McOsker, Sandoval face off in LA City Council’s 15th District race

The race to replace City Councilman Joe Buscaino in the 15th District pits Tim McOsker, a veteran of City Hall, against Danielle Sandoval, a community activist and entrepreneur hoping to bring an outside perspective to the seat.

McOsker finished first in the June primary with 38% of the vote, with Sandoval coming in second at 29%. The 15th District is long, stretching 13 miles from Watts to San Pedro — thinning out around the Harbor Gateway — and includes the Port of Los Angeles.

Buscaino, who has represented the district since 2012, did not seek a third term after an unsuccessful mayoral bid.

The race has been marked by controversy involving Sandoval, who apologized over claims of wage theft against a restaurant she ran eight years ago. Sandoval initially denied the allegations after they were reported in the Los Angeles Times, but reversed course in a later statement.

Sandoval told City News Service that she wasn’t made aware of the claims until recently and that the matter was going through the legal process. She claimed that she hasn’t lost support since the story was revealed in late September, and that the incident makes her more relatable to entrepreneurs going through legalities and other issues with their small businesses.

“I think it actually makes me more of a connection, more of a real person to people,” Sandoval said.

McOsker was critical of Sandoval over the incident in an interview with CNS.

“She’s described herself on the campaign as being for the working people,” McOsker said. “So I think it just goes to integrity. You’re asking about differences and I think one’s integrity — or lack of integrity — is a difference between us.”

McOsker stressed his experience as one of his strengths. Prior to working as the CEO of AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles and working in private practice as an attorney, he was a top deputy to James Hahn when Hahn was both city attorney and mayor.

He said he has a “deep understanding of how the government is structured,” pointing to experience helping reform the city’s charter under Hahn.

“I think it informs me better as to how we can respond to these great needs,” McOsker said. “And it gives me the opportunity to be effective as soon as I get into office.”

Sandoval, meanwhile, believes she is the candidate who will address the needs of communities that have been ignored. She thinks there has been too much focus on San Pedro, where the Port of LA is located, and was critical of Buscaino for prioritizing big projects over everyday services.

Areas such as Watts, the Harbor Gateway and Wilmington have been cast aside, she said.

“Everyone is like, `When are they going to do my sidewalk? When are they going to fix these potholes?”‘ Sandoval said. “And we’ve been hearing that for years.”

McOsker, who is endorsed by Buscaino, said he would also focus more on basic services.

“Making sure that we are providing services across the entire district, and making sure that services are equitable, and fair to all,” McOsker said. “That’s probably the most important focus for this campaign at this time.”

McOsker’s said the three biggest issues facing the district are homelessness, increasing sustainability at the port and public safety. Sandoval would prioritize basic services, public safety and homelessness.

On homelessness, both candidates stressed the need to build more permanent housing.

“Temporary is what it is: temporary,” Sandoval said. “The long-term solution needs to be expedited. We can’t keep re-funding these temporary solutions. We have to build.”

McOsker stressed focusing the “entire continuum of care” to address homelessness.

“We need the city and the county to work really cooperatively to make sure that as the city is building permanent supportive housing, that we’re partnering with the county to make sure that we have those supportive services,” McOsker said.

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