Frank Sheftel… Time for a Grassroots City Councilperson?

[User]

Los Angeles - In case you didn’t know, today is a special election day if you live in the valley and vote in City Council District 2. The seat was left vacant by Wendy Gruel getting elected to City Comptroller and tomorrow 10 people are up for the post. The area spans from Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills to Sherman Oaks, Valley Village, Verdugo Hills, North Hollywood to Tujunga.

I’ve only met one of the contenders… Frank Sheftel… a down to earth guy who was born and raised in the Valley and has run several businesses there his whole life, and I like him for several reasons.

For the past twenty years, Frank has owned and run The Candy Factory located smack dab in the district, so he knows the area well. He also owns a couple of rental properties in the area, so is familiar with property ownership issues. But what I really like, is that he’s also a strong community activist… for everyday concerns most people have. He’s not a life-long career politician, firmly planted in the system. He actually seems to want to represent normal people concerns, not big businesses or paybacks to downtown cronies.

But what really catches my fancy is that Frank Sheftel has been a strong voice for services for the valley that benefit the people who live there AND he’s nbeen an educated advocate on the medical marijuana issues that LA County has faced for the past several years. We need someone who has this experience and viewpoint on the City Council. Because heck, as far as I can see, the City Council is slowly but surely eroding and crushing all the rights voters have endorsed to have safe access to medical marijuana dispensaries.

From everything I know and have read about the other contenders, one of the biggest problems is that several others, Christine Essel and Paul Krekorian aren’t locals to the area, (both got addresses in the district in May, perhaps to qualify for this election?) so how can they properly represent the people who live there? They also both happen to be the best funded, so are mowing down their opponents with well financed campaigns.

I know it’s a small election… but getting out there and voting is the only way to get your voice heard… so I’m urging you to get out there and vote if you live in the district.


NewsHawk: User: http://www.420magazine.com/
Source: la.metblogs.com
Author: Tammara
Copyright: 2009 Metroblogging
Contact: Metblogs: Contact
Website: Frank Sheftel… Time for a Grassroots Citycouncilperson? | Los Angeles Metblogs