LA City mayoral candidate Garcetti endorses O’ Farrell for CD13

LOS ANGELES – On May 17, LA City mayoral candidate Eric Garcetti endorsed Mitch O’Farrell, to succeed him as the Councilmember representing the 13th Council District.
“Mitch O’Farrell is the best choice to carry on the work I’ve been doing in the 13th District. He deserves your vote,” Garcetti said. “John Choi is a fine public servant with a track record of accomplishment. But Mitch brings unmatched experience in the district to continue our forward momentum,” said a press release from EricGarcetti.com.
“O’Farrell worked in Garcetti’s Council office for ten years and served every part of the 13th District. He worked on creating the Silver Lake Meadow, restoring Echo Park lake, helping small businesses, cleaning up the streets, making communities safer and protecting the unique character of district neighborhoods.”
“13th District neighborhoods like Hollywood, Silver Lake, Echo Park and Atwater Village have been dramatically revitalized during Garcetti’s tenure. Today, the district is ranked number-one in job growth; violent crime is down 2/3; there is an after school program for every school; and there are triple the number of parks – 31 new parks in the district with the least land,” stated the press release further.
Background
Mitch O’Farrell, 52, is long known as Los Angeles mayoral candidate Eric Garcetti’s right hand man. O’Farrell has worked under Garcetti for nine years serving as field deputy, district director before becoming a senior advisor and chief of staff.
O’Farrell is originally from Oklahoma and before finding his calling in politics, traveled the world as a dancer on a cruise ship.
Qualifications
– Northeast Democratic Club President
– “Democrat of the Year” in the 44th California Assembly District.
– Worked with Public Storage Corp., the community, and the city to create the Glassell Park Community and Senior Center.
– Helped knock down a gang-headquarters-house in Glassell Park before convincing Wells Fargo Bank to donate the lot and turn it into a community garden.
– Garcetti’s project coordinator for the $65-million restoration of Echo Park Lake. (LA Times)
Platform
Neighborhood: Improve public transit and implement a bicycle master plan. Plans to allocate greater funding for the arts, resources for children’s education and after-school programs, and more senior centers.
Public Safety: Will not support any plan to reduce the number of officers on the street. He plans to hire more officers.
Business: Focus on creating more small businesses for entrepreneurs.
“I am an on-the-ground kind of guy,” O’Farrell said at a recent debate. “I will have more staff in the field than at City Hall.”
Other endorsements
CD1 City Councilman Ed Reyes, La Opinion and The Los Angeles Times (AJPress, with reports from Joseph Pimentel)