Greuel for City Council

After 30 years of Joel Wachs, voters in Los Angeles’ 2nd City Council District will elect a new council member March 5 and a City Council already roiled by term limits will gain yet another fresh player. The best choice for both the east San Fernando Valley district and the city overall is Wendy Greuel.

Greuel spent 10 years as an aide to the late Mayor Tom Bradley, helping to shape the after-school program LA’s BEST. Her Valley credentials include a four-year stint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where she was the point person for $1 billion in federal disaster assistance after the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Since 1997 she has worked for DreamWorks SKG as liaison to community-based organizations and charities.

None of three candidates in the 2nd District’s December special election won more than 50% of the vote, leaving Greuel and state Assemblyman Tony Cardenas, the top vote-getters, to continue canvassing. Cardenas represents the district’s northeast section in the state Legislature but is up against term limits and looking for another public office. He too has some impressive accomplishments, but also some negatively impressive baggage.

A report released earlier this month by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office found some evidence that Cardenas, who has been a major recipient of Indian gaming contributions, encouraged three tribes to pay for controversial mailers attacking former Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa in last year’s mayoral campaign.

Cardenas, who supported then-City Atty., now-Mayor James K. Hahn, says he is “vindicated” by the report because it does not provide evidence that he was acting on the Hahn campaign’s behalf, which would have violated campaign finance laws. But the report does link Cardenas to some of the nastiest and most divisive advertising in that campaign. That’s the kind of politics Los Angeles needs to eliminate, not encourage.