For Immediate Release: 6 January 2017
Media Contact: Shona Ganguly, shona@lalcv.net
Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters:
Does LA’s 11th District need a lobbyist who worked for Trump on the City Council?
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters — which has fought for pro-environment local leadership for nearly four decades — today issued the following statement regarding Los Angeles City Council candidate Mark Ryavec’s career as a lobbyist and consultant representing a landfill and developers, including Donald Trump, in their fights against their neighbors.
STATEMENT OF LALCV VICE PRESIDENT STEPHANIE MOLEN
“The Los Angeles City Council makes vital decisions impacting local priorities like public health, clean air and water, and quality of life. We need Councilmembers we can trust to stand up for neighborhoods and the environment.
“That’s why the contrast between the rhetoric and the track-record of 11th District candidate Mark Ryavec is so concerning. In challenging Mike Bonin — one of the strongest environmental leaders ever to serve on the Los Angeles City Council — Mr. Ryavec claims to be willing to stand up to developers and other special interests.
“Here’s what he doesn’t say: Mark Ryavec was a paid lobbyist who fought to expand the Sunshine Canyon landfill over the objections of neighbors. He represented businesses before the Coastal Commission. And he represented Donald Trump in his fight to build a 125-story skyscraper on Wilshire Boulevard — one of the tallest buildings in the world — on a site designated for a new school for that neighborhood and the kids who live there.
“So when Mark Ryavec promises ‘reform’ — but doesn’t publicize his career working for Donald Trump and other developers — it’s hard to trust what his real agenda is.
“In contrast, Councilmember Mike Bonin has made his agenda quite clear. His top priority is to put neighborhoods first, and he’s proven his commitment through years of hands-on hard work — meeting, listening, and working closely with residents and community groups to get things done.
“Mr. Bonin is leading the effort to make Los Angeles America’s greenest city. He co-authored a groundbreaking policy committing the city to 100 percent renewable energy to reduce air pollution and carbon emissions that cause climate change; and he is working to ban fracking, to preserve open space, to upgrade storm drains to protect local drinking water, and to prevent the contamination of our beaches and coastline.
“Mr. Bonin was a leader in shaping and securing voter approval of Measure M, to reduce traffic by 15 percent by investing to improve local roads and freeways, synchronize traffic signals, increase bus services and expand light-rail and subways service to more communities. He even instituted a new policy requiring that any new development on Sunset Boulevard — including school renovation projects — be designed to reduce traffic along the corridor.
“That’s is why the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters supports Mike Bonin — and so do the Sierra Club, Mayor Eric Garcetti, Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and more than 900 local neighborhood leaders.”