Imelda Padilla joined the Los Angeles City Council less than six months ago, after winning a special election to replace former council Speaker Nury Martínez, who resigned midterm in October 2022 after leaked audio I would hear her making racist comments.
The councilwoman is now running for a full four-year term to represent her San Fernando Valley district, which includes Van Nuys, Lake Balboa, Panorama City, Arleta and Sun Valley. District 6 voters should feel comfortable supporting her again, even though she has barely had enough time to do more than hire staff and learn the many things one needs to know as a representative of the second-largest city in the country.
Padilla’s pragmatic, district-focused agenda and experience working with the community are what made her the best candidate on the June 27 ballot, and remain the reason she is the best candidate on the ballot primary on March 5.
What makes Padilla stand out is her long history of involvement in community issues, which began when she was a teenager and served on the City of Los Angeles Youth Council. She has worked in a variety of community engagement and outreach roles for Pacoima Beautiful, the Los Angeles County Women and Girls Initiative, and the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, and served on the Sun Valley Area Neighborhood Council . As a result, she has a wide range of support among community and business organizations, elected officials, unions, and everyday Angelenos.
And so far, Padilla has done the things he said he would do in his last campaign. He has quickly learned about issues facing the city and his district, such as neighborhood concerns about the Van Nuys Airport, a debate over bike lane improvements in the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, and the challenges of addressing the lack of living place.
As promised, he has focused on basic services for constituents in a district that has historically been let down by City Hall: specifically, cleaning up trash and graffiti, working to connect homeless services with people living in RVs who are line many of the industrial streets in their district and maintain the Sheldon Skate Park.
It is too early to evaluate Padilla’s political efforts. Most of the motions he has filed concern district issues. But that is to be expected. This is a big job and no one becomes an expert after six months. We hope she develops the independence to fight for the needs and interests of her constituents and not become a seal of approval for City Council leadership.
There are two other people competing for this position: Ely De La Cruz Ayao, a real estate broker, and Carmenlina Minasova, a respiratory care specialist. None have demonstrated the skills or experience for the job.
Padilla is the only real choice for Los Angeles City Council District 6, and a good one.
