday, April 03, 2005 - 12:00:00 AM PST
Democracy in action
Glendale shows L.A. how it's done
For residents of Los Angeles, it's easy to despair about the state of our
democracy. Few of our voters bother to turn out to the polls. Prominent
politicians go unchallenged in municipal elections. Deep-pocketed special
interests determine who runs and, by extension, who wins.
But there are real signs of democracy in action right next door in Glendale,
which is holding city elections this Tuesday.
On the Glendale ballot there are more than 40 candidates seeking eight
offices. That's as many candidates as ran for more than twice as many
offices in Los Angeles' March mayoral primary.
In four Glendale City Council races, there are a whopping 19 candidates.
Compare that with the 17 candidates who ran for eight council seats in L.A.
Three L.A. City Council incumbents - Alex Padilla, Eric Garcetti and Janice
Hahn - actually went unopposed.
In Glendale, nine candidates are seeking three spots on the school board. In
L.A., the three school board races all featured incumbents who faced no
opposition whatsoever, as did City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo. In Glendale,
nine candidates are running for city clerk.
Why the enormous discrepancy?
In part, it's Glendale's strong immigrant communities. This year's ballot
includes candidates from Cuba, Iran, England, the Philippines, Lebanon,
Germany, Armenia, Nicaragua and Hong Kong. Foreign-born Americans tend to
appreciate the openness of this country's political institutions far more
than native-born citizens who have come to take it for granted.
Another part of the explanation is the institutions themselves.
In Los Angeles, where council districts are enormous and the city is larger
than several states, seeking municipal office is untenable to anyone without
vast resources. And because political favors and lucrative deals are readily
sold in City Hall, unions, developers and other special interests gladly
bankroll the campaigns of the well-connected. The result is that
citizen-populists are forced to run pointless gadfly campaigns, or, as is
more often the case, sit out the process altogether.
No wonder voters feel disenfranchised and cynical.
Yet in watching Glendale's democracy thrive, we can get an idea of how to
make democracy work in L.A., starting with devolving power down to the most
local level and ending the corrupt system of "pay-to-play" politics.
Voters in L.A. ought to learn from Glendale's experience and follow their
neighbor's example.
Article Published: Sunday, April 03, 2005 - 12:00:00 AM PST
Democracy in action
Glendale shows L.A. how it's done
For residents of Los Angeles, it's easy to despair about the state of our
democracy. Few of our voters bother to turn out to the polls. Prominent
politicians go unchallenged in municipal elections. Deep-pocketed special
interests determine who runs and, by extension, who wins.
But there are real signs of democracy in action right next door in Glendale,
which is holding city elections this Tuesday.
On the Glendale ballot there are more than 40 candidates seeking eight
offices. That's as many candidates as ran for more than twice as many
offices in Los Angeles' March mayoral primary.
In four Glendale City Council races, there are a whopping 19 candidates.
Compare that with the 17 candidates who ran for eight council seats in L.A.
Three L.A. City Council incumbents - Alex Padilla, Eric Garcetti and Janice
Hahn - actually went unopposed.
In Glendale, nine candidates are seeking three spots on the school board. In
L.A., the three school board races all featured incumbents who faced no
opposition whatsoever, as did City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo. In Glendale,
nine candidates are running for city clerk.
Why the enormous discrepancy?
In part, it's Glendale's strong immigrant communities. This year's ballot
includes candidates from Cuba, Iran, England, the Philippines, Lebanon,
Germany, Armenia, Nicaragua and Hong Kong. Foreign-born Americans tend to
appreciate the openness of this country's political institutions far more
than native-born citizens who have come to take it for granted.
Another part of the explanation is the institutions themselves.
In Los Angeles, where council districts are enormous and the city is larger
than several states, seeking municipal office is untenable to anyone without
vast resources. And because political favors and lucrative deals are readily
sold in City Hall, unions, developers and other special interests gladly
bankroll the campaigns of the well-connected. The result is that
citizen-populists are forced to run pointless gadfly campaigns, or, as is
more often the case, sit out the process altogether.
No wonder voters feel disenfranchised and cynical.
Yet in watching Glendale's democracy thrive, we can get an idea of how to
make democracy work in L.A., starting with devolving power down to the most
local level and ending the corrupt system of "pay-to-play" politics.
Voters in L.A. ought to learn from Glendale's experience and follow their
neighbor's example.