In an eye-opening story in Wednesday's Los Angeles Times ["Billboard companies playing big role in L.A. city election," May 15] writer David Zahniser reported that CD1 council candidate Gil Cedillo is the recipient of big time support from the billboard companies, including the donation of free space on dozens of billboards across northeast Los Angeles, including 20 donated by Lamar Outdoor, the company that's just aching to build a digital billboard at 3810 Eagle Rock Boulevard.
By contrast, Jose Gardeas, Cedillo's opponent in the race for the CD1 seat, has reiterated his opposition to digital signs in our neighborhood. As Gardea told the Times,"I don't see any scenario where we would [want] digitals in CD1." That stark difference is one reason the Times endorsed Jose Gardea in the CD1 race. Said the paper, "[T]he 60-some billboards for Gil Cedillo…bespeak Cedillo's close ties -- too close -- with special rather than neighborhood interests."
In the mayoral race, the clear favorite of the billboard industry is Wendy Greuel, who received the endorsement of Lamar Outdoor on a whopping 100 free billboards across the city. On the other hand, her opponent, Eric Garcetti is on record as opposing digital signs in neighborhoods where they aren't wanted. Not surprisingly, he received no free billboard space from the outdoor ad industry and its allies. Other candidates on the receiving end of the billboard industry's generosity this election cycle include city council candidates Nury Martinez and Curren Price, as well as Dennis Zine, who's running for City Controller.
Obviously, if you're concerned about putting the breaks on digital billboards in our city, you have a clear choice when you walk into the voting both on Tuesday. Or, to put it more bluntly, if you cringe at the prospect of seeing a shiny new digital billboard over Eagle Rock Boulevard, you'll want to keep candidates like Gil Cedillo, Wendy Greuel, Dennis Zine, Nury Martinez and Curren Price as far from the levers of power as possible.