A number of important elections will take place across Los Angeles County in April. See below for links to individual #BikeTheVote L.A. voter guides for each election.

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Assembly District 54 serves a large area of central Los Angeles, as well as Inglewood, Culver City, and the hillside communities of Ladera Heights and View Park-Windsor Hills. With the resignation of Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas due to health issues, the area will see a special election on April 3rd to fill the seat through the end of the current term in December 2018.

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Sebastian Ridley-Thomas had been a disappointing representative on Bike the Vote L.A.’s issues, which was surprising in light of the strong positions his father and mentor, L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, had taken on active transportation. Sebastian Ridley-Thomas appeared to have a strong connection with gas and fracking companies as well as California’s oil lobby (CIPA), and the positions he took on transportation and the environment consistently earned him low grades from CalBike, the California League of Conservation Voters, and the Sierra Club.

With Sebastian Ridley-Thomas’ resignation, the opportunity to elect a progressive transportation leader is an important one: AD54 is home to two of L.A.’s newest light rail lines and many corridors designated as part of Los Angeles Vision Zero’s High Injury Network. Bike The Vote L.A. received promising responses from several candidates.

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For a primary with such a large field, our AD54 election committee decided to provide letter grades for candidates based on their responses and experience, with the possibility of making an endorsement for the general election in late 2018. Individual summaries for responding candidates are listed below, along with a link to each candidate’s full response to Bike The Vote L.A.

2018 CA Special Election Primary: Tuesday, April 3, 7am-8pm
Register to Vote: http://bit.ly/btvregister
Find your polling place: http://lavote.net/locator

AD54 Candidate: Steve Dunwoody

Steve Dunwoody has positioned himself as a progressive champion of the environment, and it is refreshing to see the pivotal role that active transportation plays in his platform. His response to Bike The Vote L.A. expressed a very thoughtful approach to centering transportation around quality transit complimented by transit-oriented development and first mile/last mile connections for those on foot and on bikes. (Note: Steve Dunwoody is running as a write-in candidate for the April 3rd special election, but plans to appear on the ballot as a candidate for the regular June 5th primary election.)

Bike The Vote L.A. 2018 Primary Grade: A-

[Click HERE for Steve Dunwoody’s questionnaire response to Bike The Vote L.A.]


AD54 Candidate: Sydney Kamlager

Sydney Kamlager currently serves as district director to State Senator Holly Mitchell (who Bike The Vote endorsed in 2014), and holds an impressive platform on transportation. In her response to Bike The Vote L.A., Kamlager expressed support for encouraging Californians to do less driving, and committed to providing dedicated funding for active transportation. We would have liked Kamlager to offer more fully fleshed-out ideas for implementing transit oriented development, but her overall platform on transportation appears strong. It’s clear that she understands the important position that active transportation plays in helping California to meet its climate goals and eager to engage with safe streets advocates should she be elected.

Bike The Vote L.A. 2018 Primary Grade: B+

[Click HERE for Sydney Kamlager’s questionnaire response to Bike The Vote L.A.]


AD54 Candidate: Dr. Terpring Piquado

Dr. Tepring Piquado clearly communicated that she recognizes the role that transportation plays in California’s climate policy. To that end, she expressed support for dedicated funding for active transportation and for reducing the amount of driving. While she fell short of full commitments to support clarifying the rights of people on bikes under the vehicle code or methods to reduce speeding on California roads, her response shows a promising approach to transportation policy.

Bike The Vote L.A. 2018 Primary Grade: B+

[Click HERE for Dr. Tepring Piquado’s questionnaire response to Bike The Vote L.A.]


Bike the Vote L.A. volunteers made repeated efforts to reach all candidates in this race, but after multiple attempts, the following candidates did not respond to our questionnaire. Due to a lack of information about their transportation platforms and/or their available track record, we gave each candidate a grade of C-. While these candidates did not indicate an opposition to active transportation projects, we are disappointed that they did not respond to our questionnaire.

Non-responsive candidates are:

  • Glen Ratcliff
  • Grayson Pangilinam

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Candidate campaign page: https://www.dunwoodyforcalifornia.com/

Steve Dunwoody has positioned himself as a progressive champion of the environment, and it is refreshing to see the pivotal role that active transportation plays in his platform. His response to Bike The Vote L.A. expressed a very thoughtful approach to centering transportation around quality transit complimented by transit-oriented development and first mile/last mile connections for those on foot and on bikes. (Note: Steve Dunwoody is running as a write-in candidate for the April 3rd special election, but plans to appear on the ballot as a candidate for the regular June 5th primary election.)

Bike The Vote L.A. 2018 Primary Grade: A-

(See below for full candidate questionnaire response)

1. The California Air Resources Board estimates that transportation accounts for 37% of California’s annual carbon emissions. What actions would you take as assemblymember to ensure that California creates a more sustainable transportation system?

One important way to reduce carbon emissions and pollution from the transportation sector is to push to convert our vehicles to operate on electricity, instead of fossil fuel.

We can start by electrifying public transit fleets such as buses and encouraging companies to do the same things for their fleets. It’s especially important that the regional goods movement system (especially around the ports) that currently rely on heavy-duty diesel trucks convert to no-emission and extremely-low emission standards.

Funding for this conversion was considered for inclusion in LA County’s Measure M but unfortunately was left out. The state ought to consider other ways to encourage it, as with SB 1204 (which, incidentally, was opposed by the district’s recently resigned Assemblymember). As we push to electrify passenger cars, it’s important that we integrate equity concerns from the start. I think we should build on pilot programs like BlueLA that bring car-sharing of electric vehicles to South LA, rather than subsidize wealthy purchasers of Teslas.

However, because the generation of electricity still produces emissions, until we achieve 100% renewable energy production, it is important to reduce overall energy consumption by the transportation sector.

The best way to do this is to increase the capacity of our public transit systems and to encourage equitable transit-oriented development. Bus rapid transit and light rail are important parts of this system and we must also include first mile/last mile improvements for pedestrians and cyclists to make the system a functioning, integrated whole.

2. Cap & trade funds offer a unique opportunity to prioritize sustainable transportation, particularly in low-income neighborhoods negatively affected by pollution caused by cars. Do you support dedicating a portion of cap and trade funds towards the Active Transportation Program to help fund better pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure?

Yes.

3. In Los Angeles, low-income communities of color are disproportionately burdened by the impacts of streets designed primarily for cars, without receiving proportional funding for their mobility modes like walking, biking, and public transit. Would you support legislation to add a ‘complete streets’ policy to SB 1, California’s newly augmented gas tax, to require all street and highway projects to incorporate the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists and transit-dependent communities?

Yes.

4. California law regarding the position bicyclists can occupy in a traffic lane is written in a confusing manner. The typical condition – in which the rightmost lane is too narrow for a car and a bicycle to travel safely side-by-side and the bicyclist is thus allowed to use the full lane – is written as an exception rather than the default standard. As a result, despite public information campaigns such as “Every Lane Is A Bike Lane,” there is frequently confusion from the general public and even law enforcement agencies on the legality of bicyclists riding in traffic lanes on California roads. Do you support re-wording traffic law to clarify the right of people on bikes to ride to maximize their visibility and safety?

Yes.

5. A recent study by the National Transportation Safety Board found that speeding was one of the most common factors in crashes, and one of the highest contributors towards fatal crashes. Despite this fact, speed limits across California are consistently raised due to a state law that sets speed limits at the 85th percentile of measured driving speeds. Do you support reform to the 85th percentile rule to give local jurisdictions the ability to set speed limits to better promote safe driving?

Yes.

6. California’s ongoing housing crisis challenges cities and communities to provide solutions towards meeting California’s demand for housing. Do you support efforts at the state level to accommodate smart growth, transit-oriented development, and sustainable communities that empower residents to get around on foot, by bike, and on quality public transit? What specific policies you would pursue to promote sustainable and affordable living for Californians?

Yes, I support such efforts at the state level that accommodate smart growth, transit-oriented development, and sustainable communities that empower residents to get around on foot, by bike, and on quality public transit.

Infill development and new housing, especially near transit is important to creating communities that are not auto-reliant.

At the same time, we can look to recent scholarship which shows that more market-rate development near transit without implementing measures to preserve and creating affordable housing, will lead to an exodus of low-income people who are core transit-riders.

So we must prioritize anti-displacement measures and the creation and preservation of affordable housing. Transit and transit-oriented development won’t achieve their potential if poor and working-class communities who are the highest propensity users of transit are displaced to the fringes of suburbia.

We need to make sure a significant percentage of new private housing development is dedicated to be permanently affordable to low-income families, especially near transit. There isn’t enough funding to build all the affordable housing our state needs, especially for those who are low-income. However by capturing the value created by building more densely, especially near transit, we can have private developers create a large share of the affordable units we need. For that reason, I support inclusionary zoning. Measure JJJ, passed by LA City voters in November 2016, is a good model to explore and build upon in this regard. It was the product of close collaboration between housing/community/renters rights groups, environmentalists, and labor.

I support strengthening rent control to control spikes in rental prices and give residents rights to stay in their homes as part of a comprehensive housing strategy. Repealing Costa Hawkins at the state level is crucial to giving localities the tools they need to do this.

And I believe funding from the cap-and-trade program should continue to support the sustainable communities programs, which includes affordable housing and green infrastructure.

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Candidate campaign page: https://www.kamlagerforassembly.com/

Sydney Kamlager currently serves as district director to State Senator Holly Mitchell (who Bike The Vote endorsed in 2014), and holds an impressive platform on transportation. In her response to Bike The Vote L.A., Kamlager expressed support for encouraging Californians to do less driving, and committed to providing dedicated funding for active transportation. We would have liked Kamlager to offer more fully fleshed-out ideas for implementing transit oriented development, but her overall platform on transportation appears strong. It’s clear that she understands the important position that active transportation plays in helping California to meet its climate goals and eager to engage with safe streets advocates should she be elected.

 

Bike The Vote L.A. 2018 Primary Grade: B+

(See below for full candidate questionnaire response)

1. The California Air Resources Board estimates that transportation accounts for 37% of California’s annual carbon emissions. What actions would you take as assemblymember to ensure that California creates a more sustainable transportation system?

Californians, specifically those living near highways, continue to be harmed by car pollution. The massive reliance on fossil fuels and gas powered cars are making it very challenging to fight climate change in California. If elected, I will sign bills that encourage fuel diversification and reduce vehicle miles traveled.

I have worked to help make the Crenshaw light rail line a reality in the district, and will fight for a full build out of LA’s mass transit system. I will support a robust infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles.

2. Cap & trade funds offer a unique opportunity to prioritize sustainable transportation, particularly in low-income neighborhoods negatively affected by pollution caused by cars. Do you support dedicating a portion of cap and trade funds towards the Active Transportation Program to help fund better pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure?

Yes.

3. In Los Angeles, low-income communities of color are disproportionately burdened by the impacts of streets designed primarily for cars, without receiving proportional funding for their mobility modes like walking, biking, and public transit. Would you support legislation to add a ‘complete streets’ policy to SB 1, California’s newly augmented gas tax, to require all street and highway projects to incorporate the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists and transit-dependent communities?

Yes.

4. California law regarding the position bicyclists can occupy in a traffic lane is written in a confusing manner. The typical condition – in which the rightmost lane is too narrow for a car and a bicycle to travel safely side-by-side and the bicyclist is thus allowed to use the full lane – is written as an exception rather than the default standard. As a result, despite public information campaigns such as “Every Lane Is A Bike Lane,” there is frequently confusion from the general public and even law enforcement agencies on the legality of bicyclists riding in traffic lanes on California roads. Do you support re-wording traffic law to clarify the right of people on bikes to ride to maximize their visibility and safety?

Yes. The law needs to be more clear and better enforced. This is a matter of public safety.

5. A recent study by the National Transportation Safety Board found that speeding was one of the most common factors in crashes, and one of the highest contributors towards fatal crashes. Despite this fact, speed limits across California are consistently raised due to a state law that sets speed limits at the 85th percentile of measured driving speeds. Do you support reform to the 85th percentile rule to give local jurisdictions the ability to set speed limits to better promote safe driving?

Yes. I support it.

6. California’s ongoing housing crisis challenges cities and communities to provide solutions towards meeting California’s demand for housing. Do you support efforts at the state level to accommodate smart growth, transit-oriented development, and sustainable communities that empower residents to get around on foot, by bike, and on quality public transit? What specific policies you would pursue to promote sustainable and affordable living for Californians?

 

Yes. Climate change is real and we need to get California moving away from gas fired power plants to 100% clean energy. I believe that the state government can not only play a more effective role in monitoring regulations that empower residents to get around on foot, by bike and on quality public transit but also bringing local residents and organizations like Bike the Vote LA to the table to come up with a more comprehensive plan toward sustainability. I welcome Bike The Vote LA’s thoughts and suggestions on specific policies to get us there.

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Candidate campaign page: http://www.votetepring.com/

Dr. Tepring Piquado clearly communicated that she recognizes the role that transportation plays in California’s climate policy. To that end, she expressed support for dedicated funding for active transportation and for reducing the amount of driving. While she fell short of full commitments to support clarifying the rights of people on bikes under the vehicle code or methods to reduce speeding on California roads, her response shows a promising approach to transportation policy.

 

Bike The Vote L.A. 2018 Primary Grade: B+

(See below for full candidate questionnaire response)

1. The California Air Resources Board estimates that transportation accounts for 37% of California’s annual carbon emissions. What actions would you take as assemblymember to ensure that California creates a more sustainable transportation system?

Last year the Air Resources Board warned that California can’t meet its climate goals without reducing emissions from transportation. We need to provide Californians with safe options to get around without driving in the here and now. The good news is that the mileage reductions we need to meet our commitments under AB32 and successor legislation are pretty modest–the LA Times calculated that Southern Californians need to cut daily mileage from about 22.8 to 20.2–just over 10%.

I will work with local officials and advocacy groups to make it safe and accessible for people to walk or bike for their local errands like to the bank or the post office instead of driving. If we can make people feel safe walking or biking our kids to school or ourselves to work that reduces some miles. We can work toward this.

2. Cap & trade funds offer a unique opportunity to prioritize sustainable transportation, particularly in low-income neighborhoods negatively affected by pollution caused by cars. Do you support dedicating a portion of cap and trade funds towards the Active Transportation Program to help fund better pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure?

Yes, safe pedestrian and cycling infrastructure needs to be an important part of climate strategy.

3. In Los Angeles, low-income communities of color are disproportionately burdened by the impacts of streets designed primarily for cars, without receiving proportional funding for their mobility modes like walking, biking, and public transit. Would you support legislation to add a ‘complete streets’ policy to SB 1, California’s newly augmented gas tax, to require all street and highway projects to incorporate the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists and transit-dependent communities?

Yes, I fully support developing safe pedestrian and cycling opportunities.

4. California law regarding the position bicyclists can occupy in a traffic lane is written in a confusing manner. The typical condition – in which the rightmost lane is too narrow for a car and a bicycle to travel safely side-by-side and the bicyclist is thus allowed to use the full lane – is written as an exception rather than the default standard. As a result, despite public information campaigns such as “Every Lane Is A Bike Lane,” there is frequently confusion from the general public and even law enforcement agencies on the legality of bicyclists riding in traffic lanes on California roads. Do you support re-wording traffic law to clarify the right of people on bikes to ride to maximize their visibility and safety?

I fully support engaging with communities to educate drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to make it safe for all commuters. Public safety should be our top priority as we share the road.

5. A recent study by the National Transportation Safety Board found that speeding was one of the most common factors in crashes, and one of the highest contributors towards fatal crashes. Despite this fact, speed limits across California are consistently raised due to a state law that sets speed limits at the 85th percentile of measured driving speeds. Do you support reform to the 85th percentile rule to give local jurisdictions the ability to set speed limits to better promote safe driving?

My approach to specific statewide legislation is to clearly state the problem, engage stakeholders and subject matter experts and gather information to make the best decision possible grounded in context. Public safety must be a top priority for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers as we design transportation policies.

6. California’s ongoing housing crisis challenges cities and communities to provide solutions towards meeting California’s demand for housing. Do you support efforts at the state level to accommodate smart growth, transit-oriented development, and sustainable communities that empower residents to get around on foot, by bike, and on quality public transit? What specific policies you would pursue to promote sustainable and affordable living for Californians?

I would seek a housing-first policy that focuses on equitable access to housing and methods of transportation including walking, biking and public transportation to work and community activities. Development of sustainable communities is important as we continue to grow the economy.