Former colleagues shared fond memories of Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge, who died Thursday at age 67.
LaBonge, known as Mr. Los Angeles for his knowledge and love of the city, represented the Fourth District from 2001 to 2015. The district includes Koreatown, Mid-Wilshire, Miracle Mile, Fairfax District and much of Hollywood, Silver Lake, Los Feliz and Griffith Park.
“We often said that even though we shared a border, there was no dividing line between us, our work and our districts. From the revitalization of Hollywood to the preservation of Silver Lake, I never had a better friend or partner. Nobody knew more Angelenos, nobody gave more waking hours to our city, nobody was more animator of our city than Tom, “he said in Twitter Mayor Eric Garcetti, who represented neighboring District 13.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn served on the city council with LaBonge.
“No one loved this city more than Tom LaBonge and I don’t know if anyone ever will,” Hahn said on Twitter. “He was and always will be Mr. Los Angeles. May my dear friend rest in peace ”.
LaBonge was a clerk or city councilor for nearly 40 years. She began working for District 13 Councilwoman Peggy Stevenson in 1976, then joined the fourth council office of council chairman John Ferraro in 1978.
LaBonge was also the chief of field operations for then-Mayor Richard Riordan.
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LaBonge’s accomplishments in office included:
- Griffith Park expansion by 500 acres;
- restoration and expansion of the Griffith Observatory;
- the Monument to the Memory of the Fallen Firefighter, erected in Hollywood.
On June 30, 2015, his last day on City Council, his colleagues designated the intersection of Tracy and St. George streets in front of John Marshall High School in Los Feliz as Tom LaBonge Corner for his contributions to his alma mater.
LaBonge helped lead efforts to save the school’s Gothic main building, which was scheduled for demolition after the Sylmar earthquake in 1971.
He later worked with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and Los Angeles County Board of Education to fund and build the school’s Mike Haynes Stadium and Hugh Boyd Field, which are used for soccer games and competitions. Of athletics.
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LaBonge was known for his outsized personality, reflected in his deep knowledge of high school football teams, his penchant for big hugs, and love for classic Los Angeles institutions like Pink’s Hot Dogs along with his hands-on approach to serving people. the voters.
Councilman Paul Koretz once called LaBonge his “role model for constituent services.”
LaBonge was also a strong advocate for preparing for the next major earthquake, long before the push to seismically strengthen the city’s buildings and infrastructure.
After leaving City Council due to term limits, LaBonge founded The LaBonge Consulting Group, which he described on his LinkedIn page as “an extension of my ability to build relationships and connect people with the common goal of strengthening the cultural ties of this great city ”.
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