Greuel, Hahn keep hold of idea of decentralizing government. (Politics).

THEIR proposal for boroughs may have gone down to defeat, but L.A. city Councilmembers Wendy Greuel and Janice Hahn aren't giving up on the idea of decentralizing city government. Greuel and Hahn, along with fellow councilmember Tom LaBonge, already have a new set of proposals.

One asks city departments to make recommendations on how to decentralize government services into seven regional districts; the other would set up six additional council committees to deal with localized issues.

Both proposals were heard in committee last week.

The decentralization idea was put on hold after it was announced that L.A. Mayor James Hahn was going to set up a working group to look at the issue. The idea to add six council committees passed out of committee last week; a fully detailed plan is expected to be presented to the full City Council in the next few weeks.

At recent public appearances, Greuel and LaBonge said that their proposals are designed to address the concerns from residents in the Valley, Hollywood and other parts of L.A. about the lack of local control over city services.

"The concern out there is real and must be dealt with," Greuel said at a forum of downtown business and civic leaders.

Of course, these ideas would never have seen the light of day if it weren't for secession, a fact that Greuel and LaBonge readily acknowledge.

However, the perception that the secession drive was losing steam was behind the defeat last month of the boroughs proposal. With the defeat of secession now considered likely, the prospect of the City Council voluntarily devolving power away from City Hall seems remote.

The decentralization proposal only orders city departments to come up with ways to move government services to seven regional districts--in effect a study.