The Los Angeles City Council on Dec. 13 presented a ceremonial resolution honoring Tony Cárdenas for 28 years of public service at the state and federal level. The council and invited elected officials used the floor to recount his record as a mentor and policy advocate for the San Fernando Valley.

Sen. Alex Padilla opened the remarks and thanked Cárdenas for his leadership: “Tony’s passion for public service is contagious,” Padilla said, praising Cárdenas’s work on representation and advocacy for families and youth. Mayor Karen Baz and former colleagues described Cárdenas’s efforts on water conservation, justice reform and community investments.

Council members repeatedly cited projects and policy initiatives Cárdenas championed. Member Padilla highlighted the role Cárdenas played creating new programs for juvenile justice and mental health support, while others pointed to long-running efforts to expand recycling, renewable energy and mental-health response systems.

The council’s tribute included a presentation of city artwork and a reading of a resolution establishing a day in Cárdenas’s honor. The remarks were largely ceremonial and focused on personal recollections, mentorship and the congressman’s ties to the San Fernando Valley. The event did not involve a separate policy action.

The council paused its regular agenda to allow family members and community leaders to speak and closed the recognition before resuming routine business.