The 2014 Torrance Election: Reflections

Torrance, CA Pacific Railroad Bridge

How do we interpret the Torrance election results?

Torrance is now center-left? Probably.

Toyota is leaving, but Honda has pledged to stay, so far.

13% of voters showed up to the polls. Just 13%.

If anyone wants to sit down and have an adult beverage to discuss anything, it would be the astonishing and appalling voter apathy in the city of Torrance.

The voters were neither concerned nor angry about the direction of city hall, and those who voted sent back the status quo and politicians who agree with it.

A pensioneer: Retired Torrance police officer Geoff Rizzo

A progressive: Tim Goodrich

Two stand-pat political appointees:

Heidi Ashcraft

Kurt Weideman

And a union puppet:

Pat Furey

There is no nice way to put it. Furey got elected with union money, plus a divided GOP electorate between Tom Brewer and Bill Sutherland. A friend of mine commented that Furey will do good things for a key city constituency, but I doubt it. Union money talks, and politicians listen when they take it.

One voter commented: "Whose idea was it to let two Republicans run for mayor? That person should have his head put on a pike!"

I didn't believe that the split would matter, since Sutherland had fallen so heavily out of favor with most Republicans.

Do the residents of the city of Torrance understand that the swelling pension problems are not going away? Do the voters really expect the new council to make the right decisions to repair the city's crumbling infrastructure?

The incumbents did very little to reform the budget and spending. This election basically gives them a pat on the back, and they will be stand-pat politicians who will do more of the same.

A relatively inexperience city council must make difficult decisions, and those with experience do not take the gravity of the situation seriously. Not much accountability will emerge on this city council from the members themselves.

Torrance, CA Skyline

I did not support Geoff Rizzo because I did not believe that he would make the necessary pension reforms, either because he would have go recuse himself or he will vote his own interest. Maybe he will prove the cynics wrong.

Goodrich's agenda is now public, to those who care, which weren't very many. Solar panels for buildings will not save money or energy. His political ambitions are in full display, and he has the mold of another Ted Lieu, who wants to move from city to state to federal office.

Apparently, the basic political science stats determined the election. The incumbents were reelected, and the candidates with money bought their seats, too. What will voters do or say in two years? Will the roads be repaired? Will the pension issue have some semblance of reform?

One bit of cold comfort emerges from this race. Even the most liberal of state and city leaders have to face economic realities. They have to balance budgets. Will voters pay a higher sales tax to fund the massive pension liabilities?

Two years from now, voters can decide if they like the results of their poor choices for city council.