CHALLENGES AWAIT L.A.'S CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT.

Byline: RICK ORLOV Staff Writer

Charting a new course for the Los Angeles City Council and cementing its role as a serious policymaker hasn't been without challenges for its new leader.

But as he completes his first full year as president, Eric Garcetti said he believes that despite some missteps, the council is now poised to take on the biggest issue of all: making Los Angeles a liveable city.

``I think this council has a lot to be proud of for this past year, where we took significant steps toward improving public safety, dealing with the homeless and looking at creating more affordable housing,'' Garcetti said.

``I think this coming year we will begin to move forward to finding long-term solutions by coming up with a permanent source of funding for the homeless, dealing with gangs and trying to start a citywide conversation on what we can do about traffic and transportation issues.''

The optimism comes after a year of broad progress -- as well as stinging criticism.

Garcetti has brought a renewed sense of efficiency to meetings of the 15- member council, while expanding public outreach with monthly meetings at Van Nuys City Hall.

The council also has tackled wide-ranging public policy and social issues, from Skid Row arrest policies and affordable housing to living-wage and public-safety programs.

But some critics say the fast-tracking of Measure R -- a term-limits and ethics-reform package -- shows that little has changed at City Hall.

``What I was critical of, and remain critical of, is their decision to bypass the Ethics Commission and the neighborhood councils to rush that on the ballot when there were so many questions about it,'' Ethics Commissioner Bill Boyarsky said.

Boyarsky also said he believes the council has acted in its own interests on other issues, as well.

``There is always going to be a natural tension between elected officials and a commission designed to look over them,'' Boyarsky said. ``But it just seems that proposals we have made to tighten reporting or ethical violations get locked up in committee and they don't appreciate steps we have taken to make their life easier.''

Measuring up

Garcetti defends the measure that extended council term limits, saying its approval by voters is a clear sign that constituents support the council's work so far.

``I think people like the idea of having greater stability on the council,'' Garcetti said. ``People are increasingly optimistic, not only about their neighborhood, but about the city.''

But Measure R, which also includes some ethics reforms, created the first of what would be several council spats with City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.

Even as the council pushed the measure forward, Delgadillo questioned the constitutionality of combining ethics reforms and term limits in a single measure. While his position was upheld in a lower court, it was delayed by an appellate court to allow voters to decide the matter.

Activist David Hernandez is challenging the measure in court, although he is having trouble raising money to finance the effort.

The council and Delgadillo also have been at odds over a proposed $2.7 million settlement with former Los Angeles Firefighter Tennie Pierce, who filed a racial-discrimination suit after coworkers put dog food in his dinner.

The council's approval of the settlement for Pierce became a hot topic on the talk-radio circuit. Villaraigosa used his first veto in office to overturn the council's action.

The matter is now expected to go to court unless another settlement can be reached.

But the incident served to further distance the council from City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo as members looked at creating a risk manager position to assess lawsuits and also moved ahead with plans to hire its own legal advisor.

Still, Garcetti said he believes the council has worked well with city officials. And even though he did not endorse Villaraigosa for mayor, Garcetti has worked closely with him on a variety of issues -- from an increase in the trash fee to hire more cops to establishing homeless and affordable housing programs.

And Garcetti said he is pleased with the City Council's flexibility on the issues.

Wage wrangling

While the council has moved to cut business taxes, it also has supported expansion of the city's living-wage ordinance to a group of hotels near Los Angeles International Airport.

That move has drawn an outcry from the hotels and the business community, which has launched an effort to put the issue before a public vote in May.

``I think both of those things are statements from the council that we are not only pro-business, but we are pro-worker,'' he said. ``You can be both.''

Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, president pro tem of the council, praised Garcetti's efforts.

``I don't think most people appreciate what a difficult job it is to corral the council to meet on time and develop an agenda as well,'' Greuel said.

She said she was particularly pleased with the council's efforts on public safety, business tax reform, and a bond measure that would have created a fund for affordable housing.

``Even though (the measure) lost narrowly, it still showed there is wide support for us to take action on housing as an issue,'' Greuel said.

``For me, this will be a year where I am focused on transit, transit and transit. This is a year we will be applying for and spending funds from the federal and state governments and I want to make sure the Valley and Los Angeles gets its fair share,'' Greuel said.

Garcetti said he believes much of the council's work over the past year has not been fully acknowledged.

``I think what we showed is that we can work well together, can work with the mayor and get things done,'' Garcetti said.

``Those things don't get headlines, but it means the city is operating better.''

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

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