A PROVEN PROBLEM SOLVER DELIVERING BALANCED BUDGETS, BETTER SCHOOLS, SAFER NEIGHBORHOODS, GOOD JOBS, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, AND LOWER COSTS
As Leader of the State Assembly, Antonio Villaraigosa worked with Democrats and Republicans to balance state budgets while investing in schools and public safety, providing tax cuts and tax relief for Californians, and with a $13 billion budget surplus to prevent cuts to vital services.
As Mayor of Los Angeles, he led efforts to cut violent crime by 48%, turned around failing schools, and led the city’s economic recovery out of the recession.
Made record investments in public schools, including the largest single allocation of school safety funds in state history
Passed historic bipartisan school bond to repair old schools and build new schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools in communities throughout California
Delivered new science labs, computer centers, and new technology for local schools and classrooms
Significantly increased per pupil funding in public schools
Reduced class sizes in local elementary schools across California
Helped make California a national leader in After-School Programs, including career training, mentorships, and at-risk youth programs to keep kids safe and on the right path
Turned around failing schools in LAUSD, and increased graduation rates by 60%
Secured over $1.5 billion for UC, CSU, and community colleges, resulting in:
Reduced costs for in-state tuition for California college students
Expanded access to college for tens of thousands of students with increased enrollment
Invested in science, engineering, computers, and technology to better prepare students for jobs upon graduation
Established three new research institutes on UC campuses for Science and Innovation
[CA State Assembly Journal, Legislative Analyst’s Office 1997-2000; Sacramento Bee, 8/6/99, 6/30/99; San Francisco Chronicle, 7/14/98, 6/17/99; L.A. Times, 11/16/98, 6/27/13, 8/30/13; San Jose Mercury News, 6/29/99, 10/17/14; AP 6/16/99; PolitiFact 5/5/17; KPCC 3/19/13]
Reduced violent crime in Los Angeles by 48%
Hired nearly one thousand new police officers, increasing the LAPD force to over 10,000 for the first time in history
Established innovative anti-gang strategies to crack down on gang violence and protect at-risk youth from gangs, including landmark gang prevention and intervention programs that were a “shining example” used as a model by federal authorities to reduce gang violence
Led efforts to pass criminal justice reforms and juvenile justice reforms, including bringing reforms and more accountability to the LAPD
Secured funding to establish and expand law enforcement task force to protect women and families from Domestic Violence
[Dept of Justice Crime Stats 2005-13; LA Times, 7/10/96; 4/19/07, 6/25/11, 1/8/13, 6/29/13, 5/10/18; ABC News, 10/12/12; CBS News, 1/9/12; L.A. Daily News 8/29/13; Daily Breeze, 10/13/12]
Led efforts to pass landmark assault weapons ban in California
Required all firearms sold in California to include approved safety trigger locks
Banned cheap handguns, called “Saturday Night Specials” that put multiple gun factories in California out of business
Leader taking illegal guns off the streets by established gun buyback program called “a Massive Success” that resulted in taking over 12,000 guns off the
Antonio Villaraigosa’s long record on gun safety, gun control, and cracking down on illegal guns made him a top target by the NRA, and led Brietbart to say “Villaraigosa started a war against gun companies”
[CA State Assembly Journal; The Atlantic, 12/26/12; L.A. Daily News, 5/11/09, 1/16/13; Sacramento Bee, 1/8/16; Los Angeles Times, 6/4/99, 8/20/99, 5/24/01; Washington Post, 7/14/99; New York Times, 7/20/99; Breitbart, 1/17/13]
Delivered billions in federal funding for workforce development, job creation, and public infrastructure
Led efforts for better wages and workplace protections, including higher wages for healthcare workers and teachers
Created over 200,000 good-paying jobs in L.A.
Secured funding to establish job-training, workforce development, and career education programs
Delivered over $411 million for job-training programs for veterans, displaced and older workers
[President Obama Press Release, 9/9/11, America Fast Forward, L.A. Times, 6/19/11, 4/18/12,6/29/13; LATTC 7/13/09; Assembly Journal, Huffington Post, 4/2/13]
Environmental champion tackling climate change in State Assembly and as Mayor
Led historic efforts for clean air, water, and renewable energy, making Los Angeles a global leader in greenhouse gas reductions
Secured record environmental protections and green jobs
Historic expansion of public transportation, building more light rail than any other
Built more light rail than any other city in America
Passed historic bond to protect California’s air and water, and preserve the coast, forests, lakes, and local parks
[LA DWP 1/13/11; Los Angeles Times, 10/24/97, 6/26/08, 10/3/09, 12/2/09, 4/18/12, 6/29/13; Prop 12, San Jose Mercury News, 6/20/99, Assembly Journal; Politico 3/5/14]
Created Healthy Families, universal coverage that provided health care for over one million California kids
Protected critical health services for seniors and veterans
Established a low-cost prescription drug program with 40% discounts on medicine
[CA Assembly Journal, Los Angeles Times, 9/22/97, 9/1/09, 8/31/12]
A PROVEN PROBLEM SOLVER DELIVERING BALANCED BUDGETS, BETTER SCHOOLS, SAFER NEIGHBORHOODS, GOOD JOBS, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, AND LOWER COSTS
As Leader of the State Assembly, Antonio Villaraigosa worked with Democrats and Republicans to balance state budgets while investing in schools and public safety, providing tax cuts and tax relief for Californians, and with a $13 billion budget surplus to prevent cuts to vital services.
As Mayor of Los Angeles, he led efforts to cut violent crime by 48%, turned around failing schools, and led the city’s economic recovery out of the recession.
Made record investments in public schools, including the largest single allocation of school safety funds in state history
Passed historic bipartisan school bond to repair old schools and build new schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools in communities throughout California
Delivered new science labs, computer centers, and new technology for local schools and classrooms
Significantly increased per pupil funding in public schools
Reduced class sizes in local elementary schools across California
Helped make California a national leader in After-School Programs, including career training, mentorships, and at-risk youth programs to keep kids safe and on the right path
Turned around failing schools in LAUSD, and increased graduation rates by 60%
Secured over $1.5 billion for UC, CSU, and community colleges, resulting in:
Reduced costs for in-state tuition for California college students
Expanded access to college for tens of thousands of students with increased enrollment
Invested in science, engineering, computers, and technology to better prepare students for jobs upon graduation
Established three new research institutes on UC campuses for Science and Innovation
[CA State Assembly Journal, Legislative Analyst’s Office 1997-2000; Sacramento Bee, 8/6/99, 6/30/99; San Francisco Chronicle, 7/14/98, 6/17/99; L.A. Times, 11/16/98, 6/27/13, 8/30/13; San Jose Mercury News, 6/29/99, 10/17/14; AP 6/16/99; PolitiFact 5/5/17; KPCC 3/19/13]
Reduced violent crime in Los Angeles by 48%
Hired nearly one thousand new police officers, increasing the LAPD force to over 10,000 for the first time in history
Established innovative anti-gang strategies to crack down on gang violence and protect at-risk youth from gangs, including landmark gang prevention and intervention programs that were a “shining example” used as a model by federal authorities to reduce gang violence
Led efforts to pass criminal justice reforms and juvenile justice reforms, including bringing reforms and more accountability to the LAPD
Secured funding to establish and expand law enforcement task force to protect women and families from Domestic Violence
[Dept of Justice Crime Stats 2005-13; LA Times, 7/10/96; 4/19/07, 6/25/11, 1/8/13, 6/29/13, 5/10/18; ABC News, 10/12/12; CBS News, 1/9/12; L.A. Daily News 8/29/13; Daily Breeze, 10/13/12]
Led efforts to pass landmark assault weapons ban in California
Required all firearms sold in California to include approved safety trigger locks
Banned cheap handguns, called “Saturday Night Specials” that put multiple gun factories in California out of business
Leader taking illegal guns off the streets by established gun buyback program called “a Massive Success” that resulted in taking over 12,000 guns off the
Antonio Villaraigosa’s long record on gun safety, gun control, and cracking down on illegal guns made him a top target by the NRA, and led Brietbart to say “Villaraigosa started a war against gun companies”
[CA State Assembly Journal; The Atlantic, 12/26/12; L.A. Daily News, 5/11/09, 1/16/13; Sacramento Bee, 1/8/16; Los Angeles Times, 6/4/99, 8/20/99, 5/24/01; Washington Post, 7/14/99; New York Times, 7/20/99; Breitbart, 1/17/13]
Delivered billions in federal funding for workforce development, job creation, and public infrastructure
Led efforts for better wages and workplace protections, including higher wages for healthcare workers and teachers
Created over 200,000 good-paying jobs in L.A.
Secured funding to establish job-training, workforce development, and career education programs
Delivered over $411 million for job-training programs for veterans, displaced and older workers
[President Obama Press Release, 9/9/11, America Fast Forward, L.A. Times, 6/19/11, 4/18/12,6/29/13; LATTC 7/13/09; Assembly Journal, Huffington Post, 4/2/13]
Environmental champion tackling climate change in State Assembly and as Mayor
Led historic efforts for clean air, water, and renewable energy, making Los Angeles a global leader in greenhouse gas reductions
Secured record environmental protections and green jobs
Historic expansion of public transportation, building more light rail than any other city in America
Passed historic bond to protect California’s air and water, and preserve the coast, forests, lakes, and local parks
[LA DWP 1/13/11; Los Angeles Times, 10/24/97, 6/26/08, 10/3/09, 12/2/09, 4/18/12, 6/29/13; Prop 12, San Jose Mercury News, 6/20/99, Assembly Journal; Politico 3/5/14]
Created Healthy Families, universal coverage that provided health care for over one million California kids
Protected critical health services for seniors and veterans
Established a low-cost prescription drug program with 40% discounts on medicine
[CA Assembly Journal, Los Angeles Times, 9/22/97, 9/1/09, 8/31/12]