Posted on 12/21/2004 6:06:02 PM PST by NormsRevenge
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Battling for re-election, Mayor Jim Hahn will appear for the second time with his four major rivals Tuesday in a debate that will focus on air quality and other environmental issues facing the city.
The first face-off on Dec. 2 turned into a roundtable on allegations of corruption in the Hahn administration, while the mayor promoted his record on public safety and declared, "I've always been about honesty."
Tuesday's taped debate, sponsored by the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, could provide a respite for Hahn from questions about suspect fund-raising and other accusations of ethical lapses at City Hall.
Federal prosecutors and the Los Angeles County district attorney's office have been conducting parallel investigations into city practices. Federal prosecutors have been collecting contracting documents involving the airports and harbor departments and the Department of Water and Power, and District Attorney Steve Cooley has said he is looking into whether city contracts were tied to political contributions.
A panel of environmental activists will question the candidates for 90 minutes, a first step in the vetting process that is expected to end with an endorsement by the group next year. The league, founded in 1976, is the only environmental political action committee in Los Angeles County.
The debate will give Hahn's challengers another chance to make inroads with the public, a difficult challenge during the busy holiday season when many people go on vacation.
The candidates are all Democrats. In addition to Hahn, they include Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa; Councilman Bernard Parks; state Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Sun Valley; and former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, an attorney.
In an announcement Monday, Hahn said that the city was making progress toward a cleaner environment, saying that 12.5 percent of the city's 15,000 vehicles use alternative fuel or advanced technology.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.