Rosendahl Reelected, Stryer Defeated

‘I am most humbled and thrilled,’ City Councilman Bill Rosendahl told the Palisadian-Post after seeing his 75-percent lead in the election an hour after the polls closed Tuesday night. ‘I’m most grateful to all those who had confidence in me, and I look forward to serving another four years,’ Rosendahl continued. With nearly 100 percent of the polls reporting by Wednesday morning, Rosendahl had received 16,728 votes (74 percent) compared to his challenger Harry ‘Craig’ Wilson, a hydrographer for the L.A. Department of Water and Power, who had 5,781 votes (26 percent).   Rosendahl, 63, said he believes he will be more effective in his second term because he understands the job better.   Now that he has won, he hopes to move forward with plans to complete the long-stalled creation of Potrero Canyon Park. This past year, he helped to ensure that proceeds from the sale of two city-owned properties on Alma Real will be dedicated to the park and not the city’s general fund.   Without the help of his staff, Rosendahl said he couldn’t have won the election. ‘My whole staff matches my philosophy that we are here to serve the people.’   This next term will be a challenging one, Rosendahl admits, as the city grapples with a projected $400-million budget deficit.   Rosendahl’s goal is to secure funding to hire more police officers, especially for the West Los Angeles Community Police Station.   ’We’re the most vulnerable to losing officers because we have lower crime,’ the councilman said.   Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (who won reelection with 56 percent of the vote) will release his proposed budget on April 20 and the City Council has until mid-June to pass the budget. Rosendahl said that the Council will look for places within departments to make cuts and explore ways to generate revenue. ‘It will be a difficult process.’   In the race for the Los Angeles School Board District 4 seat, Marshall High School teacher and counselor Steve Zimmer narrowly won with 26,023 votes (56 percent). Mike Stryer, a Fairfax High School social studies teacher and Pacific Palisades resident, received 20,339 votes (44 percent).   ’I want to congratulate my opponent, Steve Zimmer, on a hard-fought, substantive campaign that focused on key issues facing our educational system,’ Stryer said in a statement to the Post. ‘I am pleased to say that both Steve and I avoided any personal or nasty attacks during the campaign and debated issues in a serious, informed way.’   Zimmer, 38, replaces Marlene Canter, who served two terms on the seven-member school board and who had endorsed Stryer.   Stryer, 47, said he looks forward to continuing his work at Fairfax, where he has taught for five years. He thanked all of those who supported him during the campaign.   ’In particular, I want to acknowledge the tremendous support that I received in Pacific Palisades,’ said Stryer, who lives in Marquez with his wife, Barri, and their children, Adam, 14 and Leah, 11.   ’I cannot properly describe the incredible outpouring of effort and passion put into this campaign by Palisadians. It’s yet another testament to the great community in which we live.’