WILL THE 'TRUMP EFFECT' ENCOURAGE MORE REAL ESTATE EXECUTIVES TO GO INTO POLITICS? Posted by YJ Draiman

WILL THE 'TRUMP EFFECT' 

ENCOURAGE MORE REAL ESTATE EXECUTIVES TO GO INTO POLITICS?

National Jan 31, 2017 Jarred Schenke, Bisnow, Atlanta - Forbes

If Donald Trump's election proved anything to Peebles Corp founder Don Peebles, it is that Americans value business leadership over political experience. So for someone who has successfully managed a portfolio of billions of dollars in commercial real estate, a city with an $80B budget should be just as easy.

Peebles is still mulling a run for New York City mayor in an attempt to unseat incumbent Bill de Blasio in the Democratic primary. He is just one of a handful of commercial real estate executives across the country who are eyeing public service in the wake of Trump's historic win of the U.S. presidency. 

“I think Donald Trump's election as president is a lasting change,” Peebles said, regarding high-level political positions. "No more will a person seeking a political seat have to be a career politician. They will not need to have that experience of the career politician or the career public servant to go and seek America's highest office.” 

Is This The Trump Effect?

This 2017 election season is seeing a handful of current and former real estate executives jumping into the political arena. 

IV Capital's Sidney Torres IV is considering a run for mayor of New Orleans, and, in a Trumpian twist, will be starring in a reality show. 

YJ Draiman, a retired real estate executive, is running for mayor in Los Angeles for a second time. 

LA Mayoral Candidate YJ Draiman and Son David Draiman the frontman for Disturbed

And the biggest names of all are running for mayor in the president's hometown: Peebles, Massey Knakal brokerage co-founder Paul Massey and Abyssinian Development head Calvin Butts. 

Attributing a plethora of political candidates with commercial real estate backgrounds seeking public office to Trump winning the presidency may be overstating things. But a successful Trump administration could certainly have a long-term, inspiring effect of more commercial real estate and other private sector executives pursuing public office, said Loyola Marymount University political science professor Richard Fox.  

“It's way too early to say there's a Trump effect, but yes, there's a potential for that,” Fox said. 

In a study he and American University professor Jennifer Lawless conducted for the National Science Foundation, Fox said there was a measurable uptick on the number of African-American high school and college students who expressed interest in pursuing political roles while Obama was president. Unless Trump crashes and burns, Fox said he would expect a similar effect under Trump. 

The Perception Of Developers Is Changing

                                  YJDraiman.org Miriam Draiman, David Draiman and YJ Draiman 

“There is a negative connotation for being a developer," Draiman, a retired Chicago real estate investor who did hundreds of residential rehabs in Chicago with his former company, Bankers Realty, said. "I've seen a negative effect from various people who I met. They feel, when they see a developer, that it's a no-no." 

Today, Draiman — whose son, David, is the Grammy-nominated frontman for the rock band Disturbed — is hoping to discover the power of politics in his quest for the Los Angeles mayoral seat in the March primary. He also ran for mayor in 2013, and in a 2011 interview with L.A. Weekly, he was making many of the same cases for himself Trump made in the presidential campaign. 

"Some politicians were basically coerced, if you want to call it, to support a developer," he told the publication. "And remember, I was a developer myself, so I know where it's going to and where it's coming from."  

This time, he is running on the platform of pushing for economic development and for pushing for smarter growth and development with developers in the city. Much of his rhetoric is similar; after all, it worked for Trump. 

“The public as a whole feels that large, wealthy developers, since they contribute so heavily … to various other elected officials, they have an in, if you want to call it,” Draiman said. "They get by with certain benefits that the little guy doesn't get. And it's true. I won't deny it. I've seen it with my own eyes." 

Terranova Corp founder Stephen Bittel takes exception to the idea that any real estate executive who jumps into the political arena does it because of Trump's success. For Bittel — who recently was elected as Florida Democratic Committee chairman — the longtime Democratic Party donor and activist was mulling an ascent long before Trump announced his candidacy. 

“American history is replete with successful business leaders getting involved in the leadership of our country,” Bittel said. “I think Donald Trump, what he did for a living, has nothing to do with this. And to suggest that might even encourage people not to seek careers in public service. I don't think that the electorate cares about how you made your money, I think they care about how you lived your life.” 

If You Can Build It, The Votes Will Come 

Courtesy: Avison Young Kirk Rich 

Atlanta native Kirk Rich has been enmeshed in the commercial real estate industry for decades. He is president of the Georgia Chapter of the Certified Commercial Investment Member organization; a board member of Invest Atlanta — the city's economic development arm; and a member of Georgia State University's real estate board. 

He recently sold his boutique Atlanta third-party leasing and management firm to Avison Young, and has been tapped to head that firm's third-party platform. 

Rich has also thrown his hat into the ring for Atlanta City Council's 6th District seat, which covers a wide swath of Atlanta's most prestigious neighborhoods, including Morningside-Lenox Park, Druid Hills, Virginia-Highland, Piedmont Heights, portions of Midtown; the nexus of growth since the last recession. 

“I don't think Trump has affected people in real estate wanting to run for office,” Rich said, noting he did not support Trump for president. “But I think people are tired of politicians, and they're looking for people from the private sector. And Trump is about as private sector as it gets.” In Atlanta, the issues trumping voters' priorities in city council races are about growth and development, and the stress associated with it on traffic and infrastructure. And that's where Rich said real estate executives can be effective in public office. 

“That opens the door for people who understand commercial real estate development to get involved,”  he said. "And they need to get involved, because with the challenges we have I don't think they've been at the table enough already." 

While voters might find appeal with a business person running government, at least in New York City, where Hillary Clinton snagged 80% of voters, “I'm not necessarily sure being in the real estate business, especially in light of President Trump, is an advantage,” Peebles said. In fact, he added, it could be a double-edged sword. 

What being a commercial real estate executive does, Peebles said, is give him the ability to manage city issues and delegate authority. After all, one of the biggest issues facing New Yorkers is right in a developer's wheelhouse: housing affordability. 

“Real estate developers, by and large, don't have a very specific technical skill set. They have broad vision and leadership skills to be able to lead a team and be able to execute,” he said. 

But Peebles is also taking some cues from executives cum politicians like Trump and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg (whom Peebles credits for blazing a trail with New York voters to accept a private sector executive in high public office): he vows to largely self-fund his campaign, if he runs. Peebles also said he will instruct the executives running Peebles Corp not to do any real estate deals in New York City while he's mayor to avoid conflicts of interest. His firm also has projects in Charlotte, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Miami and Boston. 

Bittel is taking a similar tactic during his four-year stint as the Democratic chair: He will not draw a salary, nor will he seek expense reimbursements, he said. 

“I'm doing this for all the right reasons,” he said. 

Private World, Public Business 

Courtesy: Jennifer Lawless 

Lawless said it's not uncommon for politicians to have come from the private sector. Typically, a third of Congressional members have backgrounds in Corporate America or business ownership. The other common paths are from law, education and career political activism. Those ratios were consistent with congresses in 2001, 2008 and 2011, Lawless said, with Republicans substantially more likely to have a business background. 

“When you think about local office, I'm not surprised by the real estate background [of candidates], because they really know the community,” she said. 

Lawless said it is too early to tell if President Trump will inspire more real estate executives to enter politics, especially on a national level. That will come to bear in the 2018 election, perhaps. 

“We know generally speaking when somebody becomes president of the United States," she said, "that that person's qualifications and background automatically become legitimate” in the eyes of the voters.

Rich said his experience in the industry is a plus on a city council that, essentially, is all about urban planning. If you run on the idea of smarter development that doesn't affect traffic negatively, “you'll win,” Rich said. 

See Also: BGC Partners Is Taking NGKF Public Related Topics: Chicago, New Orleans, American University, Atlanta City Council, Don Peebles, Kirk Rich, Abyssinian Development Corp, Loyola Marymount University, Paul Massey, President Donald Trump, Trump Effect, YJ Draiman, Bankers Realty Capital, Jennifer Lawless, Richard Fox, Calvin Butts, Bakersfield, Kyle Carter, Carter Realty , Sidney Torres IV, IV Capital, Boise, Tommy Ahlquist, David Draiman , Disturbed

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Los Angeles 2017 Mayoral Candidate Forum and NENC General Board Meeting Wednesday, February 15, 2017, 6:30pm

Los Angeles Mayoral Candidate Forum 

and NENC General Board Meeting

Wednesday, February 15, 2017, 6:30 pm

Northridge Woman's Club, 18401 Lassen Street (just east of Reseda Blvd), Northridge, CA 91325

Northridge East Neighborhood Council will hold a 2017 Los Angeles Mayoral Candidate Forum to be held on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, 7 pm

The “Candid” in “Candidate”

Yes, candid and candidate are cognate. It’s ironic, of course, that a word referring to forthrightness and honesty is the basis of a noun referring to someone who stands for political office.

Candid is from the Latin term candidum, which means not only “sincere” and “upright” but also “white” and “pure.” Candidatus, the Latin predecessor of candidate, means “white robed,” and alludes to the fact that those campaigning for public office in ancient Rome wore white.

Candid also means “blunt” or “frank” but also came, by extension, to mean “spontaneous,” as in referring to someone photographed in a candid pose rather than a prepared one. Meanwhile, candidate now can also refer to an applicant for any position, whether in a political context or otherwise, or to someone vying for an award or one who meets, or is on track to meet, all the requirements for something.

Synonyms for candidate include applicant, referring to someone who applies or asks for something, from the Latin verb applicare, meaning “fold to.” (The second syllable of apply is has the same as the word ply.) Another is aspirant, meaning “someone who tries to be or do something,” derived from the Latin verb aspirare, meaning “breathe on.”

Campaigner, which refers to someone who embarks on a political campaign to seek office, derives ultimately from the Latin term campania, meaning “level ground” and referring to the type of terrain most easily traversed by an army on the march; campaign originally referred to a series of battles waged to produce a desired strategic outcome. Contender, meanwhile, refers to someone who tries to win something, especially someone with a strong possibility of victory; the root word, contend, stems from the Latin verb contendere, meaning “stretch with” in the sense of a competitor who physically strives to win.

Nominee, from the Latin verb nominare, meaning “name,” pertains to someone who has been chosen to represent a political party for a specific office or someone who is being considered for a position. Prospect denotes someone likely to win or be chosen; the word, from the Latin verb prospicere, meaning “look forward,” also refers in general to anticipation or possibility, or to a lookout or a scene or a survey.

Vote for YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles 2017 - Check Ballot #33 on March 7, 2017

Vote for YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles 2017 - Check Ballot #33 on March 7, 2017

YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles - 2017 Vote for YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles 2017 - Check Ballot #33 on March 7, 2017 Getting Candid with YJ Draiman Full video 020117 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdFVNIoVn2o&feature=youtu.be "I dream of a world where the truth is what shapes people's politics, rather than politics shaping what people think is true." I, YJ Draiman, Candidate for mayor of the City of Los Angeles, propose a joint effort to fix our city and re-establish Los Angeles as one of the most vibrant, productive and progressive cities in America. In order to achieve this goal it will require you the people of L.A. and me, as Mayor, to roll up our sleeves and work elbow-to-elbow together, or it won’t be done. What has to be done has to be done. I am not asking for you to give something to your city, rather, I am asking you to join me in doing something with, and for your city. I am not asking for your gifts, but for your assistance, because hand-in-hand, united in our common cause, we will NOT fail. I believe there is no greater force than the will and spirit of the people of Los Angeles if we choose to unite and work together. The American ideal is not that we all agree with each other, or even like each other, every minute of the day. It is rather that we will respect each other's rights, especially the right to be different, and that, at the end of the day, we will understand that we are one people, one country, and one community, and that our well-being is inextricably bound up with the well-being of each and every one of our fellow citizens. YJ Draiman believes in principles and integrity over profit and personal gain The Committee to elect YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles in 2017 http://votersedge.org/ca/en/ballot/election/area/48/contests/contest/16043/candidate/136669?&election_authority_id=19

YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles - 2017 Check #33 on the Ballot

YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles - 2017

Vote for YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles 2017 - Check Ballot #33 on March 7, 2017

Getting Candid with YJ Draiman Full video 020117

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdFVNIoVn2o&feature=youtu.be

"I dream of a world where the truth is what shapes people's politics, rather than politics shaping what people think is true."

I, YJ Draiman, Candidate for mayor of the City of Los Angeles, propose a joint effort to fix our city and re-establish Los Angeles as one of the most vibrant, productive and progressive cities in America.

LA's 2017 Mayoral Candidate YJ Draiman with his wife Miriam

"We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers"

Mayoral elections Los Angeles A dozen hopefuls step up to the starting line for Los Angeles mayoral race YJ Draiman lead

• Mayoral elections Los Angeles

Vote for YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles 2017 - Check Ballot #33 on March 7, 2017

Vote for YJ Draiman for Mayor of Los Angeles 2017 - Check Ballot #33 on March 7, 2017

Getting Candid with YJ Draiman Full video 020117

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdFVNIoVn2o&feature=youtu.be

A dozen hopefuls step up to the starting line for Los Angeles mayoral race

People play soccer in the shadow of city hall at Grand Park in Los Angeles. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht/Los Angeles Daily News) 

By Dana Bartholomew, Los Angeles Daily News

POSTED: 11/11/16, 6:22 PM PST | UPDATED: ON 11/11/2016

4 COMMENTS

Los Angeles City Hall, June, 2014 (Photo by Dean Musgrove/Los Angeles Daily News) 

Y.J. Draiman would take Mayor Eric Garcetti’s job by boosting business. David Hernandez would supplant the mayor by building infrastructure. And Garcetti would be re-elected mayor by having already led Los Angeles.

They were among the dozen candidates to formally declare they would run for mayor before the deadline ends at noon today. Candidates have until Dec. 7 to collect enough signatures to get onto the March 7 city election ballot.

“We have people filing even today for mayor,” said Tom Reindel, public services administrator for the Los Angeles City Clerk-Election Division, which remained open during the Veterans Day holiday.

“If someone shows up at 12:01 p.m. (today), they will not be processed.”

Besides the mayor’s race, elections will be held for city attorney, controller, eight-odd numbered council districts and even-numbered Los Angeles school board and community college districts.

Garcetti, a native of Encino, was voted into office in May 2013 after a bruising battle with former City Controller Wendy Greuel, a native of North Hollywood.

Highlights during his term include passing a $15 minimum wage, a new contract with Department of Water and Power workers, a Los Angeles bid for the 2024 Olympics, and the recent passage of the Measure M transit tax.

After announcing he’d run again more than a year ago, he has raised $2.25 million toward his re-election bid, according to a Sept. 30 campaign filing, the latest available.

Among the dozen challengers for the $249,000 mayoral seat were five from the San Fernando Valley: Draiman, a Northridge East Neighborhood Council board member from Northridge; Hernandez, a community advocate from Valley Village; Rudy Melendez, a laborer/artist from North Hollywood; Eric Preven, a writer/producer from Studio City; and Diane “Pinky” Harman, a retired educator/actor from Northridge.

Draiman, a retired real estate developer, had run for mayor three years ago. He says he’s running again to make a difference: in energy and water conservation; and in bringing business back to Los Angeles.

“That is key to this city,” said Draiman, 67, a registered independent. “You bring business back to the city, and you employ the unemployed. I am very determined. I want this city to move forward. It’s ridiculous; we’re going backwards.”

Hernandez, a retired insurance adjuster, once ran for Los Angeles County supervisor as well as Congress. He’s also been active in community issues, from advocating for Asian elephants at the Los Angeles Zoo to fighting a proposed bullet train in the Northeast Valley.

“I’m running because I can only do so much as a community advocate to make a positive change,” said Hernandez, 68, a registered Republican who raised $1,300, “including going to basics and resetting our priorities to public safety, infrastructure, business opportunities and quality of life.”

Harman taught English as a second language in Los Angeles schools for more than three decades before she found a second wind as a senior rapper and hip-hop dancer.

She says Queen Latifah named her “Pinky” on account of her signature head-to-toe pink getups. She is running for mayor, she said, to advocate for senior citizens, end racial injustice and put an end to criminal hacking and stalking.

“I’m pink and positive,” said Harman, 65. “Keep it pink and positive. I would paint the town pink and make Los Angeles have a pink horizon.”

Of the dozen candidates to have declared their intention to run for mayor, Mitchell Schwartz has raised $255,000. The former communications director for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, who lives in Windsor Square, has cited crime, traffic and education as key issues.

Paul E. Amori, creator of Amori’s Casino & Burlesque, will run for mayor having founded the Love Party, which he said will launch a political paradigm by putting love into action to solve problems.

Steve Barr, founder of Green Dot Public Schools, had raised $18,000 to campaign for mayor by last fall, but he had not formally declared his candidacy by noon Friday.

The most active city race may be to replace Councilman Felipe Fuentes, who stepped down from his job in September to become a lobbyist in Sacramento.

By Friday, 21 residents had declared their intent to run for City Council District 7, which includes Northeast Valley neighborhoods from Sunland-Tujunga to Sylmar.

Two Major Lawsuits Claim LA Illegally Collected More Than $2 Billion in Taxes

June 9, 2015 By Stephen Frank 1 Comment

Good grief—it looks like the City of Los Angeles stole as much money as Bernie Madoff—and he is in jail and those responsible for the LA thefts get re-elected. Criminals in the courtroom (illegal aliens can now be attorneys in California and New York). In LA the city stole billions by illegally charging taxpayers and ratepayers.

I guess they hoped they would never be caught. Now the problem will be returning the money to those they decided to steal from.

“The first lawsuit, Ardon v. City of Los Angeles, was filed in December, 2009.  It alleges that that the 10% Telephone Users Tax was an illegal tax, resulting in the collection of approximately $750 million between 2006 and 2008.  With interest, the potential liability to the City is more than $1 billion.

The second class action lawsuit, Patrick Eck v. City of Los Angeles, was filed in April, 2015.  It alleges that the undisclosed 8% Transfer Fee levied by the Department of Water and Power is an illegal tax.  This has resulted in the collection of over $1.25 billion from Ratepayers since the passage of Proposition 26 in November, 2010.”

Obama famous said, “so sue me”. Guess that disease has spread to all of government—try to get away with criminal action; refusal to enforce the laws, then when caught say, “so sue me”. Billions stolen is not a math mistake—it is a criminal act. Maybe Eric Garcetti should need a good attorney.

Two Major Lawsuits Claim LA Illegally Collected More Than $2 Billion in Taxes

Written by Jack Humphreville, City Watch LA, 6/9/15

LA WATCHDOG-The City of Los Angeles is the defendant in two major class action lawsuits alleging that the City illegally collected over $2 billion in taxes from the Taxpayers and Ratepayers that were not approved by the voters.

The City, Mayor Eric Garcetti, City Council President Herb Wesson, Budget and Finance Chair Paul Krekorian, and the rest of the City Council have a massive conflict of interest as they attempt to minimize the return of our money that was illegally collected while we, their constituents, want full recovery of our hard earned money.

The first lawsuit, Ardon v. City of Los Angeles, was filed in December, 2009.  It alleges that that the 10% Telephone Users Tax was an illegal tax, resulting in the collection of approximately $750 million between 2006 and 2008.  With interest, the potential liability to the City is more than $1 billion.

Parenthetically, in a special election held in February, 2008, 66% of the voters approved the 9% Communication Users Tax (Proposition S).  This replaced the 10% Telephone Users Tax.

The second class action lawsuit, Patrick Eck v. City of Los Angeles, was filed in April, 2015.  It alleges that the undisclosed 8% Transfer Fee levied by the Department of Water and Power is an illegal tax.  This has resulted in the collection of over $1.25 billion from Ratepayers since the passage of Proposition 26 in November, 2010.  The plaintiff is requesting the elimination of the 8% Transfer Fee ($266 million for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2015) and the return of over $1.25 billion to Ratepayers.

Another lawsuit, Tyler Chapman v. City of Los Angeles, was filed in January, 2015.   It also involves the illegal the 8% Transfer Fee.

The City has been less than transparent about the potential liability involving the $1 billion liability associated with Ardon litigation.  To the contrary, the City failed to disclose its potential liability in the contingency section of its audit financial statements, referring only to a class action litigation.  The City is continuing to fight this litigation and its certification as a class action, all on our nickel.

Rather than waging a war against the Taxpayers and the Ratepayers, the City needs to develop a plan to finance the repayment of our $2 billion without paying big fat contingency fees to the class action lawyers with our money. This plan will involve new taxes that will need to be approved by the electorate, not an easy ask since the voters do not trust the fiscally irresponsible City Council.

Therefore, the City will need to engage in wholesale financial, budget, pension, and work place / personnel reform.  This would include, at a minimum, placing on the ballot a Live Within Its Means charter amendment that would require the City to develop and adhere to a Five Year Financial Plan, to pass two year balanced budgets based on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and, over the next twenty years, to repair our streets and sidewalks and to fully fund the City’s two pension plans.

The longer Mayor Garcetti and the Herb Wesson-led City Council wait, the city’s bargaining and financial condition will deteriorate.  Now is the time to repay the Taxpayers and Ratepayers their $2 billion.