Pat Russell
Encyclopedia
Pat Russell was the fourth woman to serve on the Los Angeles, California, City Council (1969–87) and the first woman to be City Council president (1983–87).
, the daughter of Paul Ostroot of North Dakota and Ruth Chapman Ostroot of Colfax, Washington
. Her father worked for General Mills
, and her mother was a Phi Beta Kappa "in a time when few women competed for college grades."
She was educated in Portland and received her bachelor of arts
from the University of Washington
, where she was a Phi Beta Kappa and president of the student body. During World War II she carried mail and worked in a furniture factory. She earned a secondary teaching credential
from UCLA.
She was married at the age of 22 on December 29, 1946, to William Treloar Russell, 26; he remained in the Army as a lieutenant colonel for eight years and later became an aerospace engineer with TRW
. They had three children, Steven, David and Mercedes. She lived at 6401 Riggs Place, Westchester, Los Angeles. By January 1985, the couple had separated, but they kept in touch with each other, taking outdoor trips and "having dinner with him virtually every night during the Christmas holidays."
A Los Angeles Times reporter noted that during the early part of her career as a councilwoman, she "showed off more in public, when she wore muumuu
s to work along with earrings shaped like watermelons, when she quoted Chinese philosophers, made no secret of the personal flotation tank
she owned, and once missed a council meeting to attend a wilderness retreat sponsored by est
," which she later said gave her a sense of "empowerment." But after her election to the City Council presidency, she presented "a tailored, stylish appearance and a politely distant manner that has been described as both presidential and imperious." It was said that she had her goal set on the mayoralty.
Russell led a healthy, outdoor life, running several miles a day in 1985 and engaging in strenuous mountain hikes. At age 67 in 1991 she ran twenty-five miles a week and was in the Salton Sea
area with her husband, from who she still lived apart, for a 16-mile, 6,500-foot climb.
in 1963-65 and of the Los Angeles County LWV in 1966-68. She was on the board of directors of the Los Angeles Urban Coalition and was vice president of its transportation task force. She was active in Camp Fire Girls leadership. She was a Los Angeles Times Woman of the Year in 1971 and received a Status of Women Award from the Santa Monica branch of the American Association of University Women
in 1972.
After her City Council defeat in 1987, Russell organized the Regional Institute of Southern California, a public-private partnership
that explored local problems; she worked there "about half time" as the agency head.
covered:
1969: The Airport area
, including Westchester and Playa del Rey, the Baldwin Hills area, including Hyde Park and Leimert Park and the Mar Vista-Venice area.
1975: From the coast inland to the Crenshaw District, with Venice, Westchester and portions of South-Central Los Angeles.
With the July 2, 1969, resignation of Councilman L.E. Timberlake, the City Council, by a 9-5 vote, ordered a "precedent-setting" special election to fill the 6th District vacancy. It was to be the first such first-past-the-post special election to fill a council vacancy since the procedure was authorized in a city charter amendment in 1963. The alternative would have been for the City Council to appoint a successor for the remaining term of some years.
Russell won the special vote on December 3, 1969, by 620 votes over Frank Small, who had been Timberlake's chief deputy for 16 years. There were three other candidates. Afterward, she said that she was an "independent" and that she considered the problems of noise from Los Angeles Airport and the refurbishing of the Venice canals
to be the main issues in her district.
Despite a prediction that she might not be reelected because "She doesn't compromise," voters chose Russell in 1971 over another challenge by Frank Small, and she was elected for the third time in 1975 over light opposition from three candidates and in 1979 over four opponents. She won in the 1983 primary as well.
The 1987 vote was a different story. Despite the fact that Russell raised three times as much money as all of her five opponents combined in the primary race, she failed to gain a majority in the April vote, and she had to face Ruth Galanter
, an urban planner with backing from environmental groups and people in the entertainment industry, in the final. Galanter was seen as someone who "rode to prominence much as Russell did 18 years ago— as a darling of middle-class protestors angered by major development in their neighborhoods." In addition, the Los Angeles Times reported, Russell's opposition to Proposition U, "the popular anti-growth initiative that passed overwhelmingly in her district, gave rise to the belief that she had fallen out of step with her constituents." Mayor Bradley campaigned for her, but she nevertheless lost the final vote by 15,855 votes to Galanter's 21,846.
, she said: "All my life there have been men who have tried to tell me what to do . . . I think the only people who think that are mostly males who believe that a woman cannot think for herself."
Biography
Russell was born on December 31, 1923, in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, the daughter of Paul Ostroot of North Dakota and Ruth Chapman Ostroot of Colfax, Washington
Colfax, Washington
Colfax is the county seat of Whitman County, Washington, United States.The population was 2,805 at the 2010 census.It is situated amidst wheat-covered hills in a valley at the confluence of the north and south forks of the Palouse River. U.S...
. Her father worked for General Mills
General Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...
, and her mother was a Phi Beta Kappa "in a time when few women competed for college grades."
She was educated in Portland and received her bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, where she was a Phi Beta Kappa and president of the student body. During World War II she carried mail and worked in a furniture factory. She earned a secondary teaching credential
Teaching credential
A United States teaching credential is a basic multiple or single subject credential obtained upon completion of a bachelor's degree and prescribed professional education requirements. Teaching credentials are required in the United States in order to qualify to teach public school, as well as many...
from UCLA.
She was married at the age of 22 on December 29, 1946, to William Treloar Russell, 26; he remained in the Army as a lieutenant colonel for eight years and later became an aerospace engineer with TRW
TRW
TRW Inc. was an American corporation involved in a variety of businesses, mainly aerospace, automotive, and credit reporting. It was a pioneer in multiple fields including electronic components, integrated circuits, computers, software and systems engineering. TRW built many spacecraft,...
. They had three children, Steven, David and Mercedes. She lived at 6401 Riggs Place, Westchester, Los Angeles. By January 1985, the couple had separated, but they kept in touch with each other, taking outdoor trips and "having dinner with him virtually every night during the Christmas holidays."
A Los Angeles Times reporter noted that during the early part of her career as a councilwoman, she "showed off more in public, when she wore muumuu
Muumuu
The muumuu or muumuu is a loose dress of Hawaiian origin that hangs from the shoulder. Like the Aloha shirt, muumuu exports are often brilliantly colored with floral patterns of generic Polynesian motifs. Muumuu for local Hawaiian residents are more subdued in tone...
s to work along with earrings shaped like watermelons, when she quoted Chinese philosophers, made no secret of the personal flotation tank
Isolation tank
An isolation tank is a lightless, soundproof tank inside which subjects float in salt water at skin temperature. They were first used by John C. Lilly in 1954 to test the effects of sensory deprivation. Such tanks are now also used for meditation and relaxation and in alternative medicine. The...
she owned, and once missed a council meeting to attend a wilderness retreat sponsored by est
EST
-Places:* Est , a town in Gelderland* Estonia, a nation in northern Europe** Estonian language, the Estonian language in ISO 639.2 or ISO 639–3 language codes* Est Region , one of Burkina Faso's 13 administrative regions...
," which she later said gave her a sense of "empowerment." But after her election to the City Council presidency, she presented "a tailored, stylish appearance and a politely distant manner that has been described as both presidential and imperious." It was said that she had her goal set on the mayoralty.
Russell led a healthy, outdoor life, running several miles a day in 1985 and engaging in strenuous mountain hikes. At age 67 in 1991 she ran twenty-five miles a week and was in the Salton Sea
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in California's Imperial Valley. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Like Death...
area with her husband, from who she still lived apart, for a 16-mile, 6,500-foot climb.
Nongovernmental
Russell was president of the Los Angeles City League of Women VotersLeague of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
in 1963-65 and of the Los Angeles County LWV in 1966-68. She was on the board of directors of the Los Angeles Urban Coalition and was vice president of its transportation task force. She was active in Camp Fire Girls leadership. She was a Los Angeles Times Woman of the Year in 1971 and received a Status of Women Award from the Santa Monica branch of the American Association of University Women
American Association of University Women
The American Association of University Women advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. It was founded in 1882 by Ellen Swallow Richards and Marion Talbot...
in 1972.
After her City Council defeat in 1987, Russell organized the Regional Institute of Southern California, a public-private partnership
Public-private partnership
Public–private partnership describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies...
that explored local problems; she worked there "about half time" as the agency head.
Geography
Los Angeles City Council District 6Los Angeles City Council District 6
Los Angeles City Council District 6 is one of the 15 districts of the Los Angeles City Council, covering much of the San Fernando Valley. It is represented by Tony Cardenas....
covered:
1969: The Airport area
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
, including Westchester and Playa del Rey, the Baldwin Hills area, including Hyde Park and Leimert Park and the Mar Vista-Venice area.
1975: From the coast inland to the Crenshaw District, with Venice, Westchester and portions of South-Central Los Angeles.
Elections
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns, 1969 and after.With the July 2, 1969, resignation of Councilman L.E. Timberlake, the City Council, by a 9-5 vote, ordered a "precedent-setting" special election to fill the 6th District vacancy. It was to be the first such first-past-the-post special election to fill a council vacancy since the procedure was authorized in a city charter amendment in 1963. The alternative would have been for the City Council to appoint a successor for the remaining term of some years.
Russell won the special vote on December 3, 1969, by 620 votes over Frank Small, who had been Timberlake's chief deputy for 16 years. There were three other candidates. Afterward, she said that she was an "independent" and that she considered the problems of noise from Los Angeles Airport and the refurbishing of the Venice canals
Venice Canal Historic District
The Venice Canal Historic District is a district in the Venice section of Los Angeles, California. The district is noteworthy for its man-made canals built in 1905 by developer Abbot Kinney as part of his Venice of America plan. Kinney sought to recreate the appearance and feel of Venice, Italy...
to be the main issues in her district.
Despite a prediction that she might not be reelected because "She doesn't compromise," voters chose Russell in 1971 over another challenge by Frank Small, and she was elected for the third time in 1975 over light opposition from three candidates and in 1979 over four opponents. She won in the 1983 primary as well.
The 1987 vote was a different story. Despite the fact that Russell raised three times as much money as all of her five opponents combined in the primary race, she failed to gain a majority in the April vote, and she had to face Ruth Galanter
Ruth Galanter
Ruth Galanter is an American politician and a Los Angeles councilwoman from 1987 until 2003.-Education:Galanter holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan and a Master of City Planning degree from the Yale University School of Art and Architecture.-Career:Prior to her 1987...
, an urban planner with backing from environmental groups and people in the entertainment industry, in the final. Galanter was seen as someone who "rode to prominence much as Russell did 18 years ago— as a darling of middle-class protestors angered by major development in their neighborhoods." In addition, the Los Angeles Times reported, Russell's opposition to Proposition U, "the popular anti-growth initiative that passed overwhelmingly in her district, gave rise to the belief that she had fallen out of step with her constituents." Mayor Bradley campaigned for her, but she nevertheless lost the final vote by 15,855 votes to Galanter's 21,846.
Presidency
After losing two bids for election to the City Council presidency, Russell finally won in July 1983, the first woman to hold the second-most-powerful position in the city. Responding to suggestions that she gained the post only because of the support of Mayor Tom BradleyTom Bradley (politician)
Thomas J. "Tom" Bradley was the 38th Mayor of Los Angeles, California, serving in that office from 1973 to 1993. He was the first and to date only African American mayor of Los Angeles...
, she said: "All my life there have been men who have tried to tell me what to do . . . I think the only people who think that are mostly males who believe that a woman cannot think for herself."
Highlights
- In 1971 she was working with Assembly Member Yvonne BraithwaiteYvonne Brathwaite BurkeYvonne Brathwaite Burke is a politician from Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. She was the Los Angeles County Supervisor representing the 2nd District . She has served as the Chair three times . She was the first African-American woman to represent the West Coast in Congress...
to maintain the multiethnic characterMultiethnic societyA multiethnic society is one with members belonging to more than one ethnic group, in contrast to societies which are ethnically homogenous. In practice, virtually all contemporary national societies are multiethnic...
of the Crenshaw District.
- In 1972 Russell "angrily accused 'the men of this world,' including President Nixon, of fighting child-care centers" after Councilman Robert J. StevensonRobert Stevenson and Peggy StevensonRobert J. Stevenson and Peggy Stevenson were a husband and wife who served consecutive terms totaling sixteen years in representation of the Hollywood-Silver Lake-Highland Park area on the Los Angeles City Council—Robert between 1969 and 1975 and Peggy between 1975 and 1985.-Biographies:Robert...
opposed a plan for children of city employees to use the Elysian Park Recreation Center on a year-round basis. Later, she was successful in moving an ordinance to "ease the path" for "small, nonprofit centers where working mothers can leave their children in safe hands while the parents work at self-supporting jobs."
- Some City Council members questioned her "recent stands favoring oil drilling in the Pacific Palisades, opposing limits on high-rise buildings in Westwood, weakening a smoking ordinanceSmoking banSmoking bans are public policies, including criminal laws and occupational safety and health regulations, which prohibit tobacco smoking in workplaces and/or other public spaces...
and tampering with rent controlRent controlRent control refers to laws or ordinances that set price controls on the renting of residential housing. It functions as a price ceiling.Rent control exists in approximately 40 countries around the world...
." At the same time, she was credited with "holding together a bitterly divided council long enough . . . to resolve a highly sensitive lawsuit accusing the Los Angeles Police Department of illegal spying on civilians." She noted that she was active in adopting rules that outlawed apartment buildings that prohibited children.
Quotations
- "I think of myself as a white, middle-age, middle-class suburban housewife. But in many ways, I also think that's my value."
- "Maybe the women's libbers don't like me for it too much, but I absorb whatever chauvinismChauvinismChauvinism, in its original and primary meaning, is an exaggerated, bellicose patriotism and a belief in national superiority and glory. It is an eponym of a possibly fictional French soldier Nicolas Chauvin who was credited with many superhuman feats in the Napoleonic wars.By extension it has come...
and paternalismPaternalismPaternalism refers to attitudes or states of affairs that exemplify a traditional relationship between father and child. Two conditions of paternalism are usually identified: interference with liberty and a beneficent intention towards those whose liberty is interfered with...
there may be as long as I can keep the accent on issues and performance. I enjoy being with men, and I think they enjoy having me there; that's what we need more of in working life."
- "You avoid fighting by taking care of everything, all the opposing arguments, ahead of time."
- "There's an understanding of wildernessWildernessWilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
that comes into your bones if you've been to wilderness all your life."