Zev Yaroslavsky
Encyclopedia
Zev Yaroslavsky is a Los Angeles County
politician
. He served on the Los Angeles City Council
from 1975 until 1994, when he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
. He was preceded in both offices by Edmund D. Edelman
.
Yaroslavsky represents the Third Supervisorial District of Los Angeles County, which encompasses the cities of Malibu, Santa Monica
, West Hollywood, Calabasas, as well as most of the western San Fernando Valley
and other portions of the City of Los Angeles
.
in 1971 with a double major in History and Economics, and obtained a Master's Degree in British Imperial History in 1972 from the same school. He is a graduate of Fairfax High School
in the City of Los Angeles. Along with Congressmembers Howard Berman
and Henry Waxman
, Yaroslavsky co-founded the Los Angeles County Young Democrats
.
Yaroslavsky won his first term on the Los Angeles Board of Superviors when Edmund D. Edelman
did not seek re-election in 1994. In his 2006 re-election race he ran against David Hernandez, a Republican
and retired insurance adjuster who campaigned to keep the cross on the Los Angeles County Seal
, and Randy Springer. Yaroslavsky won the election, receiving 70.49% of the vote in the primary.
extension to the Westside. However, he has championed bus rapid transit
investment in general and the Metro Orange Line busway
in the San Fernando Valley in particular.
Yaroslavsky was also an early proponent of easing Westside
traffic by converting Pico
and Olympic Boulevards into complementary one-way thoroughfares.
He grew up in Boyle Heights
with his sister Shimona and is the son of Russian Jewish immigrants. His father was a founder of the Hebrew Teachers Union in Los Angeles.
While at UCLA, where he met his wife, Yaroslavky was a leading activist in the international movement to free Soviet Jews (Refuseniks).
His wife Barbara ran unsuccessfully to fill his Los Angeles City Council seat, which was won by Mike Feuer.
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served on the Los Angeles City Council
Los Angeles City Council
The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles.The Council is composed of fifteen members elected from single-member districts for four-year terms. The president of the council and the president pro tempore are chosen by the Council at the first regular meeting after...
from 1975 until 1994, when he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is the five-member nonpartisan governing board of Los Angeles County, California. Members of the board of supervisors are elected by district. They were as of December 2, 2008:*District 1: Gloria Molina...
. He was preceded in both offices by Edmund D. Edelman
Edmund D. Edelman
Edmund D. Edelman was a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1965 to 1974 and of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1975 to 1994...
.
Yaroslavsky represents the Third Supervisorial District of Los Angeles County, which encompasses the cities of Malibu, Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, West Hollywood, Calabasas, as well as most of the western San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
and other portions of the City of 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...
.
Background
He graduated from UCLAUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
in 1971 with a double major in History and Economics, and obtained a Master's Degree in British Imperial History in 1972 from the same school. He is a graduate of Fairfax High School
Fairfax High School (Los Angeles)
Fairfax High School is a Los Angeles Unified School District high school located in Los Angeles, USA, near the border of West Hollywood in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles...
in the City of Los Angeles. Along with Congressmembers Howard Berman
Howard Berman
Howard Lawrence Berman is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He earlier served in the California State Assembly from 1974 to 1982, and as the U.S...
and Henry Waxman
Henry Waxman
Henry Arnold Waxman is the U.S. Representative for , serving in Congress since 1975. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is considered to be one of the most influential liberal members of Congress...
, Yaroslavsky co-founded the Los Angeles County Young Democrats
Los Angeles County Young Democrats
The Los Angeles County Young Democrats is a political organization in Southern California. It is an official Democratic Club, and is chartered with the California Young Democrats, the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley, and the Los Angeles County Democratic Party.LACYD has more than 1,000...
.
Yaroslavsky won his first term on the Los Angeles Board of Superviors when Edmund D. Edelman
Edmund D. Edelman
Edmund D. Edelman was a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1965 to 1974 and of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1975 to 1994...
did not seek re-election in 1994. In his 2006 re-election race he ran against David Hernandez, a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and retired insurance adjuster who campaigned to keep the cross on the Los Angeles County Seal
Seal of Los Angeles County, California
The official seal of Los Angeles County, California, has changed twice since its first inception in 1887.The current seal portrays an image of a Native American woman, representing the early inhabitants of the Los Angeles Basin, surrounded by six smaller iconic images, with three on each side...
, and Randy Springer. Yaroslavsky won the election, receiving 70.49% of the vote in the primary.
Controversy
Yaroslavsky has taken controversial stances on transportation issues in Los Angeles County. He wrote and sponsored the MTA Reform and Accountability Act of 1998 (Los Angeles County Proposition A), which banned the use of county sales tax revenue for the planning or building of subways, a law which is a significant barrier to the construction of the Metro Purple Line subwayMetro Purple Line (LACMTA)
The Purple Line is a subway line operating between Downtown Los Angeles and Mid-Wilshire/Koreatown, Los Angeles, California in Los Angeles; one of five lines on the Metro Rail System....
extension to the Westside. However, he has championed bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
investment in general and the Metro Orange Line busway
LACMTA Orange Line
The Orange Line is one of two lines on the Metro Liner bus rapid transit network in Los Angeles County, California. It operates between Warner Center in the Woodland Hills and the North Hollywood Metro Station in the San Fernando Valley where it connects with the Red Line on the Metro Rail light...
in the San Fernando Valley in particular.
Yaroslavsky was also an early proponent of easing Westside
West Los Angeles (region)
The Los Angeles Westside is an urban region in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. It has no official definition, but, according to the Los Angeles Times, it comprises , encompassing 18 districts in the city of Los Angeles and two unincorporated neighborhoods, plus the cities of...
traffic by converting Pico
Pico Boulevard
Pico Boulevard is a major Los Angeles street that runs from the Pacific Ocean at Appian Way in Santa Monica to Central Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California, USA...
and Olympic Boulevards into complementary one-way thoroughfares.
Personal life
Yaroslavsky and his wife Barbara have two children named Mina and David. Yaroslavsky is diabetic and has advocated healthier foods be sold at County facilities as a result.He grew up in Boyle Heights
Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California
Boyle Heights is a neighborhood east of Downtown Los Angeles on the East Side of Los Angeles. For much of the twentieth century, Boyle Heights was a gateway for new immigrants. This resulted in diverse demographics, including Jewish American, Japanese American and Mexican American populations,...
with his sister Shimona and is the son of Russian Jewish immigrants. His father was a founder of the Hebrew Teachers Union in Los Angeles.
While at UCLA, where he met his wife, Yaroslavky was a leading activist in the international movement to free Soviet Jews (Refuseniks).
His wife Barbara ran unsuccessfully to fill his Los Angeles City Council seat, which was won by Mike Feuer.