CHARTER REFORM GOES `CRAZY'; `BILL OF RIGHTS' PLAN CRITICIZED.Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer A committee of the elected Charter Reform Commission wants to create a city ``bill of rights'' to ensure ``living wages,'' protect against ``excessive'' police force and guarantee abortion rights. The preamble also would include other ``rights'' that are controversial, although provided for already under federal and state law. City employee union leaders and civil libertarians applauded the proposal. But Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. , the Roman Catholic Church Roman Catholic Church, Christian church headed by the pope, the bishop of Rome (see papacy and Peter, Saint). Its commonest title in official use is Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. and some members of the elected Charter Reform Commission warned Friday that such a preamble would divide the city and jeopardize passage of any charter reforms. ``It is absurd and crazy,'' said San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. civic leader David Fleming
David Fleming , who with Riordan co-sponsored the campaign to create the elected Charter Reform Commission. ``That's not part of a city charter. The job of the city is to provide for public safety and clean streets. It clearly should stay out of the social arena.'' In the nation's second-largest Catholic archdiocese, many residents - chief among them, Cardinal Roger Mahony His Eminence Roger Michael Cardinal Mahony (born February 27, 1936) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as the fourth Archbishop of Los Angeles, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1991. - would oppose any inclusion of the abortion issue on a city ballot for charter reform, a spokesman said. ``The cardinal and the archdiocese would be unalterably opposed to anything that promotes abortion,'' said the Rev. Gregory Coiro, a spokesman for the cardinal. Others, however, hailed the so-called bill of rights as important and necessary. ``In a political atmosphere where so many of our rights are in jeopardy, it's good that the city would offer all of the rights we enjoy,'' said Ramona Ripston, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), nonpartisan organization devoted to the preservation and extension of the basic rights set forth in the U.S. Constitution. of Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, . Public employee union leader Julie Butcher said she welcomes the bill of rights. ``The city has an obligation to say what the city stands for,'' said Butcher, who led the campaign that elected a majority of labor-backed candidates to the commission. ``In particular, it's important for the city to lay out a vision that is inclusive. That is the vision of the city.'' Author defends The author of the preamble, Commission Chairman Erwin Chemerinsky Erwin Chemerinsky (born 1953) is a well-known professor of Constitutional law and federal civil procedure, has recently accepted a position at the University of California, Irvine, in the new Donald Bren School of Law, beginning in 2009. , defended all of its provisions, saying it protects ``fundamental'' rights. The existing charter does not have a bill of rights. ``The idea of a bill of rights is for the city to protect fundamental rights, even if they are no longer protected by the federal and state governments,'' said Chemerinsky, a constitutional law professor at University of Southern California The U.S. News & World Report ranked USC 27th among all universities in the United States in its 2008 ranking of "America's Best Colleges", also designating it as one of the "most selective universities" for admitting 8,634 of the almost 34,000 who applied for freshman admission . In his report, Chemerinsky wrote, ``The future of federal and state protection of rights is inherently uncertain. ``The charter may last for decades; what seems redundant now might be the only protection for Los Angeles residents at some time in the future.'' Detroit, Philadelphia, Austin, Texas, and St. John's County, Fla., have also adopted preambles, but they don't venture into areas such as abortion rights, collective bargaining collective bargaining, in labor relations, procedure whereby an employer or employers agree to discuss the conditions of work by bargaining with representatives of the employees, usually a labor union. , living wage guarantees and equality in education. The St. John preamble says the government should ``guarantee equal civil and political rights for all.'' Committee vote The provision on abortion rights was recommended to be included in the new charter's ``bill of rights'' on a 3-1 vote by a subcommittee of the elected Charter Reform Commission. The section was endorsed Monday by the commission's Committee on Improving the Quality of Life in Los Angeles, which includes Chemerinsky. In the committee's report to the full commission, Chemerinsky wrote that the U.S. Supreme Court rulings protect ``reproductive autonomy,'' but that could change over the decades that the new charter will exist. ``In 1992, the Supreme Court came within one vote of overruling o·ver·rule tr.v. o·ver·ruled, o·ver·rul·ing, o·ver·rules 1. a. To disallow the action or arguments of, especially by virtue of higher authority: Roe vs. Wade and allowing state and local governments to ban abortions,'' Chemerinsky said. Some cities, including Akron, Ohio Akron is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County.GR6 The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland to the north and Canton to the south, approximately 60 miles (96 km) west of and St. Louis, have enacted laws regulating abortion, he said in an interview Friday. ``This provision says that even if the U.S. Constitution is changed to allow it, the city of Los Angeles
Joined by Commissioners Janice Hahn Janice Hahn is a member of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 15th district. Hahn was elected in 2001 and reelected in 2005, running unopposed. The 15th District encompasses the Los Angeles communities of Watts, Wilmington, Harbor Gateway, Harbor City, Athens on the and Anne Finn, he voted to recommend that the charter's preamble include a provision that reads, ``The city shall not infringe the right of each person to make choices concerning reproductive autonomy except if proven necessary to achieve a compelling objective.'' That drew strong objections Friday from other commissioners, including Chet Widom, Paula Boland and Dennis Zine. Widom was the only member of the subcommittee to oppose the provision on abortion, even though he is a strong advocate of abortion rights. ``The issue involving reproductive rights, I believe, is inappropriate here,'' he said. ``I think there are political ramifications ramifications npl → Auswirkungen pl that will be used by those who oppose charter reform. It will be hard enough to get people to approve this without having something so controversial.'' Finn said she voted to include the provision because it is an important principle. ``All I know is I believe in choice,'' Finn said. She said that when the matter comes before the full commission, she will consider whether it might pull the whole charter down in the election. ``I believe in reproductive rights. I would like to have it in the charter,'' Finn said. ``But I don't want to jeopardize the charter. This isn't a done deal.'' Divisiveness predicted Riordan, a Catholic who supports abortion rights in his policies but says he personally would not choose abortion, would likely oppose putting the volatile issue in the city charter, an aide said. ``Generally the mayor's view is that there is a federal Bill of Rights that protects individuals and that is where this issue is appropriately covered,'' said spokeswoman Noelia Rodriguez. Some members of the commission predicted the preamble would damage efforts to make government more efficient. ``I think it's absurd,'' said commission member Dennis Zine, who voted against the preamble's provision for abortion rights. ``I don't think the city of Los Angeles needs to have a charter that creates division. There are people who are anti-abortion in this city and there are people who are pro-abortion. ``Maybe we should put that we support the death penalty in there too,'' Zine suggested facetiously. ``We're not creating a nation. We're creating a city charter.'' Zine, an LAPD 1. LAPD - Link Access Procedure on the D channel. 2. LAPD - Los Angeles Police Department. sergeant, said he took offense at the provision that says the police shall be respectful of the rights of all residents, ``including refraining from the excessive use of force.'' ``Let's just not pick on police officers,'' Zine said. ``Let's say all employees should do their job right.'' Boland said she has problems with several other issues included in the preamble, among them that ``every child in Los Angeles has a right to equal educational opportunity,'' even though the city has no power over the schools. ``It's getting into dangerous ground,'' she said. ``None of it belongs in the city charter. Our mission is to streamline the charter. Instead they are making it more complicated and more detailed.'' Public Meeting Residents can air their views on the preamble Monday when the elected Charter Reform Commission meets in Van Nuys. The meeting, which will focus on police and fire services
Fire Services (Chinese:消防) is a Hong Kong football club. The majority of the players are working for the Fire Services Department in Hong Kong and playing for the club on , is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Southland Regional Association of Realtors office at 7232 Balboa Blvd., north of Sherman Way. CAPTION(S): 2 boxes BOX: (1) Public meeting (see text) (2) Bill of Rights highlights |
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