Patch Blog: My Breakfast With Jimmy Gomez

[Ed. Note: As with all of the blog posts on Highland Park-Mount Washington Patch, the opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and don't necessarily represent the editorial stance of the site. Enjoy!]

Like so much of what happens to me these days, this bit starts with something random.

I'm walking down to the first floor unit of my parents' duplex—it's empty, so we use it for storage because the city thinks my parents are slumlords or something. 

I could go on and on about that situation, but I'll leave that for another time—and there's the flier for Jimmy Gomez for Assembly.  I'm not big about politics in particular but I try to keep up with local issues.  I know with redistricting they've made one big district of most of Northeast Los Angeles, and I'm curious to see how that turns out.  Jimmy Gomez made the first move by putting up a flier on the door of a vacant apartment, so I thought I might as well check out Jimmy Gomez firsthand at a March 3, 2012 coffee meet and greet in a home out by the Southwest Museum.

Jimmy Gomez is a handsome man, a photogenic man.  He is bright and articulate; his intelligence shines.  I'm much impressed by his ability to move around a conversation.  I'm especially impressed by his commitment to education.  His own personal story is highlighted by a decision he made some time after high school; while working two jobs “...something just clicked!” and he decided to become the man he is today: undergrad at UCLA where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Poli-Sci followed by a Public Policy Masters from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.  

His job history is a testament to his own commitment to labor and public service.  

It's no surprise that he's amassed such a long list of endorsements: from the California Democratic Party to the well-respected and beloved labor leader Dolores Huerta.  I could gush and gush, on and on, but eventually I end up in the same place.  Jimmy Gomez is a product of the Big Labor Political Machine of Southern California.  After my absolute disillusionment and disappointment with Villaraigosa, I have to second guess anyone whose credentials appear too good.  I haven't formed a firm opinion as of yet; I will give candidate Gomez as many chances as he needs to prove he is a man of ideas and action, but I won't let myself be disappointed again.

During the Q&A session after all the NIMBY and other petty personal issues were aired—one woman even asked a question about her own pension program, I couldn't quite grasp the relevance of it, but Jimmy Gomez took the question in stride and offered her what help he could after the Q&A—we touched upon some real topics and issues.  

After a question from a man about taxes and revenues, Jimmy Gomez gave up some interesting ideas.  He wants to tax big corporations to help out the small businesses/corporations that are the job engines of this state.  He suggested an oil severance tax to help ease California's deficit.  We were discussing taxes and revenue, so I knew he was dancing around it.  But I knew if no one would ask him about it I would have jumped him with it myself.

I'm ready to ambush Candidate Jimmy with Prop 13 so to speak, but he decides to jump on that grenade himself.  And he jumps and defuses that grenade with grace and poise.  He acknowledges how Prop 13 has gutted California revenue, without advocating a position on whether it should be repealed or not.  

[ed. note: Passed by the State of California in 1978, Prop. 13 decrees that real property cannot be taxed at a rate greater than 1% of assessed full cash value, and limited inflation in property tax assessment. It also requires a 2/3 majority in both legislative houses to approve any tax increase.]

He does give up another interesting idea about closing a loophole for Prop 13.  

Apparently large developers can sell their properties without suffering any excess tax burden.  He suggests that loophole be closed and that revenue be used to ease the tax burden for duplex and other multi-unit small property owners.  Once again it's the “small versus the big” position that should appeal to many voters.  

I'm only a little impressed by the idea itself; I'm more impressed by Candidate Gomez's verbal ninja technique.  Skills like that will be very useful in the Assembly.

The event is winding down and I'm waiting for my spot to ask my question.  I don't want it to be too much, but I don't want to softball him either.  When I find my spot, I swing with a question about teacher unions--something along of the lines of "what will he do to stand up to the big unions when they fail to live up to their responsibilities."

I imagine it comes out far less articulate than that, but that was what I intended to ask.  Jimmy Gomez starts with something like he won't demonize them.  For a moment I wonder if I'm being admonished, but I realize it doesn't matter if I am because my question starts a healthy dialogue and discussion between a charter school advocate and a public school administrator.  I'm not sure if I even remember Candidate Jimmy's complete answer; it might be fragments on a page of notes that track the debate that overshadowed it, but they're not nearly complete enough for me to relate them here.  

Jimmy Gomez moderates the debate well letting both sides make their points despite his own position against Charter Schools.  I'd like to see that sort of diplomacy in Sacramento someday.

All told I'm mostly impressed by what I've seen of Jimmy Gomez.  Of course I didn't see nor hear exactly what I wanted to see or hear.  Jimmy Gomez, as Political Director of United Nurses Association of California,  is a candidate who has inspired nurses to be more politically active.  That sounds nice, but I would have been more satisfied with something less abstract than that.  I would have loved to have heard about a project that Jimmy Gomez helped push through despite the city's lack of support.  I remember seeing the solar panels set up on the hills above Sycamore Grove Park and I wonder who pushed that through.  I hope they're running for State Assembly in the 51st District, but I wouldn't have very high expectations.  Jimmy Gomez appears to me to be the lead train of this election which has left the station already.  I wouldn't bet on the chances of anyone catching up to him.