City Politics with Only Five Days to Go before Election

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After weeks of attacks from four challengers, Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn has struck back at his two top rivals, former Assembly Speakers Bob Hertzberg and Antonio Villaraigosa. Hahn claims they helped create California's energy crisis and made it worse, even though LA's Department of Water and Power was never affected--and those charges being repeated in TV commercials. The Mayor blamed Villaraigosa for voting for energy deregulation. He accused Hertzberg of working with Enron, which was blamed for defrauding California out of millions during the 2001 energy crisis. Hertzberg is said to have returned campaign money received from Enron. Dan Morain of the Los Angeles Times provides some history as well as an analysis of the Mayor's last-minute campaign allegations. Making News: LA's Other City RacesThe race for Mayor isn't the only thing on next week's Los Angeles City Ballot. There are two other citywide races, eight council seats and three seats on the LA Unified School Board. Rick Orlov, who reports from City Hall for the Daily News, has more on several races which, despite minimal press, could swing the face of city government.Reporter's Notebook: To Resort or Not to Resort, Beverly Hills' Measure ADoes a $200 million hotel with 214 rooms, 25 luxury condos and a public garden sound just right for Beverly Hills? Not to opponents of Measure A on Tuesday's ballot, because the Montage Project would be eight stories tall. Between them, the pro- and anti-campaigns are spending $3 million, with turnout expected to be about 7000. That works out to $420 a vote. Norma Zager of the Beverly Hills Courier says emotions on both sides are running high.
After weeks of attacks from four challengers, Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn has struck back at his two top rivals, former Assembly Speakers Bob Hertzberg and Antonio Villaraigosa. Hahn claims they helped create California's energy crisis and made it worse, even though LA's Department of Water and Power was never affected--and those charges being repeated in TV commercials. The Mayor blamed Villaraigosa for voting for energy deregulation. He accused Hertzberg of working with Enron, which was blamed for defrauding California out of millions during the 2001 energy crisis. Hertzberg is said to have returned campaign money received from Enron. Dan Morain of the Los Angeles Times provides some history as well as an analysis of the Mayor's last-minute campaign allegations.
  • Making News: LA's Other City Races
    The race for Mayor isn't the only thing on next week's Los Angeles City Ballot. There are two other citywide races, eight council seats and three seats on the LA Unified School Board. Rick Orlov, who reports from City Hall for the Daily News, has more on several races which, despite minimal press, could swing the face of city government.
  • Reporter's Notebook: To Resort or Not to Resort, Beverly Hills' Measure A
    Does a $200 million hotel with 214 rooms, 25 luxury condos and a public garden sound just right for Beverly Hills? Not to opponents of Measure A on Tuesday's ballot, because the Montage Project would be eight stories tall. Between them, the pro- and anti-campaigns are spending $3 million, with turnout expected to be about 7000. That works out to $420 a vote. Norma Zager of the Beverly Hills Courier says emotions on both sides are running high.

City of Los Angeles Election Division

KCRW's Election Connection to City Council Races

KCRW's Election Connection to LA Mayor's Race

Morain's article on Mayor Hahn going after rivals' energy votes

Beverly Hills Election Information/Measure A

League of Women Voters on Beverly Hills' Measure A

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton