COUNCIL LIKELY TO BACK SCHOOL REFORM PLAN.Byline: RICK ORLOV Staff Writer The Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. appeared poised today to support Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa's proposed legislation to reform the Los
Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. , even as his office continued Thursday
to lobby council members and officials from other cities to join the
effort.
At least nine council members indicated Thursday that they would back Assembly Bill 1381 -- one more than needed for passage of the reform measure. While the tally is enough for the legislation to win council approval, officials with the Mayor's Office were continuing to try to round up a unanimous vote that would indicate a unified vote of confidence and help build momentum for the measure. No council member has publicly opposed the plan, but the Mayor's Office continued to meet privately with wavering members to try to win their support. Undecided members who have asked to meet with the Mayor's Office on the issue include Ed Reyes Ed P. Reyes has served on the Los Angeles City Council since April 2001. A native of Northeast Los Angeles, Councilmember Reyes represents many of the neighborhoods he grew up in including Lincoln Heights and Cypress Park. , Dennis Zine, Eric Garcetti Eric Garcetti (born 1971) is the son of former Los Angeles county district attorney Gil Garcetti, and was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2001. He was reelected in 2005. and Bernard Parks. Tony Cardenas Tony Cardenas served in the California State Assembly. In the Assembly, he had the powerful position of chair of the Budget Committee. He is now a Los Angeles City Councilman, representing the 6th district, which includes parts of the San Fernando Valley. and Jan Perry Jan Perry (circa. 1954 —) currently represents the 9th district of the Los Angeles City Council. External links
Preceded by Rita Walters Los Angeles City Councilwoman could not be reached for comment. Some council members have expressed reservations over details of the plan -- such as staffing of school board offices -- but have been assured the Mayor's Office will pursue changes as the measure makes its way through the state Legislature A state legislature may refer to a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. The following legislatures exist in the following political subdivisions: Also Thursday, Thomas Saenz, the mayor's top legal adviser, met with representatives of the 26 other cities that send children to the LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) and offered a major concession to win support when the bill goes before the Senate Appropriations Committee In the United States government, the Appropriations Committee can refer to either:
``The mayor has offered giving up part of his authority on decision-making to assure the cities play a role,'' West Hollywood Councilman Jeff Prang said. ``I think that's what a lot of us were looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. .'' Under the original plan, Villaraigosa would have had 80 percent of the vote in major matters, including selection of a superintendent. The latest proposal requires major decisions to get 90 percent approval from the Council of Mayors -- meaning at least half the cities comprising the panel would have to sign off on major decisions. Prang said the proposed changes -- as well as agreement from United Teachers Los Angeles union officials to work with the other cities -- has eliminated much of the earlier opposition. ``We wanted the mayor to know that we care as much as he does about the schools and want to play a role in the reform effort,'' Prang said. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce voted Thursday to back Villaraigosa's efforts. The support came after a closed-door meeting of chamber directors and came with some qualifications, including that the chamber believes the mayor should have the power to appoint a board of trustees board of trustees Politics The posse of thugs who oversee an institution's administration. See Board of directors. to oversee the district and replace the current elected board. ``This bill is not a cure, it's the beginning of a treatment to make the LAUSD the best urban school district in the nation,'' said Gary Toebben, president and chief executive officer of the business organization. ``In order to do that, the entire community must be engaged, and the mayor has galvanized gal·va·nize tr.v. gal·va·nized, gal·va·niz·ing, gal·va·niz·es 1. To stimulate or shock with an electric current. 2. the community around education unlike ever before.'' While its recommendation of an appointed board is not in the legislation, Toebben said the group viewed the measure as the beginning of an effort to set in place a new system for how the LAUSD is run. Even with the chamber coming out in favor of the measure, the Valley Industry and Commerce Association said it will remain opposed to the mayor's effort. In addition, the group said it believes there should be a public vote on the issue. rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com (213) 978-0390 HOW THEY PLAN TO VOTE The City Council is scheduled today to consider Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's proposed legislation to take over the LAUSD. At least eight votes are needed for it to pass. Here is how members said Thursday they would vote: YES: Wendy Greuel, Janice Hahn, Jose Huizar, Tom LaBonge, Alex Padilla, Bill Rosendahl, Greig Smith, Jack Weiss, Herb Wesson. UNDECIDED: Eric Garcetti, Bernard Parks, Ed Reyes, Dennis Zine. UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT: Tony Cardenas, Jan Perry. CAPTION(S): box Box: HOW THEY PLAN TO VOTE (see text) |
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