Anonymous said...
If it slithers like a snake, and it looks like a snake...Gardena City Council members think this is a sly maneuver to fool its citizens but we know better. They do a really bad job at covering up their slimy tracks to hold on to power and take advantage of all the behind the scene deal-making. Who do they think they're fooling? The Daily Breeze only touches the surface of the real story.
July 28, 2008 7:51 PM
7/28/2008
Ikejiri might run for Gardena mayor
By Sandy Mazza, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 07/26/2008 09:11:52 PM PDT
A Gardena councilman has pulled nomination papers for the seat vacated recently by Oscar Medrano, fueling speculation that he could be among mayoral contenders next year.
If Ron Ikejiri were to win Medrano's seat, he would be able to secure a spot on the council while also taking a chance on the mayor's race.
Ikejiri said he hasn't decided if he will run in the Nov. 4 special election to fill Medrano's post - the deadline to file is Aug. 8 - but he is one of several would-be contenders showing early interest.
Five others also have taken out nomination papers for the seat Medrano relinquished two days before he was arrested and subsequently charged with 12 counts of child molestation. He pleaded guilty to two of the charges on June 27, and was sentenced to eight years in state prison.
The winner of the special election will serve out the remainder of Medrano's term, which expires in 2011.
The city's regular election is in March 2009, when Mayor Paul Tanaka's post and two City Council seats - those now held by Ikejiri and Steve Bradford - will be up for grabs.
Ikejiri and Bradford each claims the other wants to run for mayor in March, and may be eyeing Medrano's seat as an insurance policy. Otherwise, they would have to forfeit their council seats to run for mayor in March.
"I am sure there will be several candidates who will run in the November special election," Ikejiri said in a written response to questions about why he took out papers. "My guess is Steve Bradford probably is one of them since he asked the city attorney to research whether an incumbent council member can run or not."
Ikejiri said he will probably run for mayor if Tanaka doesn't.
Bradford did not respond to questions about whether he will run in the special election or for mayor.
"This is not about me," Bradford said. "Whatever I run for in March, I plan on winning."
Tanaka did not return calls for comment.
Dan Medina, a spokesman for the Normandie Casino who plans to to run for Medrano's seat, said he expects Ikejiri and Bradford to jump into the race.
"I'm just taking it with a grain of salt," Medina said. "My take is that Ikejiri and Bradford are going to run for mayor and they want to make sure that, if they run and lose, that they still have their seat open. More than likely it'll be more difficult, but I'm going to just try harder and keep my nose to the grindstone."
Medina has run in the past two elections, coming in third in a race for two seats last year.
Tasha Cerda, the president of Holly Park Homeowners Association who also ran last year, expects to join the race as well. She said her campaign will be more difficult if the two sitting councilmen run.
"That would make a big difference in the way the election goes," she said. "My strategy is to give it 100 percent. I'd have to do it 200 percent this time around."
Shannon Lawrence, a planning and environmental quality commissioner who is supported by Bradford and Councilwoman Rachel Johnson, said his campaign is already in full swing.
"In November, (Ikejiri's) a candidate just like I am. At the end of the day, I think people will vote on who they think is most qualified for the seat and, from what I'm hearing, that person is me," Lawrence said.
Lawrence works as a policy analyst in the Los Angeles Mayor's Office.
Art Kaskanian, also a planning and environmental quality commissioner, also has taken out papers. He owns Sam's Auto Land, an auto repair shop in the city.
Mina Semenza, a Realtor and former planning and environmental quality commissioner, said she will file her nomination papers and run in the election. She ran in 2003, and is president of the YWCA of Gardena Valley.
Semenza said she will run the same campaign whether or not the incumbents decide to run.
sandy.mazza@dailybreeze.com
Daily Breeze
Topix
Article Launched: 07/26/2008 09:11:52 PM PDT
A Gardena councilman has pulled nomination papers for the seat vacated recently by Oscar Medrano, fueling speculation that he could be among mayoral contenders next year.
If Ron Ikejiri were to win Medrano's seat, he would be able to secure a spot on the council while also taking a chance on the mayor's race.
Ikejiri said he hasn't decided if he will run in the Nov. 4 special election to fill Medrano's post - the deadline to file is Aug. 8 - but he is one of several would-be contenders showing early interest.
Five others also have taken out nomination papers for the seat Medrano relinquished two days before he was arrested and subsequently charged with 12 counts of child molestation. He pleaded guilty to two of the charges on June 27, and was sentenced to eight years in state prison.
The winner of the special election will serve out the remainder of Medrano's term, which expires in 2011.
The city's regular election is in March 2009, when Mayor Paul Tanaka's post and two City Council seats - those now held by Ikejiri and Steve Bradford - will be up for grabs.
Ikejiri and Bradford each claims the other wants to run for mayor in March, and may be eyeing Medrano's seat as an insurance policy. Otherwise, they would have to forfeit their council seats to run for mayor in March.
"I am sure there will be several candidates who will run in the November special election," Ikejiri said in a written response to questions about why he took out papers. "My guess is Steve Bradford probably is one of them since he asked the city attorney to research whether an incumbent council member can run or not."
Ikejiri said he will probably run for mayor if Tanaka doesn't.
Bradford did not respond to questions about whether he will run in the special election or for mayor.
"This is not about me," Bradford said. "Whatever I run for in March, I plan on winning."
Tanaka did not return calls for comment.
Dan Medina, a spokesman for the Normandie Casino who plans to to run for Medrano's seat, said he expects Ikejiri and Bradford to jump into the race.
"I'm just taking it with a grain of salt," Medina said. "My take is that Ikejiri and Bradford are going to run for mayor and they want to make sure that, if they run and lose, that they still have their seat open. More than likely it'll be more difficult, but I'm going to just try harder and keep my nose to the grindstone."
Medina has run in the past two elections, coming in third in a race for two seats last year.
Tasha Cerda, the president of Holly Park Homeowners Association who also ran last year, expects to join the race as well. She said her campaign will be more difficult if the two sitting councilmen run.
"That would make a big difference in the way the election goes," she said. "My strategy is to give it 100 percent. I'd have to do it 200 percent this time around."
Shannon Lawrence, a planning and environmental quality commissioner who is supported by Bradford and Councilwoman Rachel Johnson, said his campaign is already in full swing.
"In November, (Ikejiri's) a candidate just like I am. At the end of the day, I think people will vote on who they think is most qualified for the seat and, from what I'm hearing, that person is me," Lawrence said.
Lawrence works as a policy analyst in the Los Angeles Mayor's Office.
Art Kaskanian, also a planning and environmental quality commissioner, also has taken out papers. He owns Sam's Auto Land, an auto repair shop in the city.
Mina Semenza, a Realtor and former planning and environmental quality commissioner, said she will file her nomination papers and run in the election. She ran in 2003, and is president of the YWCA of Gardena Valley.
Semenza said she will run the same campaign whether or not the incumbents decide to run.
sandy.mazza@dailybreeze.com
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