Joe Buscaino
Buscaino in 2011
Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 15th district
In office
January 31, 2012 – December 12, 2022
Preceded byJanice Hahn
Succeeded byTim McOsker
President pro tempore of the
Los Angeles City Council
In office
January 5, 2020 – September 28, 2021
Preceded byNury Martinez
Succeeded byMitch O'Farrell
Assistant President Pro Tempore of the
Los Angeles City Council
In office
January 22, 2019 – January 5, 2020
Preceded byNury Martinez
Succeeded byDavid Ryu
Personal details
Born
Giuseppe Buscaino

c. 1974 (age 49–50)
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseGeralyn Buscaino
Children2
Alma materCalifornia State University, Dominguez Hills (B.A.)

Giuseppe "Joe" Buscaino (born c. 1974)[1][2] is an American politician and former police officer, who served as a member of the Los Angeles City Council for the 15th district from 2012 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, Buscaino served as President pro tempore of the council from 2020 to 2021.

Buscaino was an early entrant into the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election, and qualified for the ballot after nearly a year of campaigning. He dropped out of the race on May 12, 2022, after polling at only 1% of the vote, and endorsed Rick Caruso.

Early life and education

Buscaino is the son of Italian immigrants.[3] He graduated cum laude, with a B.A. in communications from California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 2000.[4]

Law enforcement career

Prior to his election to the City Council, Buscaino served as a police officer for fifteen years with the Los Angeles Police Department.[5] He created the LAPD's Teen Community Police Advisory Board,[6] which was implemented citywide in 2011.[7]

Los Angeles City Council (2012–2022)

Buscaino was elected to the 15th district on January 17, 2012 to fill the vacancy left by Janice Hahn, following her successful bid for the U.S. House of Representatives.[8][1] Buscaino was re-elected on March 5, 2013, to a full four-year term with 83.09% of the vote.[9] [10] On March 7, 2017, Buscaino won re-election again with 74.85% of the vote.[11]

Following his election, Buscaino was appointed by the city council president to serve as chairman of the Public Works Committee. The committee has oversight of the Department of Public Works, and its Bureaus of Sanitation, Street Services, Street Lighting, Engineering, and Contract Administration. The Department of Public Works is the city's third-largest department and has a staff of more than 5,000 employees, who are responsible for the construction, renovation, and operation of City facilities and infrastructure. The department also installs sewers, constructs storm drains, and builds the city's streets, as well as public buildings, rights-of-way, and service facilities.[12]

Other committee assignments include Public Safety, which includes the LAPD, LAFD and Emergency Management; Trade, Travel & Tourism, which includes the Port of LA, Los Angeles World Airports and the LA Convention Center; Economic Development which includes Economic and Workforce Development Department, Transportation which includes LADOT and the Board of Referred Powers. [13]

15th Council District

Buscaino represents the 15th Council District which is made up of five communities Harbor City, Harbor Gateway, San Pedro, Watts, and Wilmington as well as the Port of Los Angeles. In 2013, the 15th Council District had a population of 275,486 people.[14]

Watts

In 2015, Buscaino successfully lobbied for the creation of Watts Serenity Park, a 1.13 acre parcel of land that was previously vacant and often the site of drug use and violent crimes. The $5 million project provided a safe space for community recreation with play equipment for kids, a Fitness Zone® exercise area for adults, and a skate park.[15]

Buscaino also pushed for the renovation and re-opening of the 109th Street Pool and Rec Center in July 2016. A $4 million project that created 18 jobs, the area now offers residents the option of using a baseball diamond, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, a children's play area, tennis courts, a multipurpose sports field, and the 109th Street Pool, complete with a splash pad for younger children.[16]

In March 2015, Buscaino also announced the 103rd St. Streetscape Improvement Project, which utilizes $1.25 million in METRO funding to ensure an improved experience for pedestrians using the 103rd St. blue line stop. Improvements to the streetscape include: 5 irrigated landscaped median islands, a gateway monument, access ramps, trash receptacles, benches, bicycle racks, way-finding signage, high visibility crosswalks, and sidewalk improvements.[17]

Buscaino plans to use part of the $2 million in Green Streets funding given to the 15th District to make improvements to the historic Watts Towers area. These improvements aim to revitalize the area by planting hundreds of new trees, repaving sidewalks, repairing and replacing lights, and investing in the development of the Watts Towers Cultural Crescent.[18]

San Pedro

Councilman Buscaino's Office has collaborated with the LA Great Streets Team and the Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative to produce the Gaffey Street Conceptual Plan, which outlines an estimated $7.2 million in improvements along the entrance to San Pedro. The funding will allow for changes like landscaped medians, high visibility crosswalks, traffic signal synchronization, coordinated street furniture, sidewalk repairs and street sweeping, a solar powered Soofa bench, landscape enhancements and public art. The Conceptual Plan proposes traffic calming, improving the Gaffey St. pedestrian experience, making the landscape more drought tolerant, and providing more public spaces for the San Pedro community.[19]

Councilman Buscaino helped create and support Clean San Pedro, a non-profit organization dedicated to cleaning and revitalizing the Pacific Corridor area of San Pedro. CSP was built by residents of San Pedro who were frustrated with the lack of beautification efforts in their city. These activists now perform a variety of functions—daily litter and debris removals, reporting of graffiti, weekly sidewalk cleaning, etc.--with the purpose of preserving their city's natural beauty. See cleansanpedro.net for more information.

San Pedro Courthouse: Councilman Buscaino's Office helped oversee the search for a developer who could transform the space occupied by the now-closed San Pedro Courthouse. The courthouse closed in January 2013, and since then, the area has been the subject of frequent conversations, as its location in the heart of downtown San Pedro makes it lucrative property. In November 2016, the LA County Board of Supervisors announced plans to team up with real estate firm Holland Partner Group to build a multi-use development in the 1.8 acre space. Past projections by the Supervisors indicated that the area could accommodate up to 250 residential apartments.[20]

San Pedro Waterfront Redevelopment Project: For years, San Pedro's Ports O' Call fishing village has undergone a steady decline in revenues and community engagement. While busy on weekends, the market is often dull during the week, and as a result, roughly a fifth of the shops have been forced to close. The San Pedro Waterfront Redevelopment Project, a $100 million dollar endeavor, will revitalize much of LA's waterfront. The Ports O' Call village will be torn down and replaced with the San Pedro Public Market, a 16 acre development that will feature restaurants, markets, bars, shops, offices, a waterfront promenade, and an amphitheater for live entertainment. Construction on the project is set to begin in late 2017.[21][22][23]

Push for faster rescue boats: Ever since a tragic April 2015 accident that claimed the lives of two children in the Port of LA, Councilman Buscaino has been vocal about the need for faster rescue boats. The Councilman continues to advocate for the purchase of new, faster response boats. The current response boat for the Port of LA is Fireboat 2, which was acquired by the city Fire Department in 2003; Fireboat 2 is the largest boat of its kind west of the Mississippi, but with that size comes a tradeoff of speed.[24]

Los Angeles Police Department

Buscaino is a staunch opponent of cutting police budgets and defunding the police.[25] A former full-time police officer, Buscaino still serves as a reserve officer.[26] His experience as a police officer is considered one of the reasons for his election to the City Council.[27] He was elected for the first time to the council with more than $220,000 in donations from the police union Los Angeles Police Protective League, a fact that came under scrutiny in light of renewed opposition to police union spending.[28]

In June 2020, in the wake of widespread protests following the murder of George Floyd, Buscaino organized a "unity march" with the NAACP and the Los Angeles Police Department.[29] In a July 2020 vote to cut the LAPD by $150 million, Buscaino was one of the only two votes against the proposal.[30] In an op-ed, Buscaino claimed that conversations with police officers convinced him that policing needs "smart investments" and "deliberate planning," rather than funding cuts.[31]

National League of Cities

On November 10, 2018, Joe Buscaino was named First Vice President of the National League of Cities[32] after previously serving as the Second Vice President of the NLC. In 2018, the annual NLC City Summit was held in Los Angeles, where Buscaino acted as the host of the event for over 5,000 mayors, city officials, and staff members.[33] He was elected as president on November 23, 2019.[34]

2022 Los Angeles mayoral campaign

Buscaino had been speculated as a candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles in the 2022 election. On March 15, 2021, Buscaino announced his campaign for mayor.[35][36] On May 12, 2022, Buscaino announced the end of his mayoral campaign before the primary election took place.[37] He received less than 5,000 votes.

Controversies

City Council elections

An 2017 editorial in the Los Angeles Times criticized the geographical makeup of District 15, and argued that it resulted in lack of representation for communities like Watts and Harbor Gateway. The piece argues that Buscaino continues to be exclusively re-elected by the people of San Pedro, meaning that Buscaino is beholden only to this small community. The editorial describes his performance as "adequate — no more and no less."[38]

Indigenous Peoples Day

Buscaino ignited controversy when he spoke out against the motion of the Los Angeles City Council to rebrand Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples Day.[39][40] The move to change the name was largely supported by Native American activists, with the notable endorsement of Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell. Buscaino opposed a name change, but offered a compromise title of Immigrant Heritage Day. Buscaino's opposition and argument for Columbus Day was very rare, with Buscaino describing the proposal as "divisive". The measure passed 14-1 with only Buscaino dissenting.[41][42]

Personal life

Buscaino has lived in the 15th Council District all his life. He has served on the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Harbor Area, the San Pedro YWCA's Racial Justice Committee and the Advisory Council for the Los Angeles Watts Summer Games. He is a member of Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church and is active in Italian-American organizations.[43]

Electoral history

2012

2012 Los Angeles City Council special election, District 15
Primary election
Candidate Votes  %
Joe Buscaino 10,830 59.47
Warren Furutani 7,381 40.53
Total votes 18,211 100.00

2013

2013 Los Angeles City Council election, District 15
Primary election
Candidate Votes  %
Joe Buscaino (incumbent) 11,723 83.33
James Law 2,255 16.67
Total votes 13,528 100.00

2017

2017 Los Angeles City Council election, District 15
Primary election
Candidate Votes  %
Joe Buscaino (incumbent) 12,497 74.85
Caney Arnold 2,750 16.47
Noel Gould 1,449 8.68
Total votes 16,696 100.00

2022

2022 Los Angeles mayoral primary election
Candidate Votes  %
Karen Bass 278,511 43.11
Rick Caruso 232,490 35.99
Kevin de León 50,372 7.79
Gina Viola 44,341 6.86
Mike Feuer (withdrawn) 12,087 1.87
Andrew Kim 9,405 1.46
Alex Gruenenfelder Smith 6,153 0.95
Joe Buscaino (withdrawn) 4,485 0.69
Craig Greiwe 2,439 0.38
Mel Wilson 2,336 0.36
Ramit Varma (withdrawn) 1,916 0.30
John "Jsamuel" Jackson 1,511 0.23
Total votes 646,058 100.00

References

  1. 1 2 Linthicum, Kate (January 18, 2012). "Political newcomer Joe Buscaino captures vacant L.A. council seat". LA Times. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Full Biography for Giuseppe "Joe" Buscaino". www.smartvoter.org. January 17, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Joe Buscaino". Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority.
  4. ↑ "Joe Buscaino". June 6, 2013.
  5. ↑ Chamberlain, Bob. "Joe Buscaino- District 15". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 17, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  6. ↑ "LAPD Harbor Division Teen CPAB to be Honored by City Council" (Press release). Los Angeles Police Department. July 11, 2008. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Community-Police Advisory Boards (C-PAB) Meeting Schedule and City-Wide Minutes". LAPD Online. Los Angeles Police Department. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  8. ↑ Aron, Hillel (January 18, 2012). "Joe Buscaino Beats Warren Furutani for Los Angeles City Council District 15: A Humiliating 2012 Thumping of the Party Establishment". LA Weekly. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Certified Results 2013 Primary Nominating Election" (PDF) (Press release). City of Los Angeles Office of the City Clerk- Election Division. March 26, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Election Archives". LA City Clerk Election Archives. City of Los Angeles. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  11. ↑ Littlejohn, Donna (March 8, 2017). "Election 2017: Buscaino, Bonin both coast to easy re-election victories for LA City Council". Daily Breeze. The Daily Breeze. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  12. ↑ "About Us". Department of Public Works Los Angeles. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Committee Assignments" (PDF). City of Los Angeles. City Clerk. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Population by Council Districts". LA Controller - ControlPanel LA. US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  15. ↑ Coleman, Carla. "Watts Serenity Park". The Trust For Public Land. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Watts Community Pool Reopens After Nearly A Decade". CBS Los Angeles. June 2, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Watts Green Streets" (PDF). Watts Re-Imagined. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  18. ↑ Walker, Danna. "City of Los Angeles Awards Grant to Community-driven Watts Initiative". NRDC. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Gaffey Street Conceptual Plan". ISSUU. Councilman Joe Buscaino. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  20. ↑ Sharp, Steven. "Holland Partner Group to Redevelop San Pedro Courthouse Site". Urbanize.LA. Urbanize LA. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  21. ↑ Barragan, Bianca. "Huge Plan Revealed to Turn Kitschy Old Ports O' Call Into Fisherman's Wharf-Style Complex". Curbed. Curbed LA. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Vote yes on Measure P for San Pedro Waterfront development". LA Times. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  23. ↑ Khouri, Andrew. "Developers reveal plans for $100-million makeover of Ports O' Call". LA Times. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  24. ↑ Littlejohn, Donna. "Councilman Joe Buscaino pushes for faster rescue boats in San Pedro harbor". Daily Breeze. The Daily Breeze. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  25. ↑ "LA City Council Approves LAPD Budget Cuts; Department Temporarily Stops Overtime Pay". June 16, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  26. ↑ The Los Angeles Times - "Unarmed specialists, not LAPD, would handle mental health, substance abuse calls under proposal"
  27. ↑ ABC7 - "Joe Buscaino 'grateful' for shot at LA City Council seat"
  28. ↑ The Los Angeles Times on Yahoo! - "L.A. police union spent big in local elections. Some politicians now shun the money"
  29. ↑ ABC7 - "Hundreds join unity march with police against injustice in San Pedro"
  30. ↑ The Los Angeles Times on MSN - "L.A. cuts LAPD spending, taking police staffing to its lowest level in 12 years"
  31. ↑ Daily Breeze - "Better policing requires smart investments, deliberate planning: Joe Buscaino"
  32. ↑ "National League of Cities Announces 2019 Leadership and Board of Directors". November 10, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  33. ↑ "National League of Cities Announces 2019 Leadership and Board of Directors". Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  34. ↑ Service, City News (November 25, 2019). "Councilman Buscaino New President of National League of Cities". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  35. ↑ Smith, Dakota (March 15, 2021). "Councilman Joe Buscaino, a longtime LAPD officer, enters race for L.A. mayor in 2022". The Los Angeles Times.
  36. ↑ "Councilman Joe Buscaino enters race for L.A. mayor in 2022, places homelessness, rising crime at top of to-do list". KTLA. March 15, 2021.
  37. ↑ Salaheih, Nouran (May 12, 2022). "Joe Buscaino drops out of L.A. mayor's race and endorses Rick Caruso". KTLA. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  38. ↑ The Los Angeles Times - "Endorsement: What's the matter with L.A.'s 15th Council District?"
  39. ↑ The Los Angeles Times - "L.A. council panel backs plan for a new city holiday: Indigenous Peoples Day"
  40. ↑ Los Angeles Daily News - "Columbus Day may soon be over in LA, replaced by Indigenous Peoples Day"
  41. ↑ The Los Angeles Times - "L.A. City Council Replaces Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day on city calendar"
  42. ↑ NBC Los Angeles - "LA Leaders Vote to Replace Columbus Day With Indigenous Peoples Day"
  43. ↑ Simonetti, Silvia (June 11, 2015). "The Italian American community of L.A. proudly celebrated the National Republic Day". L'Italo-Americano. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
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