Of the population of District #9 of Los Angeles, almost 80% are Latino. This clarifies the district as eminently Latino, and so are both its characteristics and the problems that afflict it.
But since 1962 the district had only African-American council members.
Councilor since 2013 Curren Ticket is retiring due to electoral term limits. To replace him, in the June 2 primaries for the Los Angeles City Council the following are running: José Ugarte, Estuardo Mazariegos, Jorge Hernández Rosas, Jorge Nuño, Elmer Roldán and Martha Sánchez.
This time, all the candidates are Latino.
La Opinion considers that, of all of them, José Ugarte is the most qualified candidate for the position and asks its readers to vote for him.
South Central LA District #9 includes historic South Central, South Park, Florence, University Park, Exposition Park and Vermont-Slauson.
Another common characteristic is that 43% of families live below the poverty line, more than any other area of the city, whose poverty percentages fluctuate between 33% and 10%. Although billions in tax revenue are generated for the area’s many businesses and establishments, most of it does not go to residents.
District #9 is also the one with the largest youth population – approximately 28% of residents are under the age of 18 – requiring additional resources invested in their education and the availability of jobs. All of this requires specific and urgent solutions.
They are what José Ugarte can provide.
Ugarte is a native of Oaxaca, Mexico; When he was 4 years old, his family emigrated to Los Angeles. Precisely, in a video on his website he speaks in Spanish about his family who “came with nothing but hope, a strong work ethic and the belief that with effort you can build a better life.”
In an interview with a local media outlet, he expressed his desire to be the example of an “undocumented person who became a citizen and who is working to improve his community.”
And he adds in his video: “I never forget where I come from and why I fight.” In order to attack the roots of the district’s problems, it is essential that this be so.
Because this is what our community needs.
Ugarte has been working on the Ticket team since 2013, focused on intergovernmental and labor relations. Over the years he became its deputy chief, serving for seven years. He served the District in various assignments, projects and departments, experience that makes him capable of being elected from day one.
In 2018, she created with her sister Ugarte & Friends, a political consulting and lobbying firm focusing on the Southern California area. As a political consultant, he coordinated the electoral campaigns of several Latino leaders.
Additionally, he created the Ugarte Civic Youth Fellowship program through which he mentored more than 100 high school students interested in contributing to the community, participating in programs aimed at fostering civic leadership and community activism.
Ugarte was fined $17,500 by the city’s Ethics Commission for failing to declare outside income from his consulting firm between 2021 and 2023. He acknowledged the error, called it an involuntary administrative omission, corrected his forms and took steps to prevent it from happening again. La Opinion considers that this recognition of responsibility, combined with his extensive experience serving the district, does not invalidate his candidacy.
It has clear solutions: recreate the Public Health department that the city delegated to the county 60 years ago to, among other objectives, improve service to the “homeless”; prioritize the mental health of homeless people and discourage the construction of luxury housing that displaces low-income residents; require the Police Department to recruit a minimum percentage of officers who live in the area; prioritize the services available to migrant communities; encourage public education and finally, promote the expansion of the Metro to cover more areas within the district and improve the mobility of workers.
Hilda Solís, Los Angeles County Supervisor for District 1, said of him: “I have known José Ugarte since he was a child, touring precincts and collaborating on campaigns because he believed in contributing to his community. Over the years, I have seen him grow as a committed public servant who understands that leadership is about lifting people up and achieving real results for working families.”
Also supporting Ugarte are Congressman Jimmy Gómez, state assembly members Anamarie Avila Farias, Jessica Caloza, Mike Fong, Mike Gibson, Word González, Michelle Rodríguez, José Solache, Esmeralda Soria, Avelino Valencia and Rick Chávez Zbur; former legislators Richard Polanco, Anthony Rendon, Miguel Santiago and former mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Likewise, a long list of unions, a reflection of his beginnings as a union organizer.
For all these reasons, La Opinión recommends: on June 2, vote for José Ugarte.
