Youngest Mayoral Candidate Preaches Reform
Los Angeles residents will vote next Tuesday to determine who will be the next city mayor. Candidate Emanuel Pleitez says that he has what it takes to best address the needs of angelenos.
Pleitez, 30, is the youngest candidate running to be the next city mayor. He grew up in El Sereno, the son of Mexican and Salvadoran immigrants.
“People need help everywhere. They need opportunity. But I need to start in my own backyard. Where I was born in South L.A. and where I grew up on the eastside,” Pleitez said.
After graduating from Stanford University with a degree in Urban Studies, Pleitez worked in public service. He was Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s personal assistant in 2005 and served on President Barack Obama’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board in 2009.
“The finance background that I have is the number one distinguishing part of my platform from the candidates because I actually have a plan.”
On February 7, Pleitez released a Pension Buyout Proposal that will give current city employees the option of receiving their expected pension benefits immediately.
He believes this plan will decrease the need for budget cuts and help the city avoid bankruptcy.
His most recent position was Chief Strategy Officer at Spokeo, a growing technology company based in Los Angeles.
“If I see myself as a leader or someone who wants to make a positive impact, I need to create things and do things with technology… so that at the end of the day we can create better services and deliver better products for everyday people. That’s the way our society is going to grow and our economy is going to be robust.”
Pleitez left that position, and the six-figure salary, behind in December 2012 to focus solely on running his mayoral campaign. With about 25 full-time staff members, including wife Rebecca, and over 100 volunteers, Pleitez prides himself on the grassroots campaign he is putting forward.
“My candidacy is all about reaching out to voters in a personal way and having a platform that’s really addressing the right concerns without any special interests, in an independent way.”
The campaign office is located in Boyle Heights where a diverse group of people have gathered together in support of Pleitez.
“Emanuel’s network is huge… but we’re all here for one reason. Because we believe in this movement. Creating change the grassroots way,” said Alberto Avalos, a campaign field coordinator for Pleitez.
Pleitez and his team have visited L.A. residents at their homes. Going door-to-door in hopes of securing more votes.
“Getting people everyday say ‘no one has ever come to my door to visit me’…helping those people understand that there could be public service that cares about them. That they could have a voice.”
Primaries will take place on March 5, where it’s most likely that the two top candidates will face-off in the general election on May 21.
