WEST HOLLYWOOD—City Council elections are scheduled to be held Tuesday, March 8. Some of the candidates are young locals looking to change the way West Hollywood is represented and managed. There are nine running—Scott Schmidt, Abbe Land (incumbent), John Heilman (incumbent ), Lindsey Horvath (appointed, incumbent), Steve Martin, John D’Amico, Mark Gonzaga, Mito Aviles, and Lucas John — of which three will win seats. Throughout West Hollywood’s 26 year history, only once have voters removed an incumbent representative from office.

John Heilman, current city mayor and longtime council member, is running for a seat. Heilman has served as the city’s mayor six times since the city was established. He served on the city’s first council and has continuously served on the council for the past 26 years.

Abbe Land is another long time incumbent who has served on the council for around 18 years. She describes herself as having a long history of compassion for renter’s rights, affordable housing developments (for young people wanting to live in the city) and rail transportation. She boasts her longtime experience in public office as well as her experience on the board of a non-profit organization as reasons she deserves to be reelected by voters.

One of the most vocal of the six challengers is Lucas John, a 28 year old business-owner who believes that West Hollywood’s city council is filled with corruption and greed. On his Facebook page, he tells voters that he wants to “bring real democracy back to West Hollywood,” a statement targeted at longtime incumbents John Heilman and Abbe Land, who have served on the council for a combined total of 44 years.

Term limits are also at the top of John’s—as well as nearly all the other challengers’—to do list if he was to be elected. Of term limits, John said to voters that “being a member of city council is not a matter of right…and should not be something you do for your whole life.” He believes that not having term limits in place creates a kind of apathy within the voters that keeps them disinterested in local elections.

Other things at the top of John’s list include urban growth, supporting the arts, redevelopment of parks and civic centers, recreational programs for youth and preventing the “suburbanization” of the city. “We need to be more like San Francisco and less like Calabasas,” said John.

Mito Aviles is another challenger who also feels that the two longtime incumbents have overstayed their welcome in City Hall. His policies include rent control, more access to public transit and an overall greener city. He is a long-time activist who, in 2008, gained fame when he hung a Sarah Palin effigy off his roof.

Aviles told Canyon News exclusively, “While I appreciate Councilors Land and Heilman’s early contributions to West Hollywood, they currently ignore the interests of their residents and cater to the interests of developers.”

Aviles also accuses the two incumbents of creating an unfair hold on power, telling us that “they have created a political machine that has, until recently, been nearly impenetrable and entirely unchecked.”

Scott Schmidt, another challenger, has served as transportation commissioner for the city since 2007. He has a history of activism. He has openly supported such causes as the right to marry, resistance to the outdoor smoking ban, and the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” legislation as well as more accountability for local government.

Steve Martin is one of the other challengers who, in 1994, became the first outside to ever win a seat in city council without the endorsement of a sitting member. He hopes that he will be able to pull it off again as he attempts to unseat two of the council most powerful incumbents.

A fifth challenger, John D’Amico, managed to raise over $100,000 for his campaign. His feelings towards the three sitting incumbents are similar to those of the other challengers. He feels that the policies implemented by the two longtime incumbents, Heilman and Land, as well as appointed member Horvath, are turning the once vibrant urban city into a poorly managed and maintained city.

The sixth and final challenger, Mark Gonzaga, is a renter’s rights advocate who hopes to grab a seat through a major upset. He has kept a noticeably low profile since announcing his run, but has the same things to say of the incumbents as everyone else. He accuses Land and Heilman of overdeveloping the city, turning the city into a mimic suburb. If elected, he has promised to fight for stronger renter’s rights in the city, as well as bring forth term limits to all sitting members of the council. He also feels the city hall has kept West Hollywood city residence out of the decision making processes. He wants to bring city government back down to the local level to allow citizens to voice their concerns and views.

This election season’s sudden spark against the incumbents has certainly taken them by surprise. They have refused countless interviews and letters from constituents, as well as reporters. Though it may be difficult to vote them out of office considering that a dismal 14% of registered voters turned out for the elections 2 years ago, the challengers all feel that they know what is best to keep West Hollywood the distinct city it is, and will not stop campaigning until every last ballot has been counted.