And it appears to be his retirement from city-elected public service.
Los Angeles’ 7th District elected Felipe Fuentes in 2013 and after his four-year term ends in 2017, that will, apparently, be that.
According to L.A. Legislative Analyst Avak Keotahian, this has not happened in at least the better part of a century. Keotahian has been with the city since the 70s and knows of no other councilmember to do this, saying “They either died, were defeated or went on to some other office.”
Fuentes has been a part of the political scene since 1999, starting as an aide to former councilman, now Secretary of State Alex Padilla. He then worked under Mayor James K. Hahn as well as the state Assembly before being elected to the L.A. City Council.
So this is it for Fuentes, who explained the decision saying, “I'm making a decision that my stewardship of 16 years is all I can do.” His term is up June 2017.
Two individuals have already filed paperwork and are setting their sights on the 2017 opening, Tujunga bookkeeper Bonnie Corwin and Nancy Woodruff, of the Foothill Trails District Neighborhood Council.
More on Councilman Fuentes’ decision can be found here.