Coffee And Pastries With Jimmy Gomez or My Breakfast With Jimmy Gomez

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 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.

I wake up and drive out there; it's a narrow winding road up to Rustic Drive and I pass by the house only noting in passing the smallish photo of  Jimmy Gomez taped up to the mailbox.  There's no room to turn around until I do a U-turn at the next intersection.  Swinging around back I find a space to park; I know I should have just walked to this event, but forgive me I really don't like walking up hills.  I smoke in front of the house admiring the general nature of the neighborhood; it's like a different world from the other side of the hill where I live.  There's even a new home under construction a few houses from where I stand; I don't know who can actually afford to build a home in the city.  My parents went for that years ago failing miserably when permits were not approved.

As I stand there alone smoking, I tell a few people that this is the Jimmy Gomez thing they've been looking for.  One woman had driven round three times before stopping to ask me if she were in the right place.  Sometime after I join the event I note that issue and they send a lone volunteer to stand at the top of the stairs to handle that.  When I finish my cigarette I descend the steps into our host’s beautiful home.  I'm not sure of what to expect.  I know that a conservative Republican should not be walking into a Democratic event, but really local politics being what it is, does the Republican opponent—whom I've yet to find—even have a chance in this Labor driven political machine?  I decide then to just be a quiet observer and hope not to upset anyone too much if I do end up speaking.

I join the event sometime before Jimmy Gomez starts his presentation.  There's enough time to have a couple of small cups of coffee along with the light small talk with some of my fellow constituents.  There's some talk of local music and local venues before the conversation steers round to the OccupyLA events of the past year or so.  One man in particular had participated in OccupyLA to the extent that local media distorted one of his quotes on camera out of context.  I could have stepped up and spoken on that subject at length, but I'm quite sure this was not an audience with much of an appetite for dissent.

Instead I step away from that and return to the street to enjoy the morning with another cigarette.  On my way up the stairs I overhear in passing the candidate asking someone, I don't recall who, if they knew me.  Considering how much I value my privacy I'm glad not to be someone who is known.  Eventually the event starts and I stand in a doorway as Jimmy Gomez presents himself to me and these few others for the first time.

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 to be 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 after the NIMBY and other petty personal issues—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.

So many complainers especially the ones who own property deliberately forget Prop 13.  Selective memory is nice; they'll recall the good years when California was at or near the top of so many stats.  They'll complain of how this great state was once a leader in education spending and they'll tax Big Business to death to get this state back on track, but suggest that Prop 13 be changed and they'll be “Don't Tax Me Bro” free market capitalists in a heartbeat.  “No.  No.  No,” they'll say.  “They'll find that kind of money some other way.”  I'm personally willing to engage in any discussion about Prop 13, but I've learned that you won't get much traction when you're talking with property owners about that particular issue.

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.  He does give up another interesting idea about closing loopholes for Prop 13.  Apparently large developers can sell their properties without suffering any excess tax burden.  He suggests that 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 UTLA.  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 who has left the station already.  I wouldn't bet on the chances of anyone catching up to him.