Antonio Villaraigosa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Antonio Villaraigosa
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Villaraigosa in 2013
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| 41st Mayor of Los Angeles | |
| In office July 1, 2005 – July 1, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | James Hahn |
| Succeeded by | Eric Garcetti |
| 69th President of the United States Conference of Mayors | |
| In office 2011–2012 |
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| Preceded by | Elizabeth Kautz |
| Succeeded by | Michael Nutter |
| Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 14th district |
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| In office July 1, 2003 – July 1, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Nick Pacheco |
| Succeeded by | José Huizar |
| 63rd Speaker of the California State Assembly | |
| In office February 26, 1998 – April 13, 2000 |
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| Preceded by | Cruz Bustamante |
| Succeeded by | Robert Hertzberg |
| Majority Leader of the California Assembly | |
| In office December 2, 1996 – February 26, 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Rogan |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Shelley |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 45th district |
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| In office December 5, 1994 – November 30, 2000 |
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| 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 |
Corina Raigosa
(m. 1987; div. 2007)Patricia Govea
(m. 2016) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | East Los Angeles College University of California, Los Angeles (BA) People's College of Law (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa (born January 23, 1953, as Antonio Ramón Villar Jr.) is an American politician. He served as the 41st Mayor of Los Angeles from 2005 to 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Before becoming mayor, Villaraigosa 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, he worked to help working families. He also supported laws to protect the environment and improve healthcare and public schools.
He first ran for mayor in 2001 but lost. 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 person in over 130 years to be the mayor of Los Angeles. As mayor, he focused on improving schools, reducing traffic, and making the city safer.
Since leaving office in 2013, Villaraigosa has continued to be involved in important issues. These include education, water, immigration, transportation, and economic growth. He has also run for Governor of California. In July 2024, he announced his plan to run for Governor again in 2026.
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Early Life and Education
Antonio Ramón Villar Jr. grew up in City Terrace, a neighborhood in East Los Angeles. He went to both Catholic and public schools. When he was 5 years old, his father left the family. At age 16, he faced health challenges that affected his ability to play sports. He also had some trouble in high school, but he worked hard to graduate from Theodore Roosevelt High School. His English teacher, Herman Katz, helped him a lot.
Villar then attended East Los Angeles College, a community 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 an organization called MEChA. This group works to promote Chicano unity and political action. He later decided to step away from the group because of some of its controversial ideas.
After UCLA, Villar went to the Peoples College of Law. He worked as an organizer for the United Teachers Los Angeles. He was known for being a strong advocate for teachers. He also served as president of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. In 1987, he married Corina Raigosa. They combined their last names to create "Villaraigosa."
Early Political Career
In 1990, Villaraigosa was appointed to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Board. He served there until 1994. In 1994, he was elected to the California State Assembly. He quickly became a leader, serving as Democratic Assembly Whip and 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 was defeated by James Hahn in a close election. In 2003, Villaraigosa won a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. He represented the 14th District.
In 2005, he ran for mayor again. This time, he won the election with 58.7% of the vote. On July 1, 2005, Villaraigosa became the 41st Mayor of Los Angeles. He made history as the first Latino Mayor of Los Angeles since 1872. Many important people attended his inauguration, including then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Villaraigosa was re-elected in 2009. He won with 55.65% of the vote.
Key Achievements as Mayor
Improving Transportation
One of Villaraigosa's main goals was to extend the Purple Line subway to Santa Monica. This project was called the "Subway to the Sea." He helped get a ban on subway tunneling in Los Angeles removed in 2006.
In 2008, Los Angeles County voters approved Measure R. This was a sales tax that would raise money for transportation projects. It was expected to generate $40 billion over 30 years. Measure R included funding for the "Subway to the Sea" extension. Villaraigosa played a big part in getting this measure passed.
He also worked to reduce traffic. He issued a rule to ban road construction during rush hour. He also created "anti-gridlock zones" to improve traffic flow. After a bicycle accident in 2010, Villaraigosa became a strong supporter of bicycle safety. He pushed for a "3-foot passing rule" for cars passing cyclists. He also supported a plan to create 1,680 miles (2,700 km) of bikeways across the city.
Focusing on Education
Villaraigosa made improving the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) a top priority. He wanted to gain more control over the district. While he didn't get full control, he created the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools. This non-profit group took over some of the lowest-performing schools in LAUSD.
The Partnership aimed to turn these schools into high-performing ones. Even though these schools started with low scores, they made big improvements. They are now considered some of the best urban schools in California. 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 reform. He believed that education was key to solving economic problems and preparing students for the future.
Animal Services
Villaraigosa also worked on animal services. He promised to implement a "no-kill" policy for the Department of Animal Services. He appointed Ed Boks as the General Manager in 2006. After Boks resigned, Brenda Barnette was appointed in 2010.
City Finances
Villaraigosa made some changes to city fees and taxes. He increased the city's trash collection fee. He said the extra money would help hire more police officers. He also supported other measures to fund city services and improve public safety.
Awards and Recognition
Villaraigosa received many honors and awards during his time as mayor. In 2006, he was given the Tom Bradley Legacy Foundation Achievement Award. This award recognized his efforts to bring different communities together.
He also received honorary degrees from several universities. These included Loyola Marymount University, the University of Southern California, and Whittier College. In 2008, he was a finalist for the World Mayor Award.
International Work
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Villaraigosa traveled to other countries to promote Los Angeles. In 2006, he visited England and Asia on a trade mission. He discussed topics like global warming and emergency preparedness. He also promoted Los Angeles' bid for the 2016 Olympic Games.
He led a group of business leaders to China, South Korea, and Japan. This trip helped bring $300 million in foreign investment to Los Angeles. He also worked to encourage tourism to Los Angeles from Asian countries.
In 2008, he welcomed Mexican President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa to Los Angeles. They discussed trade opportunities between Mexico and Los Angeles. Villaraigosa also traveled to Israel in 2008. 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 institute.
See Also
In Spanish: Antonio Villaraigosa para niños
- Los Angeles mayoral election, 2001
- Los Angeles mayoral election, 2005
- Los Angeles mayoral election, 2009
Images for kids
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Antonio Villaraigosa's signature
