Meet David Hernandez, Candidate for Mayor!

If a candidate's official photo decided elections, David would be a shoe-in.
But since they don't, here is his record:

"David Hernandez has been a Civic Community Leader for over 20 years. For 25 years he worked as an insurance adjuster which trained him in investigating and analyzing issues, strengths that have helped him in reaching out to the community and solving problems.

David and his wife, Debi, reside in Valley Village, California and have been together for twenty years.

David served in the United States Navy for four years and is a Combat Vietnam Veteran.

Working with his Neighborhood Council, David was successful in having the City of Los Angeles officially adopt March 30^th as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day”. He is currently engaged in forming coalition groups in preparation for the 2009 event in Los Angeles.

David has been engaged in the struggle with other veterans to restore the West Los Angeles VA facility to its intended use through the removal of all existing non Veteran related businesses from the property. He is an advocate for re-establishing and funding the faculties to provide shelter, training and treatment to all veterans.

David is the Executive Director of the San Fernando Chamber of Commerce where he actively assists business, both small and large, in addressing the many challenges that threaten their success.

David has been engaged in a two-year legal challenge against the 2006 version of Measure R, the Los Angeles City Council Term Limit extension and Ethics Reform Ballot Measure which extended the terms of city council members beyond the two terms voted on previously to three terms totaling 12 years. He was successful in bringing the issue all the way to the State Appellate Court level.

David led the countywide four-year battle to retain the Original Los Angeles County Seal. This effort was instrumental in helping pass legislation in the US House of Representatives regarding the protection of religious expression.

David attended Los Angeles Valley College and realizing the importance of community colleges serves as President of the Foundation Board of Los Angeles Mission College in Sylmar, California. In 2008 the Foundation awarded students $33,000 in local scholarships.

David has served on the board of the Youth Service Network for four years. The organization has three group homes for abused boys ages 10 to 18. He has been instrumental in sustaining the ability of the organization to provide an environment where boys are able to live, learn and thrive.

David is Chairman of the Board of Justiceville Homeless/USA, the non-profit which for fourteen years successfully operated Dome Village in Los Angeles, California. The organization has provided housing, training and hope for hundreds of Los Angeles homeless men and women as well as developing the Homies and the Popz cricket team working to provide structure and guidance to young men.

David became public access producer at Adelphia Cable in Van Nuys, California. His show Re-Claim LA covered many local issues such as land use, animal rights, homelessness and education. He is now leading the effort to preserve access to public broadcasting for producers throughout Los Angeles.

As a candidate for Mayor in the San Fernando Valley’s independence movement, David saw the need for local control and empowerment. To accomplish this he took a proactive role in the formation and governing of many Neighborhood Councils. He has served on the boards of the North Hollywood-Northeast, Sun Valley, and Glassell Park Councils and he took and active role in supporting the Van Nuys Neighborhood Council.

As an advocate for the environment, David has taken an active role in preserving and improving the rural equestrian communities in the Northeast Valley.

As an advocate for “those with no voice,” David has been an outspoken advocate of No Kill Animal Shelters. He has attended numerous meetings and rallies where he promoted the No Kill system as demonstrated and proven to be viable by Mr. Nathan J. Winograd. David has shown a light on the dark and little known process of using euthanized animals from local animal shelters in rendering and the production of rendered protein. Such practices put our shelters at risk for financial liabilities.

Working with the Los Angeles Alliance for Elephants, David took part in the successful effort to have Ruby the LA Zoo elephant moved to the Paws’ Elephant Sanctuary. He continues to advocate for the transfer of Billy from his confinement at the Zoo to the Paws Sanctuary.

David established the first Los Angeles Animal Humanitarian Awards recognizing the efforts of those who advocate for “those with no voice.”

David is a strong advocate for real transportation solutions. He was an outspoken opponent of the failed “Bus Only Lanes” along Wilshire Boulevard in West Los Angeles. He learned first hand from small business owners the challenges this ill thought out experiment placed on them causing them to loose business when customers could not park in front of their shops and businesses.

David has been a long time opponent of the “Subway to the Sea” that is promoted by so many special interests groups. He has been a strong advocate for a Maglev/Monorail System that would allow real transportation solutions. He has been in communication with maglev companies with a proven record of success in providing urban maglev systems.

David is opposed to other transportation schemes such as the toll lanes purposed for the 110 Freeway and stands in opposition to the Diamond Lane/Car Pool Lanes that have proven to be lacking in real solutions while at the same time draining resources from other proven projects.

David has been an outspoken opponent of the current Los Angeles city policies which allow low income communities to be used to qualify for Federal HUD Grants for street lights and sidewalks and then spending the funds elsewhere in the city."

This is not an endorsement of David Hernandez by the MS Blog! If other candidates would like to share their record and/or platform, I would be happy to post it. Photo required, and I think David just set the bar!