Zev won?t run for LA Mayor

Zev Yaroslavsky this morning announced that he would not seek the office of the Mayor of Los Angeles next year; he will remain on the Board of Supervisors until his final term there ends in 2014.

Mr. Yaroslavsky made his intentions clear sooner than later, just as he promised WeHo News in an exclusive interview ten days ago.

At that time, he said, ?I make no? give no deadlines, no dates, but sooner rather than later.?

Less than two weeks later, he said he had decided; he would ?complete my current term on the board and then move on to the other things?? He said he had given the issue great thought in a posted announcement on his web blog.

?For many months, I?ve been wrestling with one of the most difficult decisions of my political life?whether to run for the office of Mayor of Los Angeles.

?I?ve been urged to enter next year?s race by friends, supporters and residents throughout the city,? he said, ?and I?ve been humbled and touched by the confidence they?ve placed in me.?

?

Although restating his dislike of term limits, he had to admit that ?four decades is long enough for any citizen to hold elective office.?

Starting public life early, Mr. Yaroslavsky?s first action gaining him public notice was as a 21-year-old UCLA student orchestrating high-profile protests against oppressive treatment of Jews in the Soviet Union.

He ran for LA City Council in 1975, beating the establishment?s pick and stunning the city?s politicians.

Running for a vacant seat in 1994, he won election to the County Board, also known as the ?five dauphins,? Mr. Yaroslavsky represents the Third Supervisorial District of Los Angeles County, which encompasses the cities of?Malibu,?Santa Monica,?West Hollywood,?Calabasas, as well as most of the western?San Fernando Valley?and other portions of the City of?Los Angeles.

In his statement he also said, ?I?m a lifelong resident of Los Angeles, a city facing serious challenges and opportunities.

?I have no doubt that, with my expertise and experience, I could help transform L.A.?s fortunes. In the end, however, it is this very length of service that has tipped the scales for me.

?

?By the end of my current term on the Board of Supervisors in December, 2014, I will have served the people of the city and county of Los Angeles for nearly 40 eventful, productive and fulfilling years.

?Beginning as a 26 year-old councilman, I have quite literally come of age in public life at the forefront of Los Angeles? most critical issues.

?Simply put, it?s time for a new generation of leaders to emerge and guide this region into the future.

He said in the letter that his staff and he ?will give our all during the next 27 months to get the job done.?

According to initial reactions in the media, his bowing out of the race is likely to help LA City Controller Wendy Greuel?s campaign make headway with funders and consultants.

Still, removing the momentous obstacle of a Zev Yaroslavsky campaign redounds to Council member Eric Garcetti?s campaign for mayor.

With several others of some visibility, such as developer Rick Caruso, in the race, Mr. Yaroslavsky?s decision to not throw in opens up helps them to increase their public profile.

According to various reports, the Supervisor began to call backers and supporters he had kept on the fence last night to let them know of his intentions.

?

Source: http://wehonews.com/z/wehonews/Pages.php?choice=7169

sofia vergara april 9 albatross louis oosthuizen phil mickelson 10 year old gives birth c. difficile