Antonio Villaraigosa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Antonio Villaraigosa
|
|
|---|---|
Villaraigosa in 2013
|
|
| 41st Mayor of Los Angeles | |
| In office July 1, 2005 – July 1, 2013 |
|
| Preceded by | James Hahn |
| Succeeded by | Eric Garcetti |
| 69th President of the United States Conference of Mayors | |
| In office 2011–2012 |
|
| Preceded by | Elizabeth Kautz |
| Succeeded by | Michael Nutter |
| Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 14th district |
|
| In office July 1, 2003 – July 1, 2005 |
|
| Preceded by | Nick Pacheco |
| Succeeded by | José Huizar |
| 63rd Speaker of the California State Assembly | |
| In office February 26, 1998 – April 13, 2000 |
|
| Preceded by | Cruz Bustamante |
| Succeeded by | Robert Hertzberg |
| Majority Leader of the California Assembly | |
| In office December 2, 1996 – February 26, 1998 |
|
| Preceded by | Jim Rogan |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Shelley |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 45th district |
|
| In office December 5, 1994 – November 30, 2000 |
|
| Preceded by | Richard Polanco |
| Succeeded by | Jackie Goldberg |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Antonio Ramón Villar Jr.
January 23, 1953 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 4 |
| Education | East Los Angeles College University of California, Los Angeles (BA) People's College of Law (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa was the 41st Mayor of Los Angeles. He served from 2005 to 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Villaraigosa was a national co-chairman for Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign. He also served on President Barack Obama's economic advisory board. In 2012, he chaired the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
Before becoming mayor, he was a member of the California State Assembly from 1994 to 2000. During this time, he was the Democratic Majority Leader and later the Speaker of the California State Assembly. As Speaker, Villaraigosa worked to help working families. He supported laws to protect the environment and improve healthcare. He also helped increase money for public schools.
He first ran for mayor in 2001 but did not win. In 2003, he was elected to the Los Angeles City Council. He ran for mayor again in 2005 and won. He was the first Hispanic mayor of Los Angeles in over 130 years. As mayor, he focused on improving schools and reducing traffic. He also worked to make the city safer. Since leaving office in 2013, Villaraigosa has continued to work on important issues. These include education, transportation, and economic growth. He ran for governor of California in 2018. In July 2024, he announced he would run for governor again in 2026.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Antonio Ramón Villar Jr. grew up in the City Terrace area of East Los Angeles. He went to both Catholic and public schools. His father left the family when Antonio was five years old. When he was 16, a tumor briefly made him unable to move his legs. This stopped him from playing sports.
He was later expelled from Cathedral High School. He then graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School. He took night classes and received help from his English teacher. Villar then attended East Los Angeles College. He later transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1977. At UCLA, he was a leader in student groups. After college, he worked as an organizer for United Teachers Los Angeles. He also served as president of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. He adopted the name Villaraigosa when he married Corina Raigosa in 1987.
Early Political Career
In 1990, Villaraigosa joined the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Board. He served there until 1994. In 1994, he was elected to the California State Assembly. He quickly became the Democratic Assembly Whip. Then he became the Assembly Majority Leader. In 1998, his colleagues chose him to be the Speaker of the Assembly. He was the first Speaker from Los Angeles in 25 years. He left the Assembly in 2000 after serving three terms.
Mayor of Los Angeles
Becoming Mayor
Villaraigosa first ran for Mayor of Los Angeles in 2001. He lost to James Hahn in a second round of voting. In 2003, Villaraigosa won a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. He represented the 14th District.
He ran for mayor again in 2005. He won the election on May 17, 2005, with 58.7% of the votes. On July 1, 2005, Villaraigosa became the 41st Mayor of Los Angeles. He was the first Latino Mayor of Los Angeles since 1872. Many important people attended his inauguration. These included Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Vice President Al Gore.
Villaraigosa was re-elected in 2009. He received 55.65% of the votes. His main opponent was Walter Moore.
Key Actions as Mayor
Improving Transportation
One of Villaraigosa's main goals was to extend the Purple Line subway. He wanted it to go all the way to Santa Monica. People called this project the "Subway to the Sea." Villaraigosa helped get a ban on subway tunneling in Los Angeles removed in 2006.
In November 2008, Los Angeles County voters approved Measure R. This was an extra half-cent sales tax. It was expected to raise $40 billion over 30 years for transportation projects. Measure R included money for part of the "Subway to the Sea." Villaraigosa played a big role in getting this measure passed.
He also worked to reduce traffic jams. He banned road construction during rush hour. He also created "Tiger Teams" to improve traffic flow. Villaraigosa even tried to take the subway to work once a month.
In 2010, Villaraigosa promoted a "Ten/Thirty" plan. This plan asked for a large loan to speed up transit projects. This idea later became the America Fast Forward program. Congress approved this program.
In July 2010, Villaraigosa broke his elbow in a bicycle accident. After this, he became a strong supporter of bicycle safety. He pushed for a "3 foot passing rule" in California. He also supported Los Angeles' Bicycle Master Plan. This plan aimed to create 1,680 miles of bikeways.
Public Safety Efforts
As mayor, Villaraigosa was part of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition. This group works to increase gun control. He wanted to make Los Angeles the safest big city in America.
Villaraigosa proposed a plan to improve homeland security. This plan would add units to the Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments. He also created a group of Homeland Security Advisors. This group included police and fire chiefs. They planned for things like counter-terrorism and emergency responses.
He promised to hire 1,000 new police officers. In March 2009, the L.A.P.D. reached its largest size ever. Villaraigosa and Police Chief William Bratton announced that crime rates were at their lowest since the 1950s.
Focus on Education
Villaraigosa wanted to gain control of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Instead, he created the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools. This group managed some of the district's lowest-performing schools.
He believed education was key to solving economic problems. He said "education is the civil rights issue of our time." He worked with other city leaders to improve schools. A state law, AB 1381, was passed to give him more control. However, this law was later ruled unconstitutional.
In response, Villaraigosa started a non-profit group. This group, the Mayor's Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, took over 21 LAUSD schools. These schools were among the lowest performing. But they later showed the biggest improvements in the state. The Partnership also created a "Parent College" program. Over 10,000 parents have graduated from this program.
In his last speech as mayor, Villaraigosa stressed his commitment to education. He urged future leaders to prioritize schools.
Animal Services
In 2005, Villaraigosa promised to implement a "no-kill" policy for Animal Services. He also promised to fire the General Manager, Guerdon Stuckey. He fired Stuckey about a year later. In 2006, Villaraigosa appointed Ed Boks to the position. Boks resigned in 2009. In 2010, Brenda Barnette was appointed.
City Finances
Villaraigosa tripled the city's trash collection fee. He said the extra money would go to hiring more police officers. However, an audit later found that only some of the money went to police.
He also supported Proposition S to fund police officers. He supported Proposition O, which added to property tax bills. He also campaigned for education bond measures. In 2010, he warned the City Council about the city's finances. He said not supporting water and power rate increases could lead to bankruptcy.
Energy and the Environment
In April 2008, Villaraigosa set aside land near the Los Angeles River. He planned to create a "clean technology corridor" there. This project did not fully happen.
Villaraigosa helped create the LA Cleantech Incubator. He supported this organization, which helps new clean technology businesses.
Awards and Honors
In February 2006, Villaraigosa received the Tom Bradley Legacy Foundation Achievement Award. This award recognized his work in bringing different communities together.
He received honorary degrees from several universities. These included Loyola Marymount University and the University of Southern California in 2006. In 2007, he received an honorary degree from Whittier College. He was also a finalist for the 2008 World Mayor Award.
International Connections
.jpg)
In October 2006, Villaraigosa traveled to England and Asia. He went on a trade mission. In England, he discussed global warming and homeland security. He also promoted Los Angeles' bid for the 2016 Olympic Games.
In 2006, he led a group of business leaders to China, South Korea, and Japan. This trip helped secure $300 million in foreign investment. In Beijing, he opened a tourism office for Los Angeles. In Japan, he launched an advertising campaign to promote tourism to Los Angeles.
In February 2008, Villaraigosa welcomed Mexican President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa. They discussed trade opportunities. In June 2008, Villaraigosa visited Israel. He met with experts on homeland security and green technology. He signed an agreement for the LA police department to receive training from an Israeli counter-terrorism center.
Personal Life
Antonio Villaraigosa has four children. He married Corina Raigosa in 1987. They later divorced in 2007. He married Patricia Govea on August 6, 2016. Their wedding took place in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
See also
In Spanish: Antonio Villaraigosa para niños
- Los Angeles mayoral election, 2001
- Los Angeles mayoral election, 2005
- Los Angeles mayoral election, 2009
