Wendy Greuel
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Wendy Greuel is President Pro Tempore of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 2nd District. Greuel was elected in 2002 to fill the remainder of the term of Councilman Joel Wachs. She was elected in her own right in 2003 and is up for reelection in 2007. The 2nd District includes portions of the San Fernando Valley.
As a City Councilmember, she has focused much of her time on public safety, the environment, economic issues, transportation, and neighborhood services.
- Public Safety
Wendy Greuel developed the Stolen Vehicle Recovery Program, which allows Department of Transportation officers to tow stolen vehicles instead of Los Angeles Policemen, allowing LAPD officers more time to focus on serious crime. In addition, she created the Office of Public Safety within the Department of General Services which consolidated the city's many security forces into one unit, to improve response times, better distribution of officers, and to save money for the city. She has also created the Police Fund, a program in which any councilmember who roots out inefficiencies can solve those problems and then contribute the money saved to hiring police officers. She was successful in adding hundreds of thousands of dollars to the fund by simply streamlining the city's toll free 1-800 numbers.
- Environment
"She secured passage of the Scenic Preservation Corridor Plan, the purchases of 145 acres south of La Tuna Canyon and a passive park adjacent to Big Tujunga wash, and she fought to permanently preserve 750 acres of open space and prevent any further development in the Verdugo Mountains." (Official Biography) She also passed a motion requiring all new buildings in the city to be built with the capability of installing solar panels.
- Economic Development
Along with Councilman Eric Garcetti, she led the fight to reform the city's business tax and to make it more competitive among local jurisdictions.
- Transportation
As the chair of the Transportation committee, she has banned road construction during rush hours, has ensured that hundreds of new left-hand turn signals will be installed, the synchronization of city lights, and has promoted other short and long term transportation initiatives. She also created anti-gridlock zones throughout the city and has cracked down on bandit taxi cabs. She is currently leading the city's efforts in securing and managing transportation funds from the state's recently passed infrastructure bond.
- Neighborhood Services
Wendy successfully created the 50/50 Sidewalk Program which finds a solution to the constant problem of cracked sidewalks. Currently, there is an 80 year waiting list to have a sidewalk fixed. Through Ms. Greuel's program, constituents are able to pay 50% of the costs and consequently, their sidewalk repaving will be guaranteed within two weeks.
- Campaign Finance Reform
She is currently working with Councilmembers Garcetti and Rosendahl to implement clean money, public financing campaigns in Los Angeles. She has already banned city commissioners from contributing money to local politicians.
Not all has been roses for Wendy; in 2004, she was involved in a very divisive incident in Sherman Oaks between two neighborhoods on either side of the Los Angeles River. Parking is always in issue in L.A., and the neighborhood south of the river is no exception, so members of the community would often park on the north side of the river and cross the Rye Street Bridge to their homes. The more affluent home-owners on the north side didn't like them being in their neighborhood, so, with help from Greuel, they closed the bridge without a single community meeting. What followed was a storm of petitions, phone calls, and an actual meeting, but the concerns of the south side were entirely dismissed by Greuel. Even when police Officer Nate Banry essentially saw no reason to close the bridge, Wendy found a way. The entire incident is described at www.ryestreet.com. While the webpage is not the most professional account, the facts are there.
From 1997 through 2002, she worked in the Corporate Affairs Department of DreamWorks SKG, where she worked on government and community relations at the local, state, and national level. From 1993 through 1997, she worked as the Field Operations Officer for Southern California under Cabinet Secretary Henry Cisneros in the Department of Housing and Urban Development during President Clinton's administration. In that position, she was instrumental in coordinating the federal government's response to the 1994 Northridge earthquake. From 1983 through 1993, she was a member of Mayor Tom Bradley's administration, serving as his liaison to city departments, the city council, and the public, working on a number of important policy issues, including the creation of Los Angeles' nationally respected after school program, LA's Best.
She was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, served as the Student Body President at Kennedy High School, and held internships in Councilman Joel Wachs and Mayor Bradley's offices, before and while attending the University of California Los Angeles.
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| Preceded by Joel Wachs |
Los Angeles City Councilman 2nd district 2001—present |
Succeeded by ' |
