Riordan shepherded L.A.'s rebound from the 1992 riots, expanded its police force and led its recovery from the Northridge earthquake.
Election: Despite serving two terms as Los Angeles mayor, he remains something of an anti-politician.
Yet Riordan remained a player in civic life long after leaving City Hall, raising money for children’s programs, backing candidates in local races and continuing to push for school reform, a favorite cause. His efforts to pass a city term-limits ballot measure and a promise to accept only $1 a year as pay cemented his image as a citizen politician uninterested in a long career on the public payroll.
Some of Riordan’s plans hit roadblocks, including a proposal to sell the Central Library to a private corporation and lease it back. Regulatory problems and airlines’ objections stymied his efforts to lease Los Angeles International Airport to pay for a police buildup. His attempts to privatize some city services put him on a collision course with the city’s employee unions and a majority of the City Council, and he never was able to fully revamp the business tax code.
His time as mayor also was marked by rocky relations with some Black leaders. It did not help that he had succeeded Bradley, the city’s first Black mayor, nor that he helped force out Metro chief Franklin E. White, one of L.A.’s highest-ranking Black officials.and Mark Ridley-Thomas, who two years into Riordan’s tenure told The Times that the mayor’s relations with Black residents had been “limited and strained.” A majority of Black voters supported his opponents in the 1993 election.
But the mayor was at his best on Jan. 17, 1994, when the Northridge earthquake struck, killing at least 57 people and buckling freeways and buildings. Within an hour of the 6.7-magnitude quake, Riordan was in an underground command center, issuing orders and placing calls. Next came Santa Clara University, where he played on the football team. He transferred to Princeton after two years, then served in the Army in Korea and graduated first in his class at the University of Michigan Law School.
During the 1980s, as his wealth grew and he contributed generously to church, education and civic causes, Riordan emerged as a political player. He lent $300,000 to Bradley’s campaign for governor and served on the city’s Coliseum and Recreation and Parks commissions. And, with the help of Wardlaw, he led the successful campaign to oust state Supreme Court JusticeA few years later, Wardlaw and his wife, Kim, persuaded Riordan to run for mayor and oversaw his campaign.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan dies at 92Richard Riordan, the businessman who served as mayor of Los Angeles from 1993 until 2001 and the last Republican to hold the title, has died, according to the Los Angeles Times. He was 92.
Read more »
Former LA Mayor Richard Riordan dies at age 92Riordan faced the challenges of uniting the city following the Rodney King riots and rebuilding it following the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
Read more »
Armie Hammer Sexual Misconduct Case Being Reviewed by the Los Angeles District AttorneyThe actor was already under investigation by the LAPD in relation to sexual assault allegations made against him in 2021.
Read more »
Alicia Keys brings Keys to the Summer Tour to Bay Area, Los Angeles area“It’s going to be colorful, magical and will light up your body, soul and all of your senses!”
Read more »
Sexual assault allegations against Armie Hammer go to Los Angeles County DAPolice have presented a sexual assault case involving actor Armie Hammer to the LA County DA's Office, a source tells NBCNews.
Read more »