Six of the seven candidates to replace disgraced L.A. City Councilmember Nury Martinez participated Thursday in a forum focused on transportation and mobility. It was the first time the candidates had appeared together in the campaign.
Martinez resigned in October amid outrage over her racist, homophobic and anti-Indigenous remarks during a secretly recorded conversation.
Council District 6 sits in the San Fernando Valley, stretching from Sun Valley west past the 405 Freeway to Lake Balboa. One of 15 council districts, it includes parts of Arleta, North Hollywood, North Hills, Panorama City, Van Nuys, and Sun Valley. You can read more about the candidates here.
Nobody mentioned Martinez by name, but there were subtle references to the scandal.
“The time is now to reset and make meaningful changes,” said Isaac Kim, who runs an online men’s grooming and skin care business. “Let’s regain the trust of our community and use local government for the good of all people in our district and the city.”
“It’s time we have a leader that will step up and make sure that our constituents in Council District 6 and the city of Los Angeles not only survive but thrive,” said Marco Santana, who is director of engagement at LA Family Housing.
The forum covered a wide range of issues from adding protected bike lanes to improving public transportation to reducing traffic-related deaths. Each candidate expressed support for making the district less car-centric.
“You shouldn’t have to feel like you need a car to get around L.A.,” said Antoinette Scully, a national organizer for the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation. “We need to expand public transit in ways that are equitable for everyone.”
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