Debate-A-Thon 2009!

from Village to Village

by Suzanne Lauer

After roughly 16 debates in over 5 months, it was the last for this CD2 election. Last night, a crowd of well over 200 came to hear candidates Christine Essel and Paul Krekorian answer questions compiled by 3 Neighborhood Councils, Valley College Students, and audience members.

The event held at Valley College’s Monarch Hall, was sponsored by Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council; Neighborhood Council Valley Village; Greater Valley Glen Council and Assc. Union of Valley College.

The crowd was presented with an evening of focused candidates concentrating on the issues and getting their message across. There was a plethora of detailed questions on budget, DWP, infrastructure, development, education, accomplishments, and independence. Both candidates did extremely well. Paul Krekorian was solid as ever. Christine Essel had one of her strongest performance to date.

The first three questions were related to three specific goals the candidates would have for the three communities of Sherman Oaks, Valley Glen, and Valley Village. Their answers for each were similar. Krekorian emphasized job development, small businesses, the film and television industry, public safety, speed limits, traffic, and the need to “stop rolling over for developers.” He noted Valley Village has become the “poster child of the culminative impact of bad development.”

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