Italian American in Resounding Victory over Election to L. A City Council District 15

The highly contested City of Los Angeles vacancy for Council District 15, was finally filled as result of the resounding victory by Joe Buscaino, a first generation Italian American whose parents settled in San Pedro around 40 years ago from the Sicilian town of Bagheria.

Waging a masterful electoral campaign, which initially consisted of nine individuals, all vying for the same position, Buscaino finally succeeded in winning with nearly 61% of the vote over Warren Furutani, a former member of the Los Angeles Unified School District and Community College Board of Trustees, and a current member of the California State Assembly, with only 39% of the vote and garnering a total of 9734 votes against only 6304 votes by his competitor.

Born in San Pedro, Joe, until elected to the coveted councilmanic position, has served as a Senior Lead Officer with the Los Angeles City Police Department and filled numerous assignments both with the Police Department and a number of community organizations, such as the San Pedro Boys & Girls Club, the San Pedro YMCA Racial Justice Committee, Mary Star of the Sea Church, as well as several local Italian American organi- zations. Buscaino, along with his wife Geralyn are the proud parents of two young children and are life long residents of the area.

Joe Buscaino was the origi- nal founder of the L. A. City Police Department's Harbor Area Teen Community Police Advisory Board, which, over time, became so successful locally, that now has been expanded into numerous units throughout Los Angeles City.

The newly elected Councilman, over the years, has also been very active with environmental issues and redevelopment of downtown San Pedro, and now, as the newly elected representative for the area, has promised renewed efforts through numerous job growth efforts ancillary to the nearby Port of Los Angeles.

The only Italian American to ever be elected to Council District 15 of the City of Los Angeles, which consists of all of San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor Gateway, and portions of Watts, the former police officer has pledged renewed revitalization in numerous areas of the city by expanding and securing job growth while facilitating increased shipping possibilities along the harbor, in light of the ongoing Panama Canal expansion and increasingly larger size of commercial vessels seeking local dockage by launching long term drainage of the inner harbor along with appropriate capital improvements along the waterfront.

With his job creating efforts throughout District 15, the new councilman has pledged his constituents to adhere to a four point job plan which includes the securing and expanding of port jobs, encouraging dynamic waterfront development, instituting small business assistance and planning for future jobs by supporting major initiatives that can make Council District 15 the center for marine science, technology and manufacturing jobs in Southern California.

This writer, being very familiar with Joe Buscaino’s numer- ous past efforts benefiting the local community, extends the newly elected councilman best wishes and much success in the days, weeks and years to come.

Ben Piazza
contributor