Endorsed by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, Planned Parenthood, and the Los Angeles Times, Third District Candidate Lindsey Horvath says she’s ready to lead the county into the future. “I’m running to be the next Los Angeles County Supervisor from the Third District because I have the determination and experience to make a difference for the people who need it most,� Horvath wrote on her website. “I’m ready to use my experience leading the region on issues like homelessness, public safety, and economic development to put Los Angeles County back to work for the people.� Horvath’s position on issues are standard fare regarding crime, homelessness and standing up for worker’s rights. “Right now, working families are struggling to keep up with a crush of compounding crises,� she wrote. “We need L.A. County to step up and protect workers’ rights while creating a thriving local economy. We need sustainable housing and services for the people living on our streets and community-focused public safety services that keep us all safe. We need our government to work for us.� Political Background Lindsey P. Horvath, 40, was elected to the West Hollywood City Council on March 3, 2015, having previously served as a Councilmember from 2009-2011. She also led the City to become the first in the nation to impose financial sanctions on Arizona for its discriminatory, anti-immigration SB-1070 law and created the first-ever West Hollywood Community Response Team to Domestic Violence. In addition, Horvath works as an entertainment advertising executive and has created award-winning campaigns for movies and television. Horvath graduated Cum Laude with a B.A. in Political Science and Gender Studies from the University of Notre Dame. Horvath v. Hertzberg Horvath’s campaign recently turned dark, however, as she began referring to her rival as “Big Oil Bob.� During the campaign, she began citing media reports that Hertzberg took $250,000 in contributions from the fossil fuel industry during his career, according to The Los Angeles Daily News on Oct. 6. Hertzberg voted against AB 345 in 2020, that would have established buffer zones between oil wells and schools and homes. This year, Hertzberg voted for SB 1137, which establishes oil well buffer zones and was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. “I recognize the seriousness of the climate crisis, and unlike my opponent, I have not taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from fossil fuel companies that have gotten us into this mess,� Horvath wrote. “I am proud to be endorsed by the Sierra Club and Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, as well as strong leaders like former State Sen. Fran Pavley. I will fight every day to implement the County’s award-winning sustainability plan to reduce our carbon footprint and promote clean energy throughout L.A. County.� Lunch with Lindsey On Sept. 11, The Las Virgenes Homeowner’s Federation, with the Communities of the Santa Monica Mountains, Malibu, Calabasas, Agoura Hills and Westhills, hosted a “meet and greet� with Horvath, who met with about 100 local residents of the Santa Monica Mountains (SMMs)in the picturesque community of Malibou Lake. “I am dedicated to local control, making sure that people have a say in what happens in their communities and making sure they have the resources you need in order to thrive in your community,� Horvath said. “That is why I am running for this office.� Horvath outlined her ideas on preserving the mountains. “First and foremost, I will lead as I always have: by listening, learning, and governing together,� Horvath wrote. “I know that the issues of the Santa Monica Mountains are different than those of Beverly Hills, Pacoima, or Santa Monica, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to governing, especially in a district as large as the Third District. I will serve all communities equally, and that includes the unincorporated areas of our district, many of which are in the Santa Monica Mountains.� Horvath was warmly received and, after giving a short speech, took time to meet with constituents individually and in small groups. Kim Lamorie, the president of the Las Virgenes Homeowner’s Federation, liked what she heard from the candidate. “Lindsey Horvath was real—responsive, smart, and pro-environmental,� Lamorie wrote. “She is not beholden to pro-development attorneys or expediters or those who seek to exploit and benefit from what has been saved as opposed to saving more of what is left. It was evident that environmental sustainability is a priority. She gets the value of preserving resources and protecting open space for the benefit of the entire county and for the future. She is solution-oriented, that was clear. She is hands-on and accessible—that was also clear, and she understands the challenges our unincorporated communities face—pledging as she did to apply her local government experience and responsiveness as a Mayor directly, and to serve. [That] experience is a significant benefit. It is also what former Superisor Zev [Yaroslavsky] brought so successfully to the mountains for two decades.� Lamorie said that the Federation has been focused on preserving and protecting the Santa Monica Mountains and the mountain/coastal communities for more than 50 years. “There is no one who is more important to us than the Supervisor,� Lamorie wrote. “The entire North Area Plan, and the Local Coastal Program comprise the unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains—which are fully encompassed in the National Recreation Area. This is parkland, not development land. We have designated rural village communities, not urban subdivision skyscrapers.� Regarding The Santa Monica Mountains The Canyon Chronicle asked Horvath what will she do to protect and preserve the Santa Monica Mountains. “I understand the challenges this region faces, and our entire county faces many of the same challenges: homelessness and housing affordability, public safety, transportation, and climate change among them. As a local leader, I have seen where the County has fallen short in providing resources to cities and the unincorporated areas. My experience as a local leader gives me the tools and knowledge necessary to fill those gaps, to best serve all of our communities.� “In the Santa Monica Mountains, two important issues for which law enforcement needs our support are speed racing and reckless driving. Making sure we sufficiently invest in fighting violent crime to keep people safe is also a top priority. “I will fight to make sure that the Santa Monica Mountains remain the magnificent, beautiful nature preserve they are today. Millions of Angelenos visit the mountains for recreation, for leisure, and for the serene beauty that they offer. Our mountains must be preserved and protected for future generations but we can only do so through collaborative, innovative governing. I will bring that to this seat. I am the only candidate with experience serving as a Mayor and leading at the local level; that experience is what the unincorporated areas need and deserve in a leader.� Protecting the Santa Monica Mountains from Fires and Developers “Protecting the Santa Monica Mountains from fires and overdevelopment is one of my top priorities for the region,� Horvath wrote. “It’s no secret that Los Angeles County needs to build more affordable housing, but we can do it responsibly, and in the regions that make the most sense; that is not the Santa Monica Mountains. We must not build in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, and must also take proactive measures to ensure that a devastating fire never occurs in the region. This means investing in home hardening, fully funding our aerial arsenal for the L.A. County Fire Department, and improving lines of communication. Above all, I will listen to communities to make sure that the policies we develop are informed by your experience, rooted in local control, rather than implementing top-down rules and regulations.� For more information: lindseyhorvath.com.