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Politics & Government

Candidate Q&A: Tristan Schukraft

The West Hollywood City Council candidate says his success in business and experience traveling the world will be an asset in improving West Hollywood.

With the March 5 election fast approaching, candidates for West Hollywood City Council shared their thoughts with Patch on the election and issues affecting the community.

West Hollywood Patch: What personal characteristics and experiences set you apart from the other candidates?

Schukraft: The City of West Hollywood is a business, and its residents, business owners and visitors are its customers. I started my company with a $10,000 loan and grew it into a 24/7 operation with 111 employees on four continents, with clients that span the globe. I understand how to balance a budget, and more importantly listen to my customer. I understand the challenges of small business as well as large multi-national corporations.

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In building my company I was fortunate enough to travel world several times over, visiting 79 countries. I’ve also had the opportunity to live in Milan, Amsterdam, Hong Kong and most recently Cordoba, Argentina. I was able to experience many things and see how people lived in other parts of the world, which has given me many of my ideas for improving West Hollywood.  

Patch: How would those characteristics and experiences define your term on the city council?

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Schukraft: The city needs someone who is willing to listen, think outside the box and put its residents and business owners first. As a member of the city council, I will leverage my technology background to ensure efficiency, accountability through programs and solutions that encourage its residents to stay involved while ensuring the city maintains fiscal responsibility. 

I will take my experiences traveling and living in other places and use them to improve the quality of life here in West Hollywood. For example, in Hong Kong they have “mini buses.” They run along a specific route, traditionally the main thoroughfare, but they do not run on a schedule nor do they have pre-defined spots. All one has to do is wave it down, just as they would a taxi. I’d like to introduce a similar concept here that runs a continuous loop along Santa Monica Blvd and the Sunset Strip, where one can ride from La Brea to Doheny for a $1. If we can introduce simple, easy-to-use and attractive public transportation, people will respond. This will make West Hollywood a more tourist-friendly destination. Giving party-goers access to such transportation will reduce the need for parking in congested nightlife areas, noise in nearby neighborhoods, reduce the incidences of drunk driving and support businesses along the route.

Patch: In your interactions with West Hollywood voters during the campaign, what were the top three issues they were most interested in?

Schukraft:

  1. Transparency / Accountability
  2. Parking / Traffic
  3. Affordable Housing


Patch: When you look around West Hollywood, which project, development or ordinance approved by previous city councils would you like to see undone, reversed or changed in some way?

Schukraft: I would like to review and revise the plans for Plummer Park and Phase Two of West Hollywood Park. While our new West Hollywood Park is beautiful it’s just a big open green space. I personally would have liked to see an off-leash dog park, a sand volleyball court and other recreational activities. In holiday months, it would be great to have a temporary outdoor ice rink like nearby cities. This is what I feel would be desirable, but residents may have better ideas. One of the first things I would do is replace the parking which was removed from San Vicente.

As we saw with Plummer Park, the ideas of the city are not always in line with the community who uses the park. I’m often at Plummer Park and there is little I would recommend changing. I think the community would benefit from new fencing on the tennis courts and maybe some new paving, but it’s a nice park as it is. Again, I’d let the community decide.

Patch: If you weren't running for city council, which one of the other candidates would be your first choice?

Schukraft: This is a tough question. Unlike many in the community I have spent a lot of time with each candidate, so I have the advantage of knowing them personally. It’s been a pleasure to get to know each candidate over the last few months. I have a great level of respect for each of them. Everyone has something different they wish to contribute, and while ideas are important, when choosing a candidate, sincerity is the most important thing I look for.   Are they really going to do as they promise? Do they have my best interest as a resident of West Hollywood at heart?   

I enjoy learning from Steve Martin, I like Nick Garzilli’s passion and sincerely and respect the positive contributions the incumbents have made. However there’s no one individual that shares my same views that I feel I can believe in. I decided for city council because I thought I could do a better job listening to our residents and business owners. I think that most people who run for office, or so they should, get started because they are frustrated with the way things are and want a change for the better. 

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