Introduction
WatchTheMayor.com

I'm Francis DellaVecchia, mayoral candidate, but not a professional politician. I'm webcasting my entire campaign at WatchTheMayor.com. I'm using the internet to wage an affordable campaign, have the camera follow me into office, keep me accountable, and most importantly, to let the voice of the people be heard. When I finally got wind of this debate a couple weeks ago, I immediately set up webcast interviews with homeless activist Ted Hayes, Whole Earth Systems founder Lance Charles, and Chuck Arnold of Northeast Trees. So you can go to WatchTheMayor.com and see how these and other real citizens of Los Angeles would improve our River and Environment. And you can participate. Your views count. WatchTheMayor.com opens up the political process, and lets the citizens debate the issues, not just a few men on a platform.

As a city, we've had these closed discussions before, decisions made by a few at the expense of many. We had a comprehensive plan in 1930, the Olmsted-Bartholomew Plan. It would have laid out vast parks, beaches, playgrounds and pleasure parkways for public use. It was suppressed by the very same Chamber of Commerce that had commissioned it, and an opportunity was lost forever. This begs the question of why we should embark on any new far reaching study or plan, if we don't truly want the public involved.

So get involved. Go to WatchTheMayor.com. Inject some fun into government. Together, the real people of this city will decide how to improve our urban environment. In the meantime, how would our panelists address this eternal problem in Los Angeles of much talk about expanding public space but precious little action?