Councilman Bernard Parks' watch party in South L.A. (Photo by Jessica Porter)
ATVN's Heather Hope speaks to community members in South L.A. at candidate campaign headquarters and polling places.
Early numbers are coming in to the City Clerk’s office, and they have City Councilman Bernard Parks just a few percentage points ahead of opponent Forescee Hogan-Rowles.
The District 8 race has attracted much attention despite poor voter turnout, though voter turnout may be highest, in fact, in the South L.A. area due to renewed interest in the race.
With 24 percent of the precincts reporting, Parks leads Hogan-Rowles 52 percent to 43 percent.
Only 50 percent is needed to secure the seat. If Parks and Hogan-Rowles both finish below 50 percent, the race will go to a runoff in May.
Parks is a two-term councilman already and former chief of police for the Los Angeles Police Department. But hard-line stances on many of the issues have made him less popular than four year ago and may ultimately end in his defeat.
In Parks, one of the City Council’s most fiscally conservative members, is not able to keep his seat, it could be indicative of how the rest of the evening’s measures—focusing mostly on financial issues and taxes—and races may end.
Hogan-Rowles, on the other hand, is a fresh face with virtually no record in public policy. In her campaigning, she’s capitalized on Parks’ miscues and garnered the support of the unions. Interestingly enough, Parks’ stances on financial measures have not been enough to keep the support of the Police Protective League as well as the labor unions, both of whom have donated heavily to Hogan-Rowles. She is much more fiscally liberal, and despite broad language in debates involving “cutting the deficit,” Hogan-Rowles has yet to set out a detailed plan of action if she were to take office.
Councilman Bernard Parks talks about the difficulty of re-election and about the budget crisis. (Jessica Porter)
Also hanging in the balance is the political leaning of the City Council. For the first time in many years, the council races have drawn heavily on financial issues and the idea of over- and under-taxation.
A Parks victory could mean even more stringent and conservative stances on financial issues, especially those relating to the City’s $54 million deficit this year and projected $350 million deficit next year.
In addition, if re-elected, it would be his third and final term. Traditionally, final terms are marked by more politically open stances on issues, since candidates are unable to run for the office again.
