About one-fifth of the 663

Downey, who works as a bookkeeper, said, however, that she was concerned about eroding city services. “We’re small-business owners, and what we make goes back to the city,” she said. “But we’re not getting much in return.”At the Brentwood home of former Mayor Richard Riordan, voters trickled into the garage through the morning and early afternoon to cast their ballots. One person stood in line when the polls opened at 7 a,WASHINGTON.m. That was in contrast to 20 waiting at the door for the start of last November’s presidential election. Although turnout seemed sparse by lunchtime, volunteers noted that about 400 of the precinct’s 1,louboutin,157 registered voters had mailed in ballots,louis vuitton Outlet. At midday, Mark Finfer, an architect who also works in real estate, voted against Proposition A, the half-cent sales tax,The mayor turned down the heat at town hall.. “They don’t know what they’re doing,” he said of local government. “The more money they have, the more they’ll waste.”Although he said he feels personally well off,Gucci shoes, the city’s dire financial condition makes him fret “for my kids and grandkids.” He said his grandchildren had graduated from college but could not find jobs,louboutin. His solution for the relatively stagnant job picture in Los Angeles, he said, would be for the city “to just get out of the way and give us a fair playing field,Chanel handbags.” In his view, that would entail lowering taxes, reducing regulation and making it easier for small businesses to operate.Although Tuesday’s election will result in one of Los Angeles’ most extensive leadership changes -- with residents selecting a mayor, city attorney, city controller, and eight City Council members -- attendance at polling places appeared sluggish. Poll workers said things had been “painfully slow,” and some attributed it to diminished excitement after November’s presidential election.Dan Schnur,$15 at the south end of the indoor area,guccioutlet-brands.com, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC, said the mayoral race had failed to draw people’s attention because candidates had similar stances on the issues.“As a result you end up with a campaign that’s more about their biographies than their policy positions,” Schnur said. “Although these candidates are a very smart and accomplished group, none of them has the type of outsized personality of an Antonio Villaraigosa or Richard Riordan.”About one-fifth of the 663,065 vote-by-mail ballots issued by the city clerk had been returned by Monday. Mayoral candidate Eric Garcetti said he was optimistic about participation and had been telling voters that the election was important to their daily life.“These are the roads we drive on, the economy you’re a part of,Gucci,” he said. “… What people give,Borse Gucci, they get. So if you don’t show up -- you can’t expect a lot.”ALSO:-- Bob Pool, Maeve Reston, Martha Groves, David Zahniser and Corina Knoll