New Potential Council Candidate Emerges

With one day remaining to enter the 2012  campaign, local journalist and legal analyst Hans Laetz on Tuesday announced his intention to seek office. He picked up his nomination papers from  in the afternoon. Laetz has until Wednesday at 5 p.m. to return them, signed by at least 20 registered Malibu voters.

Laetz, 54, said his main issue is public safety.

"The Malibu City Council has been in denial about the unsafe conditions of PCH, and although they are moving in the right direction, they're not moving fast enough," Laetz said. 

He continued, "We have to get in Caltrans' face. It is not acceptable to have a road that was designed for a speed of 65 mph in 1947 as our main street without any safety improvements."

He said he is concerned about other public safety issues as well.

Candidates could begin pulling papers almost a month ago. Laetz said he waited to do it until the end of the nomination period because he wanted to see who else would run.

"There are a lot of good people in this town," he said. "I was disappointed to see  and  did not file. I thought they would have been excellent candidates."

 Commissioner , local YouTube star "Malibu" Hamish "The Illusion" Patterson and former Council member  returned their papers to City Hall on Tuesday. The signatures must be verified with the county registrar before they can become official candidates.

The official candidates as of Tuesday evening are incumbent , former Council member  and third-generation Malibu resident .

Others who have pulled papers, but not returned them are Bobby Heyward, Jack Utter and Sidley. Sidley told Malibu Patch on Saturday .

Council member Jefferson "Zuma Jay" Wagner announced Friday . Pamela Conley Ulich, the other council member whose term expires this spring, is not eligible to run due to term limits.

The top three vote-getters in this election will win seats on the council. Election Day is April 10. The last day to register to vote is March 26.