Advice to mayor for second term

Four years ago, when he took his first oath of office, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa asked Los Angeles to dream with him - of bringing a new vitality to the city.Daily News.

As he prepares to take the oath of office for his second term on Wednesday, Villaraiogsa instead is looking at less visionary promises and more practical tangibles to deliver to a city with a sinking economy and a skeptical view of City Hall.

The city is grappling with a $530 million shortfall and the prospect of shutting off municipal services twice a month, problems that prompted Villaraigosa last week to announce he would not run for governor next year.

"I can't leave this city in the middle of a crisis," Villaraigosa said during an interview on CNN. "It's as simple as that."