REFORM GUIDELINES REQUESTED : COUNCIL MEMBERS' MOTION CRITICIZED AS STALL ATTEMPT.Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer Five City Council members called Tuesday on the state Legislature A state legislature may refer to a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. The following legislatures exist in the following political subdivisions: 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. and Studio City attorney David Fleming
David Fleming are campaigning for an initiative that would create an elected commission with power to put reforms directly to the voters, without council changes. At the same time, the council has appointed its own advisory panel to recommend reforms that the council could revise before putting them on the ballot. The initiative calls for a ``citywide'' election, which many people have taken to mean an at-large election. An opinion by the City Attorney's Office recently said badly written provisions of state law appear to require the commission to be elected at-large, even though such elections may violate the federal Voting Rights Act Voting Rights Act Act passed by the U.S. Congress in 1965 to ensure the voting rights of African Americans. Though the Constitution's 15th Amendment (passed 1870) had guaranteed the right to vote regardless of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude,” by diluting the vote of minority residents. On Tuesday, council members Ruth Galanter Ruth Galanter was a city councilwoman from Los Angeles. She served as President Pro-Tempore and President of the city council. , 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. , 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. , Nate Holden and Mike Hernandez introduced a motion that asks the council to seek state legislation to clarify whether an election by council district or other method is possible so that it will comply with the federal Voting Rights Act. ``There is not a clear precedent for how this ought to be done to comply with federal law,'' said Galanter, author of the motion. However, Fleming noted that the state Legislature does not meet again in regular session until January and that waiting for legislation likely would preclude the initiative and election from occurring in April 1997, as planned by proponents. ``Anything to stall it,'' Fleming said of the effect of the council motion. ``What they want to do is make sure all of this is put over for a considerable period of time.'' He said he will fight any effort by the council to delay the initiative going to the voters in April 1997. Fleming said attorneys for the initiative likely will ask the courts to clarify how to comply with conflicting state and federal law. But, Galanter said a court is not likely to agree to do what she thinks amounts to writing state law so that it will comply with federal law. ``It is more appropriate to get that kind of policy clarification from the Legislature rather than the court,'' Galanter said. However, Fleming said the council motion is premature, because a court has not been asked yet for clarification. ``I think a court has to decide whether they have jurisdiction or not,'' Fleming said. |
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