Community Voices
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(photo: timmcosker.com)

The upcoming midterm elections bring with them many decisions for our great nation. Voting is the most powerful statement we can make as citizens in determining the trajectory of our country. 

The question is: Will you vote? Or have you lost faith in the system? Do you believe that your vote doesn’t count or won’t be counted? When you receive your voter guide in the mail, look for the information to set up a ballot notification. This notification will tell you when your ballot has been sent, received, and counted. This may provide peace of mind that your ballot has reached its final destination. For me, this provides me even more confidence that my vote, in fact, counts. In the end, though, what matters is that you vote.

When standing in the voting booth, you will have lots of choices in front of you that can have long-term impacts on our community, state, and nation. Although most of the media coverage is on national elections, I believe local politics is where most people can make the biggest difference. 

There is that famous phrase, “All politics are local.” We all have our share in local politics through advocacy, direct involvement, or leaving the best ideas around the kitchen table with friends. 

It could easily be argued that the local election that most impacts our town is the race for Los Angeles City Council to represent the 15th District, which includes parts of South Los Angeles, Harbor City, Wilmington, and our hometown, San Pedro. Our councilman for the last decade has been Joe Buscaino.  

Councilman Joe Buscaino decided not to seek his final term on the council in order to run for Mayor of Los Angeles, leaving his seat up for grabs. Since 2011, his accomplishments as our councilman are too numerous to list here, but the work he has done with the Port of Los Angeles to advance waterfront development in San Pedro and Wilmington is one to take notice of. His fight to clean our streets and work on housing the homeless is unparalleled, and his focus on bringing new housing development to San Pedro is beginning to take shape at Ponte Vista and in various locations across the council district. Finally, the San Pedro downtown business district has been transformed with outdoor dining, new restaurants, and the establishment of the first Little Italy in Los Angeles (with another “Festa Italiana” planned for October 15 and 16 in San Pedro’s Little Italy).

Now, who will best represent us on the city council going forward? I believe it is Tim McOsker. Tim brings to the table decades of experience working through the city hall bureaucracy. His many endorsements indicate the trust he has gained from a wide set of stakeholders and indicate his ability to bring a diverse group of people to the table to address many of the issues plaguing our district. He is well prepared for the position he seeks.

Tim has been a lifelong friend, primarily through my wife Carolyn’s side of the family. My father-in-law Jay Aranda and Tim’s father, Kevin “Mac” McOsker, have known each other since elementary school. In fact, they were in the first graduating class from Holy Trinity. They played football together at Mary Star and continued their friendship over the years playing golf. Today, they check in on each other through a simple phone call.  

Tim understands the essence of who we are across Council District 15. I believe he will leverage his decades of experience working across the district to unite us and move us forward. 

If you haven’t met Tim, come to a non-fundraising event during October’s First Thursday at Port Town Brewery Co. and meet the most qualified candidate to represent us on the Los Angeles City Council, Tim McOsker. 

On November 8, we have a choice to make, and I believe the best choice is Tim McOsker. spt

 

Anthony Pirozzi, Jr.

Anthony Pirozzi, Jr. is a retired San Pedro resident and former Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner. He can be reached at apirozzi@yahoo.com.

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