Weiss Recall Effort Dies

0

The recall effort against L.A. City Councilman Jack Weiss fizzled on Monday as organizers conceded they did not have enough signatures to put the recall on the ballot.


In a letter to Los Angeles City Clerk Frank Martinez, the Committee to Recall Jack Weiss said that the recall effort had fallen “several thousand” signatures short of the 22,743 needed by Oct. 18 to place the measure on the ballot.


The recall effort grew out of the development of two 47-story residential towers planned for Century City. Weiss helped neighboring homeowners get $5 million from the developer for a mitigation fund, but a dispute arose over who would control the fund.


“While we expect hundreds of signatures to come in over the next several days, it is our belief that we will not be able to gather sufficient signatures to qualify for the ballot,” committee member Kevin Singer said in the letter. “Therefore, the Committee to Recall Jack Weiss would like to take the honorable course of action and save the citizens and tax payers of the City of Los Angeles the cost and expense of verifying the signatures.”


Larry Levine, the manager of Weiss’ effort to combat the recall said he was not surprised by the recall committee’s concession of defeat.


“Jack was re-elected with 72 percent of votes just two years ago, showing a solid base of support,” Levine said. “We said at the time this recall was filed that this was just a small dissident group.”


Homeowner activists around Century City filed the recall petition last spring. In addition to the dispute over the mitigation fund, they said Councilman Weiss had ignored their concerns about the pace and scope of development in Century City and throughout Weiss’ district, which covers much of the Westside and the southern section of the San Fernando Valley. Recall proponents also cited what they termed Weiss’ arrogance in refusing to listen to their concerns.


Weiss, through campaign manager Levine, maintained that he does listen to constituent concerns. But after the recall petition was filed, Weiss did make increased efforts to meet with community and homeowner groups in his district.


Weiss has announced he will run for city attorney in 2009.

Previous article L.A. Customer Service: A Mixed Bag
Next article ValueClick Downsizes Expectations
Howard Fine
Howard Fine is a 23-year veteran of the Los Angeles Business Journal. He covers stories pertaining to healthcare, biomedicine, energy, engineering, construction, and infrastructure. He has won several awards, including Best Body of Work for a single reporter from the Alliance of Area Business Publishers and Distinguished Journalist of the Year from the Society of Professional Journalists.

No posts to display