J. Carolan O'Gabhann

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

J. Carolan O'Gabhann

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Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 7, 2022

Education

Associate

Olympic College, 1971

Bachelor's

CSULA, 1977

Personal

Birthplace

Tipton, Ind.

Religion

Roman Catholic

Profession

Philanthropist and teacher

Contact

Campaign website

J. Carolan O'Gabhann ran for election for Los Angeles City Controller in California. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.

O'Gabhann completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

J. Carolan O'Gabhann was born in Tipton, Indiana. He earned an associate degree from Olympic College in 1971 and a bachelor's degree from CSULA in 1977. His career experience includes working as a philanthropist and teacher. O'Gabhann is affiliated with Phi Kappa Phi, Women for Women Inc., AFT, NEA, CTA, CFT, and UTLA.

Elections

2022

See also: City elections in Los Angeles, California (2022)

General election

General election for Los Angeles City Controller

Kenneth Mejia defeated Paul Koretz in the general election for Los Angeles City Controller on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kenneth Mejia (Nonpartisan)	63.3	513,288
		Paul Koretz (Nonpartisan)	36.7	297,190

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 810,478
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Los Angeles City Controller

The following candidates ran in the primary for Los Angeles City Controller on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kenneth Mejia (Nonpartisan)	43.1	240,374
✔		Paul Koretz (Nonpartisan)	23.7	131,921
		Stephanie Clements (Nonpartisan)	15.9	88,678
		David T. Vahedi (Nonpartisan)	7.0	39,240
	Submit photo	J. Carolan O'Gabhann (Nonpartisan)	3.9	21,984
	Submit photo	Reid Lidow (Nonpartisan)	3.9	21,769
	Submit photo	Rob Wilcox (Nonpartisan)	2.4	13,460

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 557,426
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

J. Carolan O'Gabhann completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by O'Gabhann's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a LAUSD Teacher for over the past twenty years, formerly the Legislative Analyst to the Hopi Tribe ,and their Director of Organizaiton Development.

I have served on budget and curriculum committes at my local school site , and provided staff support to the Hopi Tribal Council.

In the past, I was the founding Board Chair of Fall Creek and Associates, an NGO and education development corporation.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Charter Reform: The City of Los Angeles needs structural reform and should have a City-State structure and legislative body of 100 members to reflect its many plural constituencies. Currently , the legislative does not represent the diversity and voices of the City.
• Cyber Security Audits: The City requires an updated technology plan to ensure cybersecurity and emergency services of its harbor and water systems, among other departments.
• Climate Change: All perfomance and fiscal audits must have a primary lens on climate change and how it affects the local neighborhood and the City as a whole.uncils

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

We need to unfurl institutional racism , and how it impacts social and economic inequity. Captialism does not work if a person does NOT have capital. More capital in more hands will generate more capital , and distribue money across all demographic groups.

Performance and fiscal audits will need to be administered with a lens on social inequity and climate change. Contracts approved by the City must be widely distributed and a wealth quotient needs to apply.

Blockchain technology needs to be explored so that the thousands of contracts overseen by City departments are subject to an open source transparent general ledger. In this way, every taxpayer may access this important public information.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

N/A

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

N/A

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Michael Harrington---The Other America

Rachel Carson---Silent Spring

Both are dated but continue to be timely!!

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

N/A

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Integrity

What legacy would you like to leave?

N/A

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

N/A

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

N/A

What is your favorite book? Why?

N/A

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

N/A

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Track of MY Tears---Smoky Robinson

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

N/A

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

City Controller platforms have a tendency to be full of promises. However, when viewing the City Charter, the City Controller has no power. The office may issue critical audits but it is up to the Mayor and City Council to implement the recommendations.

The electorate must look at candidates who have integrity , and will persuade the City Council to implement its recommendations, or use the bully pulpit with the public to carry-out the reforms.
I am a candidate with integrity , and realistic on the potential of the office using persuasion on a personal level and in the press the carry forth reforms in City government.
These reforms include: Updated technology,

                                                    Blockchain for tranparency of the numerous contracts,

                                                    Address Unfunded Liabilities,

                                                    Readiness for emergencies including earthquakes, and 

A 360 degree focus on climate change and how it is affecting the City --sociall and economically

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

No , in this position the City Controller needs to be independent and an outsider. There have been too many City Council members --including my own former Council member --that have faced or are now subject to criminal prosecution!

There has also been a cloud over the questionable release of contracts by the LA City Attorney' office and the LA Department of Water and Power,

Let us break up this old boys network , and allow transparency be the norm.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Integrity

Tell us your favorite joke.

N/A

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Los Angeles City Controller

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