I recently returned from a trade mission to China, Japan, and South Korea. Of the many conversations I had with business leaders and government officials, one thing was clear: Los Angeles is the premier destination for goods entering the United States from the Pacific Rim.

But the...

Last week, Senate Republicans filibustered the Rebuild America Jobs Act. I fully supported this bill and continue to support President Obama's efforts to create jobs and rebuild America's infrastructure. Luckily for those who want to put America back to work, there is a bipartisan proposal that has the potential of...

For too long, L.A. businesses have been stolen from us by other cities and states. The result has been a calamitous decline in both jobs and tax revenues in our city, causing huge strains on our budget and endangering our ability to provide basic city services. For example, since 1986,...

To experience an act of violence at the hands of someone you love and trust is truly traumatic. The physical marks may only be temporary, but the emotional scars stay with you forever. Unfortunately, I know that private pain all too well.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness...

Warren Fletcher, President of United Teachers Los Angeles, also contributed to this piece.

As we work to overcome the biggest recession since World War II, we must not lose sight of this basic fact: we will not sustain the recovery and ensure our future prosperity without an educated...

Today I engaged in a thoughtful discussion with USC Professor Manuel Pastor and local business leaders in Los Angeles regarding one of the most pressing questions facing Californians: the need for investment in jobs now and in educating our future workforce.

Throughout its history, California has boasted an entrepreneurial and...

I'm proud to be the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles in over 130 years. As one of the most diverse cities in the world, LA is proud of its rich, multicultural heritage. In fact, of the original 44 pobladores that first settled our region, two-thirds were of mixed African,...

The first thing homebuyers often ask their realtor is, "What are the schools like?" That's because a successful school indicates more than just a solid education for the children it serves -- it also means a strong community and a safe neighborhood. Even if you aren't a parent yourself, a...

By now you've probably heard about the I-405 closure this weekend. But what you may not have heard above the clamor of a supposed carmageddon, is that the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvement Project is part of our plan to deliver what every Angeleno deserves: a 21st-century transportation system.

We...

Today, I am honored to take the reins as President of the United States Conference of Mayors. Founded in 1932 during the darkest days of the Great Depression, the US Conference of Mayors has long carried the banner for issues that matter most to Americans across the country: strong and...

Way back in 1874, the city of Los Angeles established its first dump site for solid waste. Over 130 years later, we've come to learn that disposing of our waste properly is a collective responsibility -- one we take seriously here in Los Angeles.

That's why today I was excited...

As National Small Business Month comes to a close, Los Angeles remains committed to the specific needs of the more than 300,000 small businesses that employ nearly 2 million Angelenos. Los Angeles has long been the destination for entrepreneurs from around the globe to build their dreams from the ground...

Today, thanks to the hard work of Senator Boxer, Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and our leading champion of America Fast Forward, along with Senators Inhofe, Baucus and Vitter we got a first look at the draft legislation to reauthorize our federal transportation programs. And it's...

Yesterday, as many engaged parents and citizens went to the polls to elect a new School Board Member, I met with teachers, parents and community members to discuss the successful parent engagement initiatives spearheaded by the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools.

Education is something that I am very passionate about....

Thirty years ago, Los Angeles residents were forced to breathe some of the dirtiest air in the country. Unfiltered emissions from over-trafficked streets and heavy industry filled our atmosphere and our lungs. I remember days as a child when I could hardly see Downtown LA, only a few miles away...

As the country slowly crawls out of the global economic recession, Los Angeles is taking bold steps to invest in infrastructure, create jobs, increase our area's competitiveness -- and, while we're at it, "green" the transit networks that help us move people and goods safely and efficiently.

This week, I'm...

Last week, Bryan Stow, a San Francisco Giants fan, was the victim of a brutal attack at Dodger Stadium. In the wake of this senseless act of violence, I have been working with Police Chief Charlie Beck, the Los Angeles Police Department, Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt and the Dodgers Organization,...

The City of Los Angeles has a message for Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and municipal and state governments all across the country: collective bargaining works. Yesterday, I stood with leaders from the Coalition of LA City Unions to deliver that message by announcing that we have reached a tentative agreement to...

This Thursday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will take another bold step forward in to greening our bus fleet. We already have the largest clean fuel fleet in the country, but in a motion I introduced with fellow board members Supervisor and MTA Board Chair Don Knabe and Supervisor Michael Antonovich,...

Today, the lives of more than 20,000 LA Unified students and families changed for the better thanks to one of the most innovative school reform processes anywhere in the country. Public School Choice is a new, powerful and ambitious program that hits the restart button on our failing schools, cutting...