Dennis Zine

Dennis Phillip Zine (born August 1, 1947) is an American politician, who served on the Los Angeles City Council for the 3rd district from 2001 to 2013. A member of the Republican Party who later became unaffiliated in 2011, Zine was elected to City Council in 2001 and re-elected in 2005 and 2009.

Early life
He grew up in Hollywood, California, the son of Lebanese immigrants. His father, Phillip, was a gardener and his mother, Alice, was a homemaker. He attended Notre Dame High School, class of 1966. He attended Cal State Los Angeles, graduating in 1970.

Los Angeles Police Department
Zine was a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department for over 28 years. Councilman Zine is a former Los Angeles Police Department sergeant and a current reserve officer. He worked Valley Traffic Detail and served as liaison for Deputy Chief Mark Kroeker in the aftermath of the 1992 riots. He was honored as officer of the year by the California Highway Patrol. He has been elected three times to the Board of Directors of the Police Protective League, representing the 9,100 rank and file officers.

Civic engagement
Councilman Zine is a past president and active member of The Executives, a support group of Los Angeles Jewish Health (formerly Los Angeles Jewish Home). For over 10 years he has been an active member of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and has served on the Board of Directors of Haven Hills Battered Women's Shelter.

Zine was first elected to public office in 1997 to represent San Fernando Valley interests on the Charter Reform Commission. In this capacity, he served as Vice Chairman.

Zine expanded his government service role as the President of the Independent Cities Association (ICA); as the City's representative with the National League of Cities, serving as a member of the Board of Directors and the Chair of the National Immigration Task Force; and as a member of the League of California Cities Board of Directors. He was also a member of the Los Angeles County Judicial Procedures Commission.

Elections
Zine was elected to represent the 3rd District of the Los Angeles City Council in 2001. He was re-elected in 2005 and 2009, but city term limits prevented him running for a fourth term.

Tenure
In February 2008, Zine proposed an anti-paparazzi "Personal Safety Law" for Los Angeles to ensure a safety zone for celebrities against photographers. The measure was in direct response to several incidents in which celebrities were hindered from entering medical facilities or caught in pursuits with paparazzi.

Zine was one of two Republican Party members of the City Council until he changed his registration to Decline to State in 2011. The Los Angeles Times reported "He said he did so because he's tired of the 'gridlock' of partisan politics and because his liberal positions on gay marriage and other social issues are out of line with traditional Republican views."

2013 Los Angeles City Controller election
Zine announced his candidacy for the position of Los Angeles City Controller in July 2011, following his City Council predecessor, Laura N. Chick, who served as City Controller from 2001 to 2009. In a primary election field of six candidates, Zine placed second, trailing Ron Galperin, an attorney and businessman who had run for elected City offices unsuccessfully in the past.

In 2018 Zine started and two weeks later halted a campaign for State Assembly in a Special Election to replace Matt Dababneh in California Assembly District 45. "I will be announcing shortly a great opportunity that has come my way at the professional level, and I would like to thank my supporters, especially those from the 3rd Los Angeles Council District," Zine said in a two-paragraph statement quoted by the Daily News. Zine garnered 7.7% of the vote.

Personal life
Zine is divorced with two sons. Zine was criticized during his time on the Los Angeles City Council for failing to recuse himself from votes that conflicted with his romantic relationship with lobbyist Veronica Becerra.