EDITORIAL LEGISLATION BY BALLOT INITIATIVES ARE THE ONLY WAY TO FIGHT CITY HALL.IT'S unfortunate that the LAX living-wage ordinance A law, statute, or regulation enacted by a Municipal Corporation. An ordinance is a law passed by a municipal government. A municipality, such as a city, town, village, or borough, is a political subdivision of a state within which a municipal corporation has been adopted by the Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. last fall will face a ballot referendum referendum, referral of proposed laws or constitutional amendments to the electorate for final approval. This direct form of legislation, along with the initiative, was known in Greece and other early democracies. in
May. Forcing legislation to a vote of the people is a costly process for
both sides and for the public, and is largely overused in California California (kăl'ĭfôr`nyə), most populous state in the United States, located in the Far West; bordered by Oregon (N), Nevada and, across the Colorado River, Arizona (E), Mexico (S), and the Pacific Ocean (W). .
Unfortunate, but necessary. Legislation by election seems to be the only way to effectively challenge the City Council, which too often seems to be unconcerned with how its actions could hurt the city's future livability and prosperity. And this case is one that particularly needs a challenge. The ordinance adopted by the council extends the city's living wage to a handful of private hotels near Los Angeles International Airport “LAX” redirects here. For other uses, see LAX (disambiguation). “KLAX” redirects here. For other uses, see KLAX (disambiguation). Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX, ICAO: KLAX, FAA LID: LAX , requiring that they pay workers either $9.39 an hour with health benefits, or $10.64 an hour without benefits. Previously, only businesses that wanted to contract with the city were subject to those conditions, which was bad enough. Now the council has expanded this ordinance with the clear intention of making it apply citywide as soon as it can, and that's something that should concern every Angeleno -- from the well-heeled business owner to the worker. 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. already has a reputation as unfriendly to business, a designation earned through measures such as this, and Chamber of Commerce officials among others worry that this kind of municipal socialism Municipal socialism refers to various historical movements to use local government to further socialist aims. The term has been used to describe public ownership of streetcar lines, waterworks, and other local utilities, as was favored by "Progressives" in the United States in the will doom the efforts to attract new businesses and retain current ones. That's bad news for everyone. What's also unfortunate is that this type of challenge isn't open to most. The business community spent about $800,000 to collect the 110,000 signatures to qualify this for the ballot. And it could spend as much as $5 million on the campaign. Most Angelenos don't have access to that sort of capital. Yes, it's unfortunate that the ordinance will go to the public for a vote. But what's worse is that it must. |
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