L.A. Votes: Greuel, Garcetti navigate union waters, roast colleague

As the mayoral candidates crossed the two-month mark until the runoff election, Wendy Greuel and Eric Garcetti are struggling with a bit of a paradox -- the two long-time, pro-labor Democrats are jockeying over which of them is more likely to stand up to city-employee union demands.

Both candidates have labor backing, but the most influential and deep-pocketed unions have thrown their support behind Greuel. That has resulted in a political dynamic few expected -- Greuel has emerged as the de facto labor candidate while Garcetti has been painted as a union nemesis.

Greuel has been forced on the defense as some of her business backers grew uncomfortable with recent statements she made about city employee retirement benefits. On Thursday, Greuel responded to questions from the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, affirming  her support for making new cuts in pension costs and assuring them that she has no interest in challenging any of the reductions in benefits that have already been approved.

FULL COVERAGE: L.A.'s race for mayor

Garcetti and Greuel appeared together Thursday night for the first time since winning runoff spots in the March 5 primary. A swanky benefit for diabetes research at the Beverly Hilton was billed as a roast of Councilman Tom LaBonge, but most eyes were focused on the mayoral candidates. Greuel and Garcetti poked barbs at each other while they poked fun at themselves.

Meanwhile, fund-raising continues to take up large quantities of the candidates’ time as they try to replenish coffers drained by their testy primary.

Garcetti is on an East Coast fund-raising swing. Tonight, he is collecting checks at a reception at the New York City home of Hilary and Peter Hatch. Garcetti’s connection with the hosts is deep -- the councilman officiated at the couple’s 2005 wedding. Peter Hatch formerly worked for presidential candidate John Edwards and New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. On Saturday, Garcetti heads to Miami to raise more money.

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While Greuel’s plans for the weekend haven't been disclosed, the candidate sent out a fund-raising plea to supporters Thursday that said, “Let’s make history – and then have a big group hug when we win on May 21.”

Meanwhile, in the city attorney’s race, incumbent Carmen Trutanich called on two companies to turn off more than 100 digital billboards, and opponent Mike Feuer accused him of seizing on the issue to play politics. Feuer has racked up many major endorsements in the race, but on Thursday, county Supervisor Gloria Molina bucked the trend by backing Trutanich.

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Photo: Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel speaks to supporters at election night gatherings. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times; Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

At annual roast, Greuel and Garcetti trade barbs for laughs

Once a year, politicians, lobbyists and other City Hall power players get together for a fancy dinner at the Beverly Hilton to make fun of each other for a good cause. 

The honoree at this year's Los Angeles Political Roast, which raises money for diabetes research, was Los Angeles Councilman Tom LaBonge, who was ribbed for his famous love of television cameras and his rather ample waist size. 

But the real focus of Thursday night's dinner was on the two politicians selected to roast LaBonge: mayoral rivals Wendy Greuel and Eric Garcetti.

FULL COVERAGE: L.A.'s race for mayor

The candidates have been trading bitter campaign attacks since they advanced earlier this month to a runoff election. On Thursday, their barbs were more lighthearted, but still had bite.

Garcetti told the crowd he was glad the fundraiser had raised half a million dollars for charity, but complained that Greuel, the city controller, "somehow identified $160 million in waste, fraud and abuse.” Greuel has claimed to have uncovered $160 million in waste as controller -– a figure Garcetti disputes.

Greuel jabbed backed with a joke that implied Garcetti can't be trusted -- a theme she's been pushing at endorsement meetings with city employee unions.

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Greuel joked that one of her supporters had gotten valets to affix Greuel campaign stickers to the bumper of every car parked at the hotel. She said the supporter couldn't have put Garcetti's stickers on because “nothing sticks to Eric.”

The mayoral contenders avoided sinking to the off-color depths the roast is known for. In previous years, City Council President Herb Wesson has laughed about sexually transmitted diseases and Councilman Dennis Zine has appeared in women's clothing, dressed as his alter-ego, Denise. 

But Garcetti and Greuel did poke fun at themselves. Garcetti, who has been teased for claiming ties to many cultures, said he wanted to be able to relate to the audience at the dinner, which is hosted by two lobbyists and City Councilman Mitchell Englander. "My great-great-great-grandfather was a lobbyist,” he said.   

He also said he was excited about the new pope, Francis, an Argentine named Jorge Bergoglio, because he, like Garcetti, is a “Latino with an Italian last name.”

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa also joked that he considered the top job at the Vatican after Pope Benedict XVI retired. “Pope would be a great stepping-stone,” said the mayor, whose political future has been the subject of considerable speculation.

He also teased Greuel and Garcetti about the Department of Water and Power workers union, which has spent millions on Greuel's behalf. Garcetti's campaign has complained that Greuel would not be independent from union head Brian D'Arcy. “She’d fit perfectly in Brian D’Arcy’s pocket, right where Eric wants to be," Villaraigosa quipped. 

The mayor, and his love life, was also the subject of jokes. Englander said he hopes the mayor’s official residence is steam-cleaned before the winner of the May 21 runoff moves in.

Low voter turnout in the primary race was also grist for humor. Englander said there were more people at the dinner than voted in the election. Garcetti said he had a solution: give every person who votes free medical marijuana.

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INTERACTIVE MAP: How Los Angeles voted

WHERE THEY STAND: Los Angeles mayoral candidates in their own words

--Kate Linthicum 

Photo: Wendy Greuel addresses the media at an election night gathering in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday; Eric Garcetti talks to the media after casting his ballot Tuesday. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times; Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

After pension meeting, business group reaffirms support for Greuel

The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday reaffirmed its support for mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel after calling her in to clarify remarks she made about retirement benefits.

Chamber president Gary Toebben said Greuel reassured his group that she is looking to make new cuts in pension costs and has no interest in challenging any of the reductions in benefits that have already been approved. The chamber's political action committee endorsed Greuel in February.

FULL COVERAGE: L.A.'s race for mayor

"She assured us she has no intent to make an effort to roll back any of the pension reforms that have already taken place at the city," Toebben said, "and that her goal would be to sit at the table and negotiate more reforms in the future."

Toebben said Greuel did not offer specific proposals during the hourlong meeting. "She did say that what we have done in the past she supports, but that it's not enough and won't lead us to fiscal solvency," he added.

Greuel left without speaking to The Times. "She's on a tight schedule," said spokeswoman Shannon Murphy.

Greuel was asked to appear before the chamber after she told The Times she would reopen negotiations with city unions on a decision to increase the retirement age and reduce pensions for new hires. She backtracked a few days later, saying she only wants to talk with union leaders about avoiding a lawsuit over the cuts, which take effect July 1.

For weeks, Greuel has sided with city unions who say the city failed to properly negotiate the pension changes before imposing them. That argument is at the heart of a challenge by the unions, who want city officials to rescind the reductions.

The pension rollbacks are designed to save $4 billion over three decades, according to city budget officials.

Greuel campaign co-chairman Bob Hertzberg, a former Assembly speaker, sought to reassure chamber officials earlier this week, sending an email saying Greuel would explore increasing the retirement age for existing city employees.

Toebben said the chamber also will reschedule a campaign fundraiser for Greuel that was originally set for this week. It was canceled because of last-minute scheduling and a weak response, he said.

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-- David Zahniser at Los Angeles City Hall

twitter.com/davidzahniser

Photo: Los Angeles City Controller and mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel. Credit: Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times

L.A. Votes: Endorsements flow as Greuel and Garcetti seek edge

A new stream of endorsements emerged in Los Angeles' mayoral race Wednesday as Wendy Greuel and Eric Garcetti sought an edge in the May 21 runoff. The backing has two overarching goals – blunting criticism the two Democrats are facing about their ability to confront the most pressing financial problems in the city, and courting voters who supported candidates who did not survive the primary.

Greuel won the backing of former Republican Mayor Richard Riordan, who pledged he would serve as a senior advisor to her administration for a salary of $1 a year. This move, long sought by Greuel, comes as the city controller has faced increased heat about her support by the city’s labor unions and recent statements about her views on pension reductions for newly hired city employees. The latter prompted the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, which has backed Greuel, to call on the controller to explain her position on retirement benefits in person today.

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Greuel’s campaign hit back, with a co-chairman of her campaign, former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg, promising that Greuel would fight to cut retirement costs at City Hall, including by exploring raising retirement age for existing city employees, a hugely controversial proposal.

Greuel’s rival Garcetti, who edged her in the March 5 primary, also named new endorsements on Wednesday. He picked up the backing of Republican developer Steve Soboroff and an influential African American Democratic club, which could help Garcetti make inroads with two key groups he and Greuel are battling over: white GOP voters in the Valley and black Democrats in South Los Angeles.

FULL COVERAGE: L.A.'s race for mayor

In other city races, the candidates seeking to become Los Angeles’ next city attorney clashed in the first runoff debate, with incumbent Carmen Trutanich and challenger Mike Feuer showing they have starkly different visions of the role of the city’s top prosecutor. And the statement for two competing medical marijuana initiatives survived legal challenges to appear unchanged on the May ballot.

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Photo: Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan. Credit: Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times

Greuel to explore pension changes for existing city employees, backer says

A co-chairman of Los Angeles City Controller Wendy Greuel’s mayoral campaign told business leaders Wednesday that his candidate will explore an increase in the retirement age for current city workers.

A day before she is set to meet with the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce to explain her views on pensions, former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg sent an e-mail depicting Greuel as someone who would fight to cut retirement costs at City Hall. But he also criticized a recently approved ordinance that cuts benefits for future employees as a “costly political gimmick.”

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the City Council moved last year to increase the retirement age for future city employees from 55 to 65 for civilian city workers. Greuel's rival in the mayor's race, Councilman Eric Garcetti, voted for that change, which takes effect July 1.

“Sadly, the potential savings from the council's plan will not be realized for years and could cost the city millions in legal fees in the short-term because Mr. Garcetti and the council decided to act unilaterally, rather than including the city's working men and women in the discussion,” he said in the email.

Hertzberg repeated the argument made over the last six months by public employee unions that the city should have engaged in collective bargaining before reducing benefits for employees who have not yet been hired. That argument is the cornerstone of a challenge to the pension cuts filed by the Coalition of L.A. City Unions, which represents 18,000 city workers.

Alice Goff, president of the city union that represents clerks at City Hall, said she would not be open to a discussion on changes in the retirement benefits for existing city workers. Workers already agreed to pay more toward retiree healthcare, she said.

"Our members have already made a sacrifice and that can't be ignored," said Goff, who is with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, District Council 36.

Villaraigosa has said repeatedly that he did not pursue cuts in benefits for existing workers because he did not believe they would withstand a legal challenge. Under state law, even if the city's workers agree to increase their retirement age, "the city has to provide them with a benefit of the same value,” said City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana, the top budget official at City Hall.

Santana also defended last year's pension vote, saying that he and his colleagues repeatedly asked for the unions’ input as they searched for ways to reduce retirement costs, holding a dozen meetings on the topic over two years. The coalition, Santana said, submitted a proposal that “would have resulted in our costs actually going up, not going down.”

The Chamber of Commerce asked Greuel to appear to explain comments she made to The Times calling for negotiations to be reopened on last fall’s pension vote. Greuel reversed herself Tuesday, saying that she only wants to hold talks with unions to try to avert a lawsuit over the pension reductions.

Greuel has repeatedly argued that the city should have engaged in collective bargaining with its unions before reducing benefits for new civilian employees. City budget watchers have warned that unions will seek new concessions before dropping their challenge.

Speaking on his own behalf in a follow-up email, Hertzberg said Greuel would secure an increase in the retirement age by negotiating with the city's employee unions. And he said the hike in retirement age for future workers "did not directly deal with current fiscal emergency.” 

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L.A. Votes: Wendy Greuel faces questions on pensions, labor support

Labor support and pensions for city workers continue to be a key issue in the Los Angeles mayoral contest, as Wendy Greuel faces fresh questions about her backing from public-employee unions and her stance on a City Council vote last year to trim retirement benefits for new workers.

Greuel has long criticized rival Eric Garcetti’s City Council vote to roll back pension benefits for new hires without engaging in collective bargaining with city worker unions. Recent statements that she would push to reopen talks with labor over the decision have raised concerns among some of Greuel’s pro-business backers. The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday called on Greuel, the city controller, to appear personally to explain her position.

Also on Tuesday, Greuel accepted the endorsement of the 600,00-member county Federation of Labor, a union umbrella group that fought the pension changes. The controller also backed off an earlier suggestion that she wanted a new round of negotiations over the pension cuts, saying Tuesday she simply wants to meet with labor leaders to discuss ways of avoiding a lawsuit over the matter.

FULL COVERAGE: L.A.'s race for mayor

Columnist Steve Lopez talked to voters in the San Fernando Valley who say Greuel’s labor backing is costing her support in the key, voter-rich region.

Meanwhile, Garcetti and Greuel continued to rack up new endorsements, with Garcetti earning the support of council members Paul Koretz and Paul Krekorian, and Greuel picking up the backing of Los Angeles Unified School District Board President Monica Garcia and newly elected Los Angeles Community College Trustee Mike Eng.

Garcia, who won reelection to the board this month, faces a new challenge as a majority of her board colleagues voted to limit the number of consecutive years a board member can serve as president.

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The first debate of the runoff occurs Wednesday night -- in the city attorney race. Incumbent Carmen Trutanich will face off with Mike Feuer at a downtown meeting hosted by the Italian American Lawyers Assn. and the Metropolitan News-Enterprise. Feuer on Tuesday also picked up the endorsement of the county Federation of Labor.

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Photo: Los Angeles mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel speaks to media March 6. Credit: Nick Ut / Associated Press

L.A. business group wants answers from Greuel on pensions

A Los Angeles business group that endorsed mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel has called on her to appear personally to explain statements she made about pensions -- and about reopening talks with City Hall labor unions over reductions in retirement benefits.

Greuel, the city controller, has been attacking opponent Eric Garcetti for weeks over his City Council vote to roll back retirement benefits for new hires, saying he and his colleagues failed to properly negotiate those changes. She went further Friday, telling The Times that she wants to meet with labor leaders to discuss the reduction in benefits “to make sure we get that pension reform that they agree with."

Those remarks alarmed Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce President Gary Toebben, who said his organization supported the council's decision to cut pension benefits for newly hired civilian city workers last year. Toebben said he asked Greuel to appear personally before his group to explain herself and disclosed that a Greuel campaign fundraiser scheduled for Thursday by the chamber has been canceled for now.

“We’re going to have a conversation with Wendy to clarify the pension comments,” Toebben said. “And we just didn’t have a sufficient response [from potential guests] at the moment to hold the fundraiser this Thursday. So we are not doing that.”

Greuel said Tuesday that the fundraiser had been canceled because potential guests had not been given enough advance notice. And she backed away from some of her previous remarks, including her push for a new round of collective bargaining with employee unions.

In an interview, Greuel said she wants simply to meet with unions to discuss ways to keep them from filing a legal challenge against the pension cuts, not open a new round of negotiations.

L.A. County labor federation backs Wendy Greuel for mayor

The powerful umbrella group for Los Angeles County unions endorsed Wendy Greuel for mayor Tuesday, saying she was the only candidate in the race who could be trusted to support working families.

The announcement by the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor followed a rare unanimous vote Monday night by 300 delegates from an array of private- and public-sector unions. The group chose Greuel, the  city controller, over City Councilman Eric Garcetti. The two square off in a May 21 runoff.

In a news conference at county Fed headquarters west of downtown, union members referred to Greuel repeatedly as being the honorable choice while suggesting her opponent, whom they did not name, might go back on his word.

FULL COVERAGE: L.A.'s race for mayor

The reference was to Garcetti’s vote last fall to reduce pension benefits and raise the retirement age from 55 to 65 for civilian employees hired by the city after July 1. The City Council unanimously approved the changes without negotiating with union representatives, a move that labor leaders said violated Garcetti’s previous pledge to engage in collective bargaining on all contract changes.

"The one thing that cannot be lost here is the honesty,” said Thom Davis, a vice president at the county labor group. “If somebody gives us an answer we do not like, that’s OK, we can deal with that. What we have a problem with is when someone is being deceptive, tells us one thing and then does another.”

Maria Elena Durazo, the top official in the labor group, wrote in a letter to The Times on Tuesday that Garcetti had been "dishonest" in ignoring "provisions of existing collective bargaining agreements that he had supported."

INTERACTIVE MAP: How Los Angeles voted

Garcetti defended his vote Tuesday in the Fairfax district, where he was accepting the endorsement of Councilman Paul Koretz, who has won election twice with strong backing from organized labor.

Garcetti, Greuel pick up new support in L.A. mayoral election

The two contenders in the May 21 Los Angeles mayoral election announced their latest endorsements Monday, with City Councilman Eric Garcetti picking up support from a colleague in the San Fernando Valley and City Controller Wendy Greuel touting the backing of a community college board member.

Garcetti held a news conference in Studio City with Councilman Paul Krekorian, who heads the council’s powerful Budget and Finance Committee. Krekorian, who holds the council seat once represented by Greuel, said Garcetti would as mayor "have the courage to take the hard steps" to address the city's problems.

The announcement was not a huge surprise, given that Greuel campaigned hard three years ago for Krekorian’s opponent, former Paramount Studios executive Chris Essel, in a special council election. Essel -– like Greuel in this year’s mayoral campaign -– was heavily backed that year by the union that represents Department of Water and Power employees.

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Garcetti compared this year's mayoral election to that campaign, saying that when Krekorian ran "there were powerful forces aligned against him." "He showed that elections aren't for sale," Garcetti said.

Greuel, in turn, announced the support of Mike Eng, a newly elected board member for the Los Angeles Community College District. That wasn’t much of a surprise either since Eng is the husband of U.S. Rep. Judy Chu -– who endorsed Greuel just a few weeks ago.

L.A. Votes: Garcetti raises a pint, Greuel cheers marathoners; both court endorsements

The mayoral candidates spent the weekend pressing the flesh and raising cash. City Controller Wendy Greuel was seen at the L.A. Marathon, being interviewed alongside termed-out Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former Dodgers’ owner Frank McCourt. City Councilman Eric Garcetti hoisted a Guinness while toasting Los Angeles during a St. Patrick’s Day bash at Tom Bergin’s on Fairfax.

Garcetti picked up the endorsement of former mayoral candidate Emanuel Pleitez on Saturday outside the Derby Dolls’ roller derby rink. Greuel picked up the nod of EMILY’S List, a fundraising organization devoted to electing pro-choice Democratic women. But two of the biggest endorsements remain in play -– Republican attorney Kevin James and Councilwoman Jan Perry, who effectively tied for third in the mayoral primary, and whose supporters would be a major boon to Greuel’s or Garcetti’s chances in the May 21 runoff.

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Team Garcetti is also piqued by the continued airing of an anti-Garcetti ad by a pro-Greuel independent committee that is largely supported by a union that represents many workers from the city’s Department of Water and Power. A flurry of Garcetti fundraising pleas have gone out in recent days, with subject lines such as “Fed up,” “I’m tired of this,” and “Enough is enough.”

Whoever is elected mayor, the city’s next chief executive will have a new quandary to face because of billionaire Philip Anschutz’s decision not to sell Anschutz Entertainment Group and company Chief Executive Tim Leiweke’s departure from the firm: how to upgrade the city's Convention Center in case plans for developing a downtown football stadium fall apart.

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Comments, questions or tips on city elections? Tweet me at @LATSeema

Photo: Councilman Eric Garcetti shakes supporters' hands at an election night party on March 5. Credit:  Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images