Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman addressed Pacific Palisades residents Sunday at a community open mic political forum, promising dedicated governance and transparent community involvement in ongoing fire recovery efforts.<\/p>\n
The August\u00a023 forum, hosted by the Palisades Recovery Coalition in the parking lot behind the Palisades Garden Caf\u00e9 and PRC headquarters, brought together candidates for state, local and judicial offices and a crowd of more than 50 attendees.\u00a0Raman was the sole L.A. mayoral contender present.<\/p>\n
During her allotted five minutes of remarks, Raman focused on wildfire recovery and city accountability.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to make sure that you have real governance here that can help recovery happen in an organized way\u2014whether it\u2019s securing funding for this area, whether it\u2019s making sure that your property-tax dollars can go into the community,\u201d Raman said.<\/p>\n
Following opening remarks, the event transitioned into an informal session where residents spoke directly with candidates.\u00a0Raman fielded questions on homelessness, anti-Semitism, disaster recovery and city services, defending her platform to those with whom she spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many people here in the Palisades have felt like this mayor\u2019s office has abandoned them,\u201d Raman said, adding that her goal as mayor would be to restore trust in city government during the rebuilding process.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople here have faced unimaginable tragedy\u2014they\u2019ve lost faith in government, they\u2019ve lost faith in our mayor\u2019s office and they\u2019ve lost faith in the city of Los Angeles,\u201d said Raman. \u201cMy humble goal is to become a mayor who restores their faith in a city that stands with them on the tough road to rebuilding and recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n
Raman said she would look to groups like the Palisades Recovery Coalition to formalize feedback in a transparent manner to ensure Palisadians maintain a voice in recovery planning.<\/p>\n
Candidates competing for California\u2019s 24th State Senate District seat also pitched their credentials to voters.<\/p>\n
Brian Goldsmith, who grew up in nearby Brentwood, emphasized his connection to the area and advocated for a staff member dedicated exclusively to recovery in the Palisades and Malibu.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s extraordinarily important,\u201d Goldsmith said. \u201cEven as the rest of the world moves on, whoever gets elected needs to keep this community in front of their mind. They need to have one dedicated staff person who is focused on nothing but Palisades and Malibu rebuilding.\u201d<\/p>\n
His opponent, John Erickson, cited his 15 years in local government and called for stronger coordination among state, county and city agencies.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe state, the county, the city\u2014we all need to work together, because government right now is failing all of you,\u201d said Erickson. \u201cGovernment needs experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event also featured candidates Deborah Klein Lopez and Ted Nordblum, who are running to represent California\u2019s 42nd Assembly District, as well as candidates for California Superior Court seats.<\/p>\n
Residents expressed appreciation for the open-dialogue format, noting it offered direct access beyond typical campaign presentations.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very helpful,\u201d said Cristine Card, a resident of Pacific Palisades. \u201cIt was important that we talk to Nithya Raman\u2014we have a lot of questions about her positions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hugh Slavitt, a Palisadian displaced by the fires, showed up with similar expectations to cut through political chatter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been going through a year and a half of dealing with dysfunctional government that either punts or kicks the can down the road,\u201d said Slavitt. \u201cI\u2019m here trying to ask questions to get these politicians\u2019 attention.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maryam Zar, founder and president of the Palisades Recovery Coalition, organized the series to offer residents direct access to prospective leaders.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal is simple: Create a space for honest dialogue, thoughtful listening and meaningful civic engagement as our community rebuilds,\u201d said Zar.<\/p>\n