Sal Guarriello
Encyclopedia
Sal Guarriello was a member of the City Council
of the City of West Hollywood, California
. He was elected to the City Council
in 1990, and reelected four times. He served four one-year terms as mayor
. He was an advocate for West Hollywood residents, protected tenants of low-income housing, promoted West Hollywood's businesses, and upheld public safety
.
borough of Manhattan,in New York
state. Sal Guarriello was the fifth of six siblings; he had one sister who was the eldest, and four brothers. He was born into a Catholic
, Italian
family originally from Avellino
; a city near Naples
in southwest Italy
.
At age eighteen, Guarriello began working as a guard with the U.S. Marshalls transporting prisoners to federal penitentiaries from New York City
to Louisburg
, Pennsylvania
and Atlanta, Georgia
. At nineteen, Guarriello became a lifeguard securing and overseeing the Island Park Beach, also known as Casino Beach.
At age twenty, Guarriello decided to delve further into new ventures. He considered working for the manufacturing industry. He quickly got a position in the soldering department of a renowned lamp manufacturing enterprise. Shortly after, he was recruited by a larger establishment known as Sperry Gyroscope (Sperry Corporation
), a company which manufactured gauges and instruments for U.S. fighter planes. While working for Sperry Gyroscope, he met Rita Gionta, an inspector who represented the Navy’s division. Gionta was the inspector who overlooked Guarriello’s quality control department. Guarriello and Rita were married on November 21, 1943.
His career in the manufacturing industry was short-lived because in January 1944, two months before his twenty-fifth birthday, Guarriello was drafted into the US Military service in the Second World War.
to receive training as a sniper
. After six months of training, he was deployed to Anzio
, Italy
, where the heaviest beach combats took place. Due to the high bloodshed, and the lack of medical personnel, Guarriello was appointed as a combat medic
. Ironically, he was given this responsibility because of his experience as a lifeguard during his adolescence.
On April 19, 1945 Guarriello was wounded during an effort to save another comrade’s life. During a heavy mortar
and machine gun battle, a soldier from Guarriello’s company lost his leg from a mortar explosion. As the company was retreating from the battlefield, Guarriello went back into the field to rescue the soldier. While he was showing medical attention to the wounded soldier, a mortar exploded behind Guarriello piercing him with shrapnel in his left arm and upper back. On April 26, 1945, while recovering in a hospital in Florence
, the Brigadier General
awarded Guarriello a Purple Heart
for being wounded in the line of duty.
, New York
and founded a State Farm
Insurance Agency franchise. He later decided to expand his business ventures by moving out to the West Coast in 1964. Los Angeles
, California
was of particular interest to Guarriello because of the large residential and automobile market. Guarriello established his Farmers Insurance Company agency franchcise there and it continued to be a successful operation until he retired in December 1986, at the age of sixty-seven.
with his friend, the legendary Dean Martin
, Guarriello joined the Coalition for Economic Survival (CES), the leading renters' rights organization in 1983. He joined CES's Steering Committee in 1986. In 1986, Guarriello became a member of the Board of Directors of the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation (WHCHC), a non-profit corporation which rehabilitates run-down housing and builds new apartment buildings to increase the supply of affordable housing in West Hollywood. He was soon selected by his fellow Board members to serve as Treasurer
of the organization. Guarriello was also featured in an A&E Television biography of the Sunset Strip.
The work of the WHCHC has been so successful that West Hollywood is replacing apartments lost to demolition with more than three times as many new affordable apartments. By January 1999, 141 low- and moderate-income housing units had been built in West Hollywood.
In 1988, Guarriello was appointed to the Rent Stabilization Commission. As a Commissioner, he helped develop policy on rent control matters and sat as judge on appeals of decisions made by Rent Stabilization Hearing Examiners. While striving to be fair and impartial, Guarriello worked hard to protect West Hollywood tenants and the City's strong rent control law. Guarriello also served on the City's Banking and Reinvestment Task Force in 1988, where he worked with local banks to improve low-cost services to seniors and small businesses.
In April 1990, with seven years of experience serving the West Hollywood community, Guarriello was elected as a member of the West Hollywood City Council. He was reelected to the West Hollywood City Council four times: in April 1994, March 1999, March 2003, and March 2007. Guarriello, a gruff but lovable character, was famous for his bust of President Harry S Truman on his modest desk and used the slogan "Give 'em Hell, Sal..." in each of his re-election campaigns. While he faced tough opposition in each of his election campaigns, Sal's strong support from seniors, Russians and the LGBT community gave him a strong electoral base and ultimate success.
Guarriello formed the Eastside Redevelopment Agency in 1997. The agency's first major project was the West Hollywood Gateway Project at Santa Monica Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. In 1998, he helped negotiate the transfer of ownership of Santa Monica Boulevard from the State of California
, Department of Transportation
to the City of West Hollywood. This transfer of ownership allowed the City to plan for a major rehabilitation of the Boulevard in 1999.
Guarriello was awarded the "Outstanding Community Service Award" from the Los Angeles County Commission on Aging in May 2006. Sal was a tireless fighter for the issues that mattered most to him: affordable housing and the rights of Senior Citizens. To assist with his efforts, Guarriello recruited a local public safety activist, Donna Saur, to serve as his office deputy in 1999. Saur began working with Guarriello on many issues that required more immediate legislative attention, and she faithfully remained with him until his death. In 2002, Guarriello, with the assistance of his veteran political consultants Steven Afriat and Neal Zaslavsky, began the recall process against Los Angeles District Attorney
Steve Cooley
after a gay
resident of West Hollywood, Trev Broudy
, was nearly beaten to death with a baseball bat by three men, because Cooley considered this crime a robbery rather than a hate crime
. Although he himself was straight, Sal was a fierce advocate for the city's large Gay & Lesbian population, and a majority of his appointments to city boards and commissions were gay men and lesbians.
Since Guarriello served as an army combat medic in World War II
, in 1998 he initiated the West Hollywood Veterans Memorial Task Force to create a permanent Veterans Memorial in West Hollywood. In the spring of 2001 the City of West Hollywood approved a Veterans Memorial intended to honor all veterans who have served the United States since the 1776 Revolution. The West Hollywood Veteran's Memorial in Holloway Park was dedicated on November 11, 2003. On September 25, 2009, the city council unanimously voted to rename the park as the Sal Guarriello Veterans Memorial Park. http://wehonews.com/z/wehonews/archive/page.php?articleID=3906
Until the time of his death, Sal continued to serve on many civic boards and enjoy a good Scotch. Guarriello represented West Hollywood as a director and chairman of the County Sanitation District No. 4 representing West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles
. He also served as the City's delegate for the Southern California Cities Joint Powers Consortium. He was a delegate to the Joint Powers Insurance Authority, and served as a commissioner on the County Public Library Commission.
A much beloved and iconic figure, 90-year-old Councilmember Guarriello died on the morning of Thursday, April 16, 2009 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
, surrounded by his friends, family and political supporters. At the time of his death, Sal was the oldest serving city councilmember in California. On May 6, the City Council appointed former National Organization for Women
Hollywood Chapter President Lindsey Horvath to complete Guarriello's unexpired term. His seat was later filled by John D'Amico, who was elected in March 2011.
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
of the City of West Hollywood, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He was elected to the City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
in 1990, and reelected four times. He served four one-year terms as mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
. He was an advocate for West Hollywood residents, protected tenants of low-income housing, promoted West Hollywood's businesses, and upheld public safety
Public Safety
Public safety involves the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety of the general public from significant danger, injury/harm, or damage, such as crimes or disasters .-See also:* By nation...
.
Early life
Salvatore Joseph Guarriello, son of Generorso and Virginia, was born March 2, 1919 in the New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough of Manhattan,in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state. Sal Guarriello was the fifth of six siblings; he had one sister who was the eldest, and four brothers. He was born into a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
family originally from Avellino
Avellino
Avellino is a town and comune, capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains 42 km north-east of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento.-History:Before the Roman conquest, the...
; a city near Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
in southwest Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
At age eighteen, Guarriello began working as a guard with the U.S. Marshalls transporting prisoners to federal penitentiaries from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Louisburg
Louisburg
Louisburg is the name of some places in the United States of America and Canada:*Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, Canada *Louisburg, Kansas, United States of America*Louisburg, Minnesota, United States of America...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. At nineteen, Guarriello became a lifeguard securing and overseeing the Island Park Beach, also known as Casino Beach.
At age twenty, Guarriello decided to delve further into new ventures. He considered working for the manufacturing industry. He quickly got a position in the soldering department of a renowned lamp manufacturing enterprise. Shortly after, he was recruited by a larger establishment known as Sperry Gyroscope (Sperry Corporation
Sperry Corporation
Sperry Corporation was a major American equipment and electronics company whose existence spanned more than seven decades of the twentieth century...
), a company which manufactured gauges and instruments for U.S. fighter planes. While working for Sperry Gyroscope, he met Rita Gionta, an inspector who represented the Navy’s division. Gionta was the inspector who overlooked Guarriello’s quality control department. Guarriello and Rita were married on November 21, 1943.
His career in the manufacturing industry was short-lived because in January 1944, two months before his twenty-fifth birthday, Guarriello was drafted into the US Military service in the Second World War.
Military service
Upon being drafted into the service, Guarriello was transported to FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to receive training as a sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
. After six months of training, he was deployed to Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where the heaviest beach combats took place. Due to the high bloodshed, and the lack of medical personnel, Guarriello was appointed as a combat medic
Combat medic
Combat medics are trained military personnel who are responsible for providing first aid and frontline trauma care on the battlefield. They are also responsible for providing continuing medical care in the absence of a readily available physician, including care for disease and battle injury...
. Ironically, he was given this responsibility because of his experience as a lifeguard during his adolescence.
On April 19, 1945 Guarriello was wounded during an effort to save another comrade’s life. During a heavy mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
and machine gun battle, a soldier from Guarriello’s company lost his leg from a mortar explosion. As the company was retreating from the battlefield, Guarriello went back into the field to rescue the soldier. While he was showing medical attention to the wounded soldier, a mortar exploded behind Guarriello piercing him with shrapnel in his left arm and upper back. On April 26, 1945, while recovering in a hospital in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, the Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
awarded Guarriello a Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
for being wounded in the line of duty.
Early Professional Career
After coming home from the war, Guarriello purchased a house in Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and founded a State Farm
State farm
State farm can refer to:*Sovkhoz, a type of state-owned farm in the Soviet Union*Volkseigenes Gut, a type of state-owned farm in East Germany*Państwowe Gospodarstwo Rolne, a type of state-owned farm in People's Republic of Poland...
Insurance Agency franchise. He later decided to expand his business ventures by moving out to the West Coast in 1964. Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
was of particular interest to Guarriello because of the large residential and automobile market. Guarriello established his Farmers Insurance Company agency franchcise there and it continued to be a successful operation until he retired in December 1986, at the age of sixty-seven.
Political career
As a resident of West Hollywood and longtime fixture on the Sunset StripSunset Strip
The Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood at Harper Avenue, to its western border with Beverly Hills at Sierra Drive...
with his friend, the legendary Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, Guarriello joined the Coalition for Economic Survival (CES), the leading renters' rights organization in 1983. He joined CES's Steering Committee in 1986. In 1986, Guarriello became a member of the Board of Directors of the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation (WHCHC), a non-profit corporation which rehabilitates run-down housing and builds new apartment buildings to increase the supply of affordable housing in West Hollywood. He was soon selected by his fellow Board members to serve as Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
of the organization. Guarriello was also featured in an A&E Television biography of the Sunset Strip.
The work of the WHCHC has been so successful that West Hollywood is replacing apartments lost to demolition with more than three times as many new affordable apartments. By January 1999, 141 low- and moderate-income housing units had been built in West Hollywood.
In 1988, Guarriello was appointed to the Rent Stabilization Commission. As a Commissioner, he helped develop policy on rent control matters and sat as judge on appeals of decisions made by Rent Stabilization Hearing Examiners. While striving to be fair and impartial, Guarriello worked hard to protect West Hollywood tenants and the City's strong rent control law. Guarriello also served on the City's Banking and Reinvestment Task Force in 1988, where he worked with local banks to improve low-cost services to seniors and small businesses.
In April 1990, with seven years of experience serving the West Hollywood community, Guarriello was elected as a member of the West Hollywood City Council. He was reelected to the West Hollywood City Council four times: in April 1994, March 1999, March 2003, and March 2007. Guarriello, a gruff but lovable character, was famous for his bust of President Harry S Truman on his modest desk and used the slogan "Give 'em Hell, Sal..." in each of his re-election campaigns. While he faced tough opposition in each of his election campaigns, Sal's strong support from seniors, Russians and the LGBT community gave him a strong electoral base and ultimate success.
Guarriello formed the Eastside Redevelopment Agency in 1997. The agency's first major project was the West Hollywood Gateway Project at Santa Monica Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. In 1998, he helped negotiate the transfer of ownership of Santa Monica Boulevard from the State of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Department of Transportation
Department of Transportation
The Department of Transportation is the most common name for a government agency in North America devoted to transportation. The largest is the United States Department of Transportation, which oversees interstate travel. All U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and many local agencies also have...
to the City of West Hollywood. This transfer of ownership allowed the City to plan for a major rehabilitation of the Boulevard in 1999.
Guarriello was awarded the "Outstanding Community Service Award" from the Los Angeles County Commission on Aging in May 2006. Sal was a tireless fighter for the issues that mattered most to him: affordable housing and the rights of Senior Citizens. To assist with his efforts, Guarriello recruited a local public safety activist, Donna Saur, to serve as his office deputy in 1999. Saur began working with Guarriello on many issues that required more immediate legislative attention, and she faithfully remained with him until his death. In 2002, Guarriello, with the assistance of his veteran political consultants Steven Afriat and Neal Zaslavsky, began the recall process against Los Angeles District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
Steve Cooley
Steve Cooley
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Cooley is an American politician. As a Republican, he has been a prosecutor for 27 years and has been the Los Angeles County District Attorney since his election in 2000, in which he defeated incumbent two-term District Attorney Gil Garcetti, a Democrat...
after a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
resident of West Hollywood, Trev Broudy
Trev Broudy
Trev Broudy is an American actor and former model . Broudy came to national attention when he became the victim of a violent attack in 2002, which touched off a national discussion of hate crimes, drawing comparisons to the Matthew Shepard case.On September 1, 2002, Broudy and friend Edward Ulett...
, was nearly beaten to death with a baseball bat by three men, because Cooley considered this crime a robbery rather than a hate crime
Hate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
. Although he himself was straight, Sal was a fierce advocate for the city's large Gay & Lesbian population, and a majority of his appointments to city boards and commissions were gay men and lesbians.
Since Guarriello served as an army combat medic in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1998 he initiated the West Hollywood Veterans Memorial Task Force to create a permanent Veterans Memorial in West Hollywood. In the spring of 2001 the City of West Hollywood approved a Veterans Memorial intended to honor all veterans who have served the United States since the 1776 Revolution. The West Hollywood Veteran's Memorial in Holloway Park was dedicated on November 11, 2003. On September 25, 2009, the city council unanimously voted to rename the park as the Sal Guarriello Veterans Memorial Park. http://wehonews.com/z/wehonews/archive/page.php?articleID=3906
Until the time of his death, Sal continued to serve on many civic boards and enjoy a good Scotch. Guarriello represented West Hollywood as a director and chairman of the County Sanitation District No. 4 representing West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He also served as the City's delegate for the Southern California Cities Joint Powers Consortium. He was a delegate to the Joint Powers Insurance Authority, and served as a commissioner on the County Public Library Commission.
A much beloved and iconic figure, 90-year-old Councilmember Guarriello died on the morning of Thursday, April 16, 2009 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Originally established as Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, tertiary 958-bed hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre located in Los Angeles, California, US. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over...
, surrounded by his friends, family and political supporters. At the time of his death, Sal was the oldest serving city councilmember in California. On May 6, the City Council appointed former National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
Hollywood Chapter President Lindsey Horvath to complete Guarriello's unexpired term. His seat was later filled by John D'Amico, who was elected in March 2011.