New Beverly Hills City Council Installed Amid Fiscal, Housing and Public Safety Pressures

The results of the June 2 municipal election were formally accepted during the installation and reorganization meeting. Councilmember Sharona Nazarian finished first with 6,594 votes and was elected to a second term. Councilmember Lester Friedman finished second with 3,607 votes and was elected to a third term. Rebecca Pynoos finished third with 3,502 votes and began her first term on the council. City Treasurer Howard S. Fisher, who ran unopposed, received 6,653 votes and was sworn in for a third term.

The new council takes office at a serious moment for Beverly Hills. The city is preparing for the impact of major Builder's Remedy projects, the arrival and expansion of Metro service, projected general fund deficits in coming fiscal years and new public safety demands surrounding the Wilshire/La Cienega Metro station.

Nazarian, who completed her term as mayor before being sworn in again, used her remarks to emphasize public safety, city services and the work done during her prior term. She pointed to the city's finances, Metro preparation and crime reduction as examples of progress.

"Together, we turned a projected budget deficit into a modest surplus. We made public safety a priority and we have seen results. Did you know that crime is down by 20% in the city of Beverly Hills?"

Nazarian also highlighted the city's preparations for the 2028 Olympics, saying Beverly Hills must protect public safety while also preparing for increased tourism and economic activity.

"The Olympics will bring the world to Los Angeles, and Beverly Hills must be ready to bring economic vitality, energy and tourism to our city while keeping public safety at the forefront."

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Friedman, now the senior member of the council following John Mirisch's departure, centered his remarks on service, family and character. He thanked his campaign team, his family and the Beverly Hills community, while also making clear that he views public office as a duty rather than a personal platform.

"Effective community leaders focus on the welfare of the community they serve rather than personal achievement. It is the public's interest and not personal ambition that defines a good leader."

Friedman also said he intends to bring that approach into his third and final term.

"These principles are what have guided my work as a council member for the past nine years, and what I intend to follow during my third and final term serving the city of Beverly Hills."

Pynoos, the council's newest and least experienced member, used part of her first speech from the dais to address the Beverly Hills Unified School District Board of Education, a separate elected body not governed by the City Council.

"Our campuses have been completed and our scores are improving, and there is so much to be proud of. And at the same time, many in the community told me they were troubled that a school board member chosen by our voters in a municipal election was passed over for leadership positions by her colleagues."

The decision to use an installation speech to criticize internal school board leadership decisions stood out. While Pynoos framed the comment as a call for fairness and respect in local government, the remarks also placed BHUSD politics directly into a City Council installation ceremony at a time when Beverly Hills faces major city-level issues that demand experience, discipline and focus.

Pynoos' public biography emphasizes commission work, nonprofit consulting, civic engagement, grants, urban policy and planning. She previously served on the city's Cultural Heritage Commission and Architectural Commission, and her 2023 city application listed her occupation as "Nonprofit Consultant." Those credentials may show community interest and familiarity with civic language, but they do not, on their face, show the kind of hard executive, financial, public safety or municipal management experience normally expected of someone stepping onto the dais of one of the most recognized cities in the world during a period of serious pressure.

That gap is notable because the next council will face decisions with long-term financial and legal consequences. Beverly Hills has received 16 Builder's Remedy applications, with several large housing projects moving through approval, litigation or processing. The city is also dealing with Metro's expansion into Beverly Hills, including public safety issues at the Wilshire/La Cienega station, where 10 arrests were reported between the station's May 8 opening and May 27. On the fiscal side, the city's adopted budget forecast projects an $8.4 million general fund deficit in fiscal year 2027-28 and a $1.9 million deficit in fiscal year 2028-29 before a projected return to surplus in 2029-30.

With Mirisch no longer on the dais after 17 years and three months, the new council begins with a different balance of experience, priorities and political tone. Nazarian and Friedman return with established records. Pynoos arrives as the new voice on the council, but also with the steepest learning curve.

The central question now is whether the newly installed council can remain focused on the city's most urgent challenges: protecting public safety, managing growth, defending local control, preserving fiscal strength and making sure Beverly Hills remains one of the most respected cities in the world.