Arthur C. “Art” Olivier, former mayor of Bellflower, California, was the Libertarian candidate for Vice President in the United States presidential election in 2000 as the running mate of presidential candidate Harry Browne.
Art Olivier is a graduate of Cerritos College with a degree in Design Techonology. He and his wife Joyce have four children.
Olivier served as a councilman (1994-1997), mayor pro tempore (1997-1998) and mayor (1998-1999) of Bellflower, a Los Angeles suburb with 77,000 residents. Olivier is a Realtor with Cogburn-Miller Realty.
During his five years on the City Council (1994-99), Olivier privatized the city's tree trimming, crossing guards, street sweeping and the Building Department. He eliminated the city's lighting tax assessment and did not allow eminent domain to be exercised while on council.
During the campaign for Vice President, Olivier advocated smaller government, “We have to reduce the size of the federal government back to the size of its constitutional limits.” He said he would like the government to return U.S. troops from abroad and make the Department of Defense get back to defending us, and not be a Department of Offense that bombs little countries.” “I don’t believe we should be the world’s policeman.” He believes that U.S. foreign policy should be governed by an avoidance of “entangling alliances.” “The conflicts this country has entered into cause others to look badly upon America."
Olivier ran uncontested for Governor in the 2006 Libertarian primary. He received 114,329 votes (1.3%) in his loss to incumbent Arnold Schwarzenegger in the general election. Olivier criticized Governor Schwarzenegger for passing a budget that was “30% larger than the one that got Governor Davis recalled just three years ago.” Olivier's main earned media was talk radio, advertising his opposition to illegal immigration. Libertarians disagree on illegal immigration, but Olivier is one who favors having government build a wall on the border and cut off all tax-funded programs to illegals.
