Six mayoral hopefuls square off
STUDIO CITY - Six of the challengers to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's re-election bid sparred in a rowdy forum Sunday that riled up the crowd over issues like immigration and the failures of city government.
Villaraigosa, who has been running his campaign as if he is uncontested, did not show up. But that didn't stop the candidates from taking shots at him as well as each other.
About the only thing the challengers agreed on was a desire to dethrone Villaraigosa.
Asked to name the biggest mistake the mayor has made during his first term, the answers included not firing Police Chief William Bratton after the May Day melee; the mayor's effort to take over the Los Angeles Unified School District; and rushing Measure B, the solar power initiative, to the March ballot.
"Part of the problem with the city right now is the mayor shows up just 11 percent of the time to do his job. If I'm elected, I will work twice as hard," said candidate Walter Moore, as the crowd chuckled.
Villaraigosa's campaign manager, Ace Smith, did not return calls seeking comment.
The forum, organized by the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils and sponsored by the Daily News, was held Sunday afternoon at the CBS studios in Studio City before an audience of about 90 local residents.
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