JUDGE MULLS COUNCIL'S BID TO SERVE LONGER.Byline: KERRY CAVANAUGH Staff Writer 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. voters will know by Friday afternoon whether a measure that would give City Council members an extra term and add new ethics ethics, in philosophy, the study and evaluation of human conduct in the light of moral principles. Moral principles may be viewed either as the standard of conduct that individuals have constructed for themselves or as the body of obligations and duties that a rules will be on the Nov. 7 ballot. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert O'Brien considered a petition Wednesday to strike Proposition R from the ballot but did not issue an immediate ruling. O'Brien is expected to rule by the end of Friday, which is the deadline for county government's top election official, the county clerk The term "county clerk" has been commonly applied, in several English-speaking countries, to an official of a county government. United States Most counties in the U.S. who doubles as registrar-recorder, to begin printing ballot information. Opponents who filed the petition say Proposition R -- which would amend the City Charter to give council members a third four-year term and change a number of lobbying and campaign finance disclosure requirements -- violates the state constitution's requirement that a measure address only a single subject. The City Attorney's Office -- as well as the League of Women Voters League of Women Voters, voluntary public service organization of U.S. citizens. Organized in 1920 in Chicago as an outgrowth of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, it had as its original nucleus the leaders of the latter organization. and Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, which proposed Proposition R -- argued in court Wednesday that the single-subject requirement has never been applied to a City Council-sponsored initiative. Attorneys for Proposition R's proponents also argued that the two issues are part of a package designed to lessen less·en v. less·ened, less·en·ing, less·ens v.tr. 1. To make less; reduce. 2. Archaic To make little of; belittle. v.intr. To become less; decrease. the influence of lobbyists and special interests on City Hall. ``As long as they serve a common goal, the single-subject rule is satisfied,'' said Valerie Flores Flores, town, Guatemala Flores (flōrəs), town (1990 est. pop. 2,200), capital of Petén department, N Guatemala. Flores was built on an island in the southern part of Lake Petén Itzá and on the site of the , a managing assistant city attorney. But neighborhood council activists and other opponents have argued that the ethics reforms were added in an effort to entice -- or fool -- voters into adopting the extension on terms. The judge said that proponents' stated goal of limiting the influence of lobbyists is not necessarily apparent under Proposition R. O'Brien also noted that term limits have been controversial across the country, while ethics reforms have been popular with voters. ``It's not a stretch to suppose that combining those makes it a more palatable pal·at·a·ble adj. 1. Acceptable to the taste; sufficiently agreeable in flavor to be eaten. 2. Acceptable or agreeable to the mind or sensibilities: a palatable solution to the problem. issue to put before the public. Doesn't it?'' he asked proponents' attorneys. Though it's common for legislators in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., to add popular items to controversial bills to help them pass, O'Brien observed, ``It's different when we go to the public.'' The judge added that the main question he will be considering is whether the state's single-subject rule applies to Proposition R. The lawsuit challenging the measure was filed by West Los Angeles
City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo's office hired the firm Mayer, Brown Rowe & Maw to assist with the case -- although officials would not say Wednesday how much they have budgeted for outside counsel until the City Council reviews that information. The League of Women Voters and Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce have filed court papers to help the City Council keep the measure on the ballot. kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com (213) 978-0390 DEBATE A special ``L.A. Roundtable'' program discussion on the City Council's term limits/ethics-reform measure will be broadcast at 9 p.m. Friday and at some other times during September on L.A. CityView Channel 35. CAPTION(S): box Box: DEBATE (see text) |
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