No Regrets, Say Measure S Backers

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After Measure S, an attempt to severely tighten controls on developers, was beaten 69 percent to 31 percent yesterday, Measure S officials, led by Jill Stewart and Damien Goodmon, issued the following statement:
Although the vote on Measure S fell short, we are humbled by tens of thousands of voters who are clearly saying it’s time for L.A. City Hall – our City Council and mayor — to end their backroom deals with billionaire developers and work for the public interest, not the special interests.

City leaders and billionaire developers came at us with everything — far more money and virtually the entire establishment.

Yet we changed the conversation in a city where leaders one year ago denied the presence of a serious problem inside City Hall.

The Yes on Measure S campaign has given residents confidence to demand transparency and accountability from city leaders.

Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the key funder for Measure S, said, “The Coalition to Preserve L.A. made history in this campaign. We not only exposed corruption but we began a process of reform; we built a citywide movement and we planted the seeds of change. Los Angeles will be a better place to live as a result of the Yes on S campaign.

“This campaign will go down in the record books as one of the most successful campaigns that did not actually win the vote. Everyone is now in agreement that developers should not write their own environmental impact reports and not have private communications with city planning commissioners; that we should have updated plans for the city; and that exemptions from zoning rules should be the exception, not the rule.”

This campaign united dozens and dozens of diverse groups across Los Angeles, and in those groups we found commonality and a love for our communities  — and a terrific optimism made up of many faces and voices.

Campaign manager Jill Stewart said their campaign “has challenged City Hall to be worthy of its residents.  A lot of promises were made by city leaders before Election Day, and the onus is now on the mayor and city council to follow through.”

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