Politics & Government
Transparency Needed at City Hall, Challengers Say
City Council candidates Mito Aviles and Lucas John call for more access and accountability among Weho officials as they meet voters at the boutique PAR LA.
With two weeks before the March 8 elections, candidates for West Hollywood City Council spent the long Presidents Day weekend talking to voters about the issues.
Many candidates were busy walking neighborhoods. John D’Amico was going door to door talking with residents. Steve Martin was also busy knocking on doors, chatting with those who would listen about the issues. Scott Schmidt had a passel of volunteers helping him canvas neighborhoods putting up door hangers while he discussed the issues with residents. Incumbents , Lindsey Horvath and also made the rounds through the various precincts.
Candidates Mito Aviles and Lucas John held a joint meet and greet on Sunday afternoon at PAR LA, a month-old clothing boutique at 8250 Santa Monica Blvd. next door to . They chatted with people in the store and passing on the sidewalk about the importance of this election.
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“I want to bring transparency and accountability back to ,” said Aviles. “So much of what happens in City Hall seems to be veiled in secrecy. That’s not how it should be.”
Aviles added that public officials should be readily available to their constituents. “City Hall officials should have an open door policy. When I’m elected, I’ll be happy to meet with anyone.”
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John agreed, saying he’d also have an open door policy. He’s delighted to be chatting with residents, he said, listening to what’s on their minds. “Hearing what the voters have to say is so important,” he said. “Public officials can’t know what the residents want if they don’t make themselves available to them.”
John said his campaign is going well. “Mito and I are both doing a grass-roots campaign. We’re working on the campaign from the ground up, not the checkbook down,” John said. “We’re here to promote democracy.”
The meet and greet also saw two store window displays, one for Aviles, one for John, unveiled. Both draped with patriotic red, white and blue fringe and featuring mannequins with smiley faces, the two windows were created by Chad Michael Morrisette, a professional window-display designer and the boyfriend of Aviles.
PAR LA owner Patrick DiLascia said the displays will stay in his store windows until the election. “People need to get out and vote,” DiLascia said. “Anything I can do to help remind them of that, I’m happy to do.”