Steve Napolitano considers himself a problem solver.
The former Manhattan Beach Mayor and Council Member, and current deputy to Fourth District County Supervisor Don Knabe, has spent the last few months chasing after his boss’ desk, where he’d be getting back to what he considers the “nuts and bolts” of government: working on the local level.
“L.A. County is big; it’s bigger than 42 states in terms of population; it’s the 19th largest government in the world,” Napolitano said. “But it’s still local government.”
That’s what he knows best, and it’s a path he began on early.
The way he tells it, Napolitano was a senior at Loyola Marymount University, in 1990, when he decided to make the jump into public service.
“It was a Friday afternoon, and I read in the Beach Reporter that it was the last day to file to run [for City Council],” he said. “I thought, well, I can keep complaining about the city, or I can do something about it.”
Napolitano sped down to City Hall, got the nomination papers, and secured the minimum number of signatures to run. As it turned out, one was invalid; a neighbor he’d known his entire life was a Canadian national. His nomination papers were thrown out, leaving him with the choice to press on as a write-in candidate, or to wait two years until the next election cycle.
“With the last name ‘Napolitano,’ it’s not easy to run as a write-in,” he said, laughing.
But he ran anyway, finishing third in the race.
“Being there, campaigning, listening to people, it’s my passion; I like to solve problems,” he said.
After graduation, the path in front of him was set. He joined a commission, and in 1992 he became the youngest person ever elected to the Manhattan Beach City Council, at 26 years old.
As Napolitano served on council, he worked as a substitute teacher while putting himself through law school. Upon graduation from Loyola Law School in 2000, he became an education lawyer, representing the school district.
“I thought, ‘I’ll go along the partnership track, and keep representing districts,” he said. In 2005, he got a phone call from Supervisor Knabe, offering him a job. “Well, it was billable hours versus making a difference, then,” he said.
He’s been with the Supervisor’s office since, serving the South Bay for Knabe.
Napolitano’s approach is one of a fiscal conservative with a socially progressive streak, focusing on local issues.
“I’ve been on the frontlines, talking to people on a daily basis, knowing communities, knowing the Fourth District for 10 years, getting things done,” he said.
Napolitano believes his work within the South Bay more than trumps that of his greatest opponent, Janice Hahn. “I look at the communities she’s overseen, San Pedro and the waterfront there, and compare that with the waterfront in Long Beach — what’s changed?” he asked. “The approval of oil drilling, the Chinese shipping pollution issues — these are things I haven’t done.”
At large, Napolitano takes issue with the County’s Metro plan. “Where’s our connection to the airport? What we’ve got now, [the Green Line] is due to be done around 2023. But Measure R2’s extension of the sales tax would push our fourth district projects another decade,” he said. “We’re waiting for our fair share, our Green Line extension and our extension to Torrance; I want to push for that, bring us up in the line.”
His call is for more “geographical equity,” pulling money away from the City of L.A. and out toward other communities, such as a rail line to Diamond Bar or Whittier, or creating a Green Line connection to the Blue Line.
He also takes credit for creating the county’s “business concierge,” what he calls a one-stop shop for business-owners looking to open up in a new location, as well as streamlining the process for filmmakers looking to shoot within the county.
“There is a patchwork of rules across cities,” he said. “I’ve been pushing to have adoption of rules that apply to everyone.”
Though he has Knabe’s blessing, Napolitano has had to fight an uphill battle, first against fellow South Bay candidate Mike Gin, who has since dropped out, and continuing against Hahn as well as Whitter’s Ralph Pacheco.
The most recent fundraising numbers, however, show a turn in his favor. Including $20,000 in loans, Napolitano has raised $365,603 in total contributions to date, according to the latest CA-460 forms; in the same time, Hahn has raised $305,133.
Hahn’s war chest, according to filings ending April 23, still tops more than $500,000; Napolitano’s balance sits at just over $9,100.
But Napolitano is confident that his knowledge of the Fourth District, from his decade of work within it, will give him the edge.
“The Fourth is probably the most diverse Supervisorial District,” he said. “Knowing that, knowing the needs and wants of each community is very important to meeting those needs.”
