By Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz was sworn in today as a member of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board of Directors.
Koretz joins Aaron A. Grunfeld, John W. Murray Jr. and Jesus E. Quiñones as city of Los Angeles representatives on Metropolitan's 37-member board. He succeeds David W. Fleming, who had served on the board since May 2009.
First elected to the City Council in 2009, Koretz was re-elected to his second term in the March 2013 primary. He represents the city's Fifth District, which includes communities on the west side of Los Angeles from Hollywood to Bel Air, as well as communities in the San Fernando Valley.
Koretz served the maximum-allowed three terms in the California Assembly from 2000 to 2006, representing the 42nd District, which includes West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Universal City and portions of Los Angeles. He chaired the Assembly Labor Committee, the Assembly Select Committee on Gun Violence, and the Assembly Select Committee on California's Nursing Shortage. He also was a member of the Health, Public Safety, Business & Professions, Insurance and Natural Resources committees.
Prior to his Assembly tenure, Koretz supported the creation of the city of West Hollywood, campaigning for incorporation while managing Alan Viterbi's successful West Hollywood City Council campaign. Koretz served as Viterbi's deputy and won the election to replace him on the West Hollywood City Council when Viterbi retired in 1988.
Born in the San Fernando Valley, Koretz earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of California, Los Angeles. After graduating, Koretz served as an aide to then-Los Angeles City Councilmembers Zev Yaroslavsky and Marvin Braude.
A strong supporter of environmental issues, Koretz was the first Southern California director of California Conservation Voters and served as the administrative director of the Ecology Center of Southern California.
Koretz, his wife, Gail, and daughter, Rachel, reside in Los Angeles' Beverly-Fairfax District.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving nearly 19 million people in six counties.The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.
Note to editors: A digital photograph of Paul Koretz is available upon request.
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Bob Muir, (213)
217-6930; (213) 324-5213, mobile
