COUNCIL SEIZES REINS : VOTERS WON'T ELECT CHARTER REFORM PANEL.Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer Refusing to surrender power to a citizen commission on City Charter reform, the Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. voted Tuesday to create a 21-member
advisory panel that would recommend changes to the council - not put
them directly to voters.
On a 10-3 vote, the City Council will retain the authority to decide when - and if - any of the commission's recommendations would go before voters. The council also would be able to appoint most of the commissioners, and to modify any of the panel's recommendations. The decision adds new impetus to an initiative drive started by 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 that would create a citizen reform commission elected directly by the public and empowered to submit its plan for a new city charter directly to voters. Fleming and 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. , who supports the initiative drive, condemned the council action. In reaching its decision, with Valley council members split 3-3 with one absent, the council rejected a proposal by council members Mike Feuer and John Ferraro John Ferraro (May 14 1924—April 17 2001) served as a Los Angeles City Councilman from 1966 until his death. Early life Ferraro was born in the working class suburb of Cudahy, California, just south of Los Angeles. that would have allowed a more independent Charter Reform Commission to submit charter changes directly to the voters without council interference. ``I have a problem abdicating my legislative oversight authority and allowing this City Council to be painted as an entity that would not do what is in the best interest of this city,'' said Councilman Rudy Svorinich Rudy Svorinich (born 1960) is a Republican who served on the Los Angeles City Council representing the 15th district. A resident of San Pedro, his diverse district also includes the community of Watts. He was elected to the council in 1993 and served two full terns. Jr. Several council members voiced resentment that the Feuer-Ferraro proposal to prevent the council from revising charter reforms seemed to be driven by Riordan, who has vowed to help bankroll bank·roll n. 1. A roll of paper money. 2. Informal One's ready cash. tr.v. bank·rolled, bank·roll·ing, bank·rolls Informal the initiative drive to create an elected reform commission. ``This is happening because we have a mayor who will put an $800,000 check on the table to put this on the ballot and put a gun to our heads and if we don't resist we can turn all of this over to the highest bidder HIGHEST BIDDER, contracts. He who, at an auction, offers the greatest price for the property sold. 2. The highest bidder is entitled to have the article sold at his bid, provided there has been no unfairness on his part. ,'' charged Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg Jackie Goldberg (born June 16, 1937) is an American politician and teacher, and a member of the Democratic Party. She is a former member of the California State Assembly. . In the end, the council voted, with council members Marvin Braude Marvin Braude (August 11, 1920—December 7, 2005)served as Los Angeles City Councilman for the 11th district from 1965 to 1997. At various times Mr. Braude (pronounced BROW-dee) served as chair of the Finance and Revenue Committee, the Environmental Quality and Waste , Mike Feuer and Joel Wachs Joel Wachs served for several terms as Los Angeles City Councilman for the 2nd district. He was first elected by defeating incumbent James B. Potter. While in office, Wachs chaired the Public Works Committee and vice-chair of the Environmental Quality & Waste Management dissenting, to create a 21-member advisory panel that would recommend reforms to the council for the April 1999 ballot. Included in the motion was a commitment to the goal of putting the reforms on the April 1999 ballot. Ferraro, the council president who helped craft the proposal with Feuer, said he switched to support the proposal by Councilwoman Ruth Galanter Ruth Galanter was a city councilwoman from Los Angeles. She served as President Pro-Tempore and President of the city council. because there were not enough votes to pass the compromise aimed at getting Riordan to drop the initiative drive, and he feared the reform effort would stall. Riordan and Fleming condemned the council action, charging that it allows the reform process to be dominated by a council with a vested interest Vested Interest A financial or personal stake one entity has in an asset, security, or transaction. Notes: For example, if you have a mortgage, your bank has a vested interest on the sale of your house. See also: Right in maintaining the status quo [Latin, The existing state of things at any given date.] Status quo ante bellum means the state of things before the war. The status quo to be preserved by a preliminary injunction is the last actual, peaceable, uncontested status which preceded the pending controversy. . ``I found today's City Council action to be a vote of no confidence in Angelenos,'' Riordan said in a statement. ``It shows more than ever the need for a charter reform commission that is independent of elected officials.'' Charter reform advocates say the city's strong council-weak mayor system needs balancing to vest more authority in the executive branch. They also say that city government needs to be decentralized de·cen·tral·ize v. de·cen·tral·ized, de·cen·tral·iz·ing, de·cen·tral·iz·es v.tr. 1. To distribute the administrative functions or powers of (a central authority) among several local authorities. , to give local communities more control over zoning and other issues. Riordan and Fleming said they will vigorously pursue their initiative drive to create an elected reform commission with power to put changes directly to the voters without council revision. ``I have confidence in the people of 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. ,'' said the mayor. ``Ultimately the voters are very capable of determining how they want their government organized. This initiative will give them the opportunity to do just that.'' Riordan refused to be interviewed, but spokeswoman Noelia Rodriguez said the mayor is looking at whether he will overturn the council's allocation of $300,000 for the advisory commission. The budget action requires the mayor's concurrence CONCURRENCE, French law. The equality of rights, or privilege which several persons-have over the same thing; as, for example, the right which two judgment creditors, Whose judgments were rendered at the same time, have to be paid out of the proceeds of real estate bound by them. Dict. de Jur. h.t. . ``Given the fiscal situation in the city right now, the mayor is going to take a close look at that,'' Rodriguez said. Feuer argued during the debate that it is critical that the reform commission be independent and have the power to submit its proposals to the voters. He said later he would have preferred that the council approve his proposal, but the Galanter alternative was ``a very positive move in the right direction'' because it advances reform. He added that he would work to protect the commission's recommendations from major revisions by the council. But Feuer said he had not ruled out supporting the initiative drive for an independent commission. Galanter said she does not believe that the council will make major changes to the commission's recommendations. Her motion called for the council to resume a charter reform process begun in 1990 when then-Mayor Tom Bradley Noun 1. Tom Bradley - United States politician who was elected the first black mayor of Los Angeles (1917-1998) Bradley, Thomas Bradley appointed a group of city analysts and residents to take an initial look at the 700-page City Charter. The Bradley-appointed study group issued a report in 1991 that recommended that a citizen commission be appointed to review seven areas of possible change, including: The balance of power between the mayor and council and whether the ``weak mayor'' form of government should be changed to give the chief executive more power. The role of appointed city commissions, and whether the voluntary city commission system should be abolished. The degree of public access to city government, and whether the size of the council should be expanded to provide more local control. Galanter said her motion does not limit the new advisory commission to looking at the areas identified by the Bradley group, but gives the new commission some assistance in identifying potential problems. Councilman Richard Alarcon said he hopes the commission will recommend ``radical'' change. Alarcon said the 15-member City Council should be expanded to 30 members to provide better local representation. He also said the mayor should be required to work with the council in council chambers. However, several council members charged that the mayor was trying to push through a process that would allow him to grab power from the council. Ferraro said the Riordan initiative would not guarantee that commissioners would be qualified to revise the charter, nor would it guarantee that the commission would reflect the city's racial and geographic diversity. Faced with the alternative to the Riordan initiative, Ferraro urged the council to act, saying ``It's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a for the council to provide leadership.'' He also said Riordan had pledged to drop the initiative drive if the Feuer-Ferraro proposal were approved and an acceptable commission were chosen. ``We've had our differences with the mayor and no doubt we will, but on this issue, one so vital to the city, let's work together,'' Ferraro urged his colleagues. Like Ferraro, Councilwoman Laura Chick also originally voiced support for the Feuer motion but decided to back the Galanter proposal when it appeared there were not eight votes for Feuer's motion. However, Chick said she would talk to Galanter about strengthening the power of the reform commission to submit its recommendations to the voters without council revision. Under the Galanter proposal, the mayor would have three appointments to the commission, the council president would have two appointments, and the remaining 14 council members, city attorney and city controller would each appoint one member of the commission. A full-time executive director would be hired to oversee a group of consultants who would assist the reform panel. Several council members charged during Monday's heated debate that Riordan's threat to bankroll an initiative drive was an attempt to intimidate in·tim·i·date tr.v. in·tim·i·dat·ed, in·tim·i·dat·ing, in·tim·i·dates 1. To make timid; fill with fear. 2. To coerce or inhibit by or as if by threats. the council and that they resented that pressure. ``I have a hard time supporting this process because the mayor initiated it,'' said Councilman Mike Hernandez. ``I refuse to concede that he's rich enough to buy the city.'' But Wachs said the Galanter alternative does not allow for enough public participation in the process. CAPTION(S): 6 Photos, box Box: How Valley council members voted on council-co ntrolled charter reform Photo: (1) Richard Alarcon (yes) (2) Laura Chick (yes) (3) John Ferraro (yes) (4) Marvin Braude (no) (5) Mike Feuer (no) (6) Joel Wachs (no) |
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