POWERS TO PEOPLE PROPOSED.Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer A week after Los Angeles' appointed Charter Reform Commission endorsed the creation of advisory neighborhood councils Neighborhood councils are governmental or non-governmental bodies composed of local people who handle neighborhood problems. They can be found in many cities throughout the world. , members of an elected charter panel on Monday backed giving some decision-making power to elected councils throughout the city. The more radical proposal is needed to give dissatisfied dis·sat·is·fied adj. Feeling or exhibiting a lack of contentment or satisfaction. dis·sat  is·fied 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. residents a meaningful role in their government, according to according toprep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a majority of the elected Charter Reform Commission's Committee on a More Responsive City Government with an Involved Citizenry cit·i·zen·ry n. pl. cit·i·zen·ries Citizens considered as a group. citizenry Noun citizens collectively Noun 1. . ``If we're going to do this, we ought to give them real decision-making authority,'' said Commissioner Janice Hahn Janice Hahn is a member of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 15th district. Hahn was elected in 2001 and reelected in 2005, running unopposed. The 15th District encompasses the Los Angeles communities of Watts, Wilmington, Harbor Gateway, Harbor City, Athens on the , who called the proposal ``revolutionary.'' Hahn was joined by Commissioners Bennett Kayser and Marcos Castaneda as a majority of the committee voiced support for some decision-making role for neighborhood councils, with all citing land-use issues as ones in which the councils could make decisions. No formal vote was taken, but all of the commissioners were polled during the meeting so the majority positions can be conveyed to the full Charter Reform Commission. Commissioners Paula Boland and Bill Weinberger remained neutral on the recommendation regarding decision-making powers, although Boland said she agreed there might be some issues on which the neighborhood councils could make decisions. All but Weinberger said they support having the neighborhood council members elected. ``There is better accountability and independence when the members are elected,'' said Kayser, the committee's chairman. ``They should be decision-making because they would know their neighborhood, know their community.'' The recommendations will be considered next month by the full elected Charter Reform Commission, which has the power to put the proposals on the June 1999 city ballot for voter approval. Although many details still must be worked out, including the method of electing neighborhood council members and all of the areas where they would be able to make decisions, Kayser said he believes a majority of the commissioners support elected, decision-making councils. The proposal differs sharply from the plan tentatively supported a week ago by the appointed Charter Reform Commission, which said neighborhood councils should be advisory only. Appointed commissioners feared giving the neighborhood councils more power could create chaos and add another level of bureaucracy that would slow down development projects and city operations. However, Kayser said local planning issues, including exceptions to zoning rules, are better made by the neighborhood council for the affected area. A developer who disagrees with the neighborhood council's decision still could appeal the matter to the City Council, Kayser said. He also said the city budget still should be adopted by the City Council, but that some amount of money should be made available for local allocation based on neighborhood priorities. Kayser said a neighborhood council could decide whether its money should be spent on another police patrol car or longer library hours. ``Although public disillusionment Disillusionment Adams, Nick loses innocence through WWI experience. [Am. Lit.: “The Killers”] Angry Young Men disillusioned postwar writers of Britain, such as Osborne and Amis. [Br. Lit. with city government may be attributed to many causes (neighborhood councils) can address the perception that government is too far removed from the concerns of average citizens,'' said a draft report of the committee, which will be considered by the full commission. Indeed, some leaders of the secession secession, in art secession, in art, any of several associations of progressive artists, especially those in Munich, Berlin, and Vienna, who withdrew from the established academic societies or exhibitions. movement in the 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. have demanded that the city create elected, decision-making neighborhood councils. ``Anything short of that doesn't address the issues of autonomy and empowerment,'' said Jeff Brain, the president of Valley VOTE, a group planning to petition for a study of Valley cityhood. Brain said he sat on the advisory Ventura Boulevard Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east-west thouroughfares in the San Fernando Valley; as it was originally a part of the El Camino Real (the trail between Spanish missions), Ventura Boulevard is the oldest route in the San Fernando Valley. It was also U.S. Specific Plan Committee and saw elected officials and bureaucrats attempt to circumvent cir·cum·vent tr.v. cir·cum·vent·ed, cir·cum·vent·ing, cir·cum·vents 1. To surround (an enemy, for example); enclose or entrap. 2. To go around; bypass: circumvented the city. the panel's proposals. ``We all have sat on advisory committees and seen that they have no force and effect,'' Brain said, adding that an elected, decision-making neighborhood council ``brings legitimate empowerment to neighborhoods.'' |
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