Politics & Government

Eric Garcetti Says He Will Run for Mayor

The Los Angeles City councilman filed paperwork Thursday morning.

Councilman Eric Garcetti announced Thursday that he will run for mayor of Los Angeles.

He filed the required paperwork Thursday morning and posted this message soon afterward on his Facebook page:

I made it official this morning and took out papers to run for Mayor. I love LA—the best city in the world—and it is time for focused leadership, innovation, and a vision to inspire this city. I hope to earn your support as we approach Election Day. Together, let's put LA back on top.

Find out what's happening in Encino-Tarzanawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Garcetti is the current Los Angeles City Council president and represents the 13th District, which includes Hollywood, Los Feliz and Koreatown.

He joins City Controller Wendy Greuel and Councilwoman Jan Perry in the race. The mayoral election is scheduled for March 5, 2013.

Find out what's happening in Encino-Tarzanawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

, who represents Encino in the 5th District, said Garcetti is a welcome addition to an already impressive pool of candidates.

"I have to say he is not the only excellent choice who has announced or has been looking to run, which is a good thing," Koretz told Patch Thursday. "We have several candidates who would do a great job. I'm excited that we have an embarrassment of riches."

Koretz said Garcetti has supported issues important to the council's 5th District, including the , and that he takes a "reasonable and thoughtful approach to development."

"I think he shows that he cares about constituents, which is important because we have a very active constituency in Council District 5," Koretz said.

The move wasn't a surprise, although the timing was a little unexpected. The City Council president had hinted this summer that he would probably wait until the fall to make a decision.

Garcetti has represented District 13—which includes Echo Park, Silver Lake, and part of Hollywood—for three terms, and will be termed out in 2012.

Garcetti, 40, was born in Los Angeles and raised in the San Fernando Valley.

He attended Columbia University, where he got his bachelor's and master's degrees. He is fluent in Spanish, and has taught at Occidental College.

He lives in Silver Lake with his wife, Amy. Garcetti also lived in Echo Park for many years.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Encino-Tarzana