John Ferraro
John Ferraro | |
---|---|
Robert Stevenson | |
Succeeded by | Joel Wachs |
Personal details | |
Born | Democratic | May 14, 1924
Spouses | |
Children | 1 |
College football career | |
USC Trojans | |
Position | Bell |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
John Ferraro (May 14, 1924 – April 17, 2001) was an American politician and businessman who was a Democratic member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1966 until his death in 2001, the longest tenure of any member in the city's history. Before politics, he was an insurance broker, and had been an all-American football player at the University of Southern California.
Biography
Parents and education
Ferraro was born May 14, 1924, in the working class
Military service
Ferraro enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was commissioned as an
Football
His excellence on the
Business career
Ferraro was an insurance broker with the John Ferraro Company, beginning in 1951,[2] and he invested shrewdly in stocks and real estate that made him a millionaire.[3]
Family
He was married to Julie Marie Luckey, daughter of Democratic State Senator
Illness and death
Ferraro was diagnosed with cancer of the spleen in August 1999 and underwent chemotherapy. Mayor Richard Riordan was at his side, along with family members, when he died at the age of 76 in Santa Monica on April 17, 2001.[1] A crowd of nearly a thousand filled St. Brendan Catholic Church, Ferraro's parish, for a funeral mass conducted by Cardinal Roger Mahony. Family present included Ferraro's brother, Steve, sisters Mary and Rose and his son, Gianni Luckey.[8]
Public service
Police commission
He entered government service in 1953, when Mayor
City Council
Appointment and elections
Supported by Mayor
During his term, which at thirty-five years was the longest in City Council history, the 4th District covered (in 1955) much of the
In 1974, Ferraro ran unsuccessfully against fellow Councilman
In 1999, he was fined $3,300 by the Los Angeles Ethics Commission for receiving campaign contributions in 1997 above a newly established limit. It and penalties levied against Councilmen Mike Hernandez and Mark Ridley-Thomas were the first to be made under a law effective in 1985.[15]
Presidency
Ferraro's election as City Council president in 1977 to replace
In Ferraro's 1997 reshuffle of committee seats, the biggest loser was Nate Holden, "the frequent butt of Ferraro's jokes, who was ousted from all three of his committees and given far lower-profile assignments," Jodi Wilgoren reported in the Los Angeles Times.[17]
It was said that Ferraro often calmed disputes on the City Council "with humor and a firm hand" and that after his death it was "unlikely such a dominant figure will again emerge," because of newly imposed
Activities
Ferraro was noted for "spearheading the refurbishment of the
1984. Ferraro's "biggest citywide leadership role was in helping bring the Olympics to Los Angeles, serving on early committees trying to attract the Games."[3]
1985. Ferraro was considered pro-development, and he usually supported most everything that
1989. He opposed building underground transportation lines (subways), believing instead that mass transit should run along freeways or, in the San Fernando Valley, along existing rail lines.[3][9]
1996. The City Council president opposed Mayor
1997. With County Supervisor
Honors
Ferraro was elected to the board of the National League of Cities in 1995,[22] and in March 1996 the Los Angeles Marathon named him Citizen of the Year, the University of Southern California gave him its Asa V. Call Achievement Award and the National Council of Young Israel gave him a community-service award.[23]
For his contribution to sports in Los Angeles, he was honored with a Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum "Court of Honor" plaque by the Coliseum commissioners.
Legacy
On November 16, 2000, in honor of his more than five decades of public service, the City of Los Angeles renamed the landmark Department of Water and Power's General Office Building to the John Ferraro Building.
The Margaret and John Ferraro Chair in Effective Local Government was established at the School of Policy, Planning and Development of the University of Southern California.[8]
Quotations
- About Mayor Tom Bradley: "Morally, he's corrupt. His desire to be governor is so overwhelming, it's eating him up. He will sell out City Hall to be governor."[26]
- About his USC football days: "I was a tackle. Sure, we never got any glory, no headlines, and that's been my philosophy."[3]
References
Access to some Los Angeles Times links may require the use of a library card.
- ^ a b c d Elaine Woo, "John Ferraro, Longtime City Council Member, Dies," Los Angeles Times, April 18, 2001
- ^ a b c d Los Angeles Public Library reference file
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Janet Clayton, "A Team Player, His Self-Effacing Demeanor Proves to be a Drawback in Hard Campaign Scrimmaging," Los Angeles Times, March 31, 1985
- ^ a b Al Bine, "Ferraro in Council Job, Tells Aims," Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, May 25, 1966
- ^ a b Erwin Baker, "Ferraro Elected President of Council," Los Angeles Times, July 2, 1977, page B-1
- ^ "Ex-Stripper Cast in Play," Los Angeles Times, May 8, 1943, page 7
- ^ Douglas Martin, "Margaret Hart Ferraro," New York Times, January 30, 2000
- ^ a b c Patrick McGreevey, "City Says Goodbye to a Leader," Los Angeles Times, April 24, 2001
- ^ a b c d Laureen Lazaarovici and Harold Meyerson, "John Ferraro on Deck," L.A. Weekly, August 11-17, 1989
- ^ [1] A detailed story on how Ferraro obtained the appointment is at Erwin Baker, "How Ferraro's Election Went," Los Angeles Times, May 30, 1966, page A-4.
- ^ "Council Contests in Seven Districts," Los Angeles Times, April 3, 1955, page B-1
- ^ Doug Shuit, "5 Council Members Coasting Through Campaigns," Los Angeles Times, March 23, 1975, page E-1
- ^ "Los Angeles' Realigned Council Districts," Los Angeles Times," September 21, 1986, page B-3
- ^ Bill Boyarsky, "Bradley Sweeps to Record 4th Term," Los Angeles Times, April 10, 1985, page A-3
- ^ Beth Shuster, "Ethics Panel Fines 3 Councilmen Over Campaign Donations," Los Angeles Times, March 23, 1999
- ^ John Schwada, "Edgy Council Awaits Panel Assignments," Los Angeles Times, August 10, 1995
- ^ August 8, 1997
- ^ Tina Daunt and Patrick McGreevy, "Ferraro Recalled as 'Voice of Reason and Good Humor,' " April 18, 2001
- ^ "John Ferraro, 76, President of Los Angeles City Council," New York Times, April 20, 2001
- ^ Jodi Wilgoren, "Ferraro Backs Appointing Panel to Reform Charter," Los Angeles Times, August 14, 1996
- ^ Hugo Martin and Barry Stavro, "Yaroslavsky, Ferraro Urge Universal to Cut Project 40%," Los Angeles Times, June 7, 1997
- ^ "Ferraro Elected to Board of National League of Cities," Los Angeles Times, December 7, 1995
- ^ "Ferraro Given Top Tribute by 3 Groups Over Weekend," Los Angeles Times, March 5, 1996
- ^ "DWP Building Named for Ferraro," Los Angeles Times, November 17, 2000
- ^ "SkyscraperPage.com - John Ferraro Building".
- ^ Janet Clayton, "Ferraro Brands Bradley as 'Morally Corrupt,' " Los Angeles Times, February 19, 1985
External links
- John Ferraro at the College Football Hall of Fame
- Gilman, Jane. John Ferraro Larchmont Chronicle, May 4, 2001.