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Politics & Government

Austin Beutner Quits Los Angeles Mayoral Race

City Controller Wendy Greuel, Council members Eric Garcetti and Jan Perry, attorney and conservative talk radio host Kevin James remain in the race.

Mayoral candidate Austin Beutner, a former investment banker and high-ranking official in Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's office, said Tuesday he is withdrawing from the race.

Beutner said he entered the race to meet the city's needs, but now must focus on the needs of his own family. Beutner has four children ranging in age from 9 to 15.

"My candidacy reinforced my view of how much our city needs leadership to solve problems," Beutner told City News Service. "I intend to keep working, to roll up my sleeves to get things done. I don't think we can settle for the same old promises."

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Despite serving as Villaraigosa's "economic czar" for nearly a year before entering the race, Beutner tried to stake out a position as the outsider candidate, calling City Hall a "barnyard" during an economic policy speech in January.

Beutner said he will eventually make an endorsement, "but the race is just starting."

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"I like certain things about some of them and don't like certain things about some of them," he said. "I'm not well informed, not only on the promises they've made, but how they intend to see those promises kept."

Asked if he would consider serving as a deputy mayor for economic development under the next administration, Beutner said, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it ... I hope whoever the next mayor is will bring new blood and new ideas in to City Hall to start to get things."

Former Mayor Richard Riordan, an early Beutner supporter, called his withdrawal "a terrible blow to the city, because he would've been a great mayor."

Riordan said he is not ready to endorse another candidate.

City Controller Wendy Greuel, Council members Eric Garcetti and Jan Perry, attorney and conservative talk radio host Kevin James and several others remain in the race.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and mall developer Rick Caruso are considering runs, but have not made decisions yet.

Riordan said he would welcome Caruso and Yaroslavsky in the race.

"I implore people who are brilliant to put their hat in the ring," Riordan said. "We need some candidates who are willing to stand up and tell the public what they're going to do."

Garcetti and Greuel both released statements applauding Beutner for focusing the debate around jobs and government reform.

"I know he will continue to contribute a strong voice to the civic discussion and I wish him and his family the best," Garcetti said.

Greuel credited Beutner for shining a light on the city's bureaucracy, "uncovering problems and calling for greater transparency. Austin was willing to speak out when he saw waste and inefficiency in government, no matter whose feathers might be ruffled."

In a mass email, Beutner wrote:

Dear Friend,

I have decided to withdraw from the Los Angeles Mayoral Race.  While everything I’ve learned exploring the possibility has reinforced my view of how much our city needs leadership who will solve problems, it has also reminded me of my responsibilities as a husband and father.  My family has been my biggest supporter in this effort, but my own needs at this time are for me to be engaged with my family in a way which is at odds with the demands of a campaign.

I am grateful to you and the many other people who have supported this effort with your thoughts, efforts and resources.  It has been a privilege to work with old friends and make so many new ones.  I owe a special thanks to those who made an effort to ask their friends, colleagues and neighbors to engage with us.  We will return all of the money contributed to our campaign and hope you feel your time has made a difference.  Together, we raised the dialogue and started a real conversation in Los Angeles about the need to do things differently.

Our city is a special place – blessed with diversity and many unique neighborhoods which together make one of the greatest cities in the world, America’s window to Asia and Latin America.  Los Angeles has a bright future because of the wonderful people who have chosen to call it home, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to have met with so many of them and share ideas on how we can work together to make things better.

Los Angeles will only realize its potential if city leaders face up to the challenges and make the right choices.  We need to fix our schools because good public education is a civil right and the foundation of our future.  We need to create solutions to the problems of traffic, broken streets and sidewalks and the lack of adequate public transportation.  We need a city which can live within its means and can effectively provide core services like police and fire.  And we need once again to make Los Angeles a city where private sector employers can prosper – creating good paying jobs and providing the tax base to pay for the services the city has to provide.

I intend to keep working to make a difference in our community.  We can’t settle for the same old promises only to find nothing gets done.  We face tough choices ahead and we’ll need elected leadership who will make the right ones.

Real change in Los Angeles is only going to happen if you stay engaged.  In the words of the great philosopher, the Lorax, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

Thank you for your support and engagement.

Austin Beutner

-- Saul Daniels contributed to this report.

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