RIORDAN CHOOSES CHARTER PLAN.Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer 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. took sides Monday in the battle of competing charter reform proposals, saying proposals by the elected commission get his vote while the appointed commission's plan maintains the status quo [Latin, The existing state of things at any given date.] Status quo ante bellum means the state of things before the war. The status quo to be preserved by a preliminary injunction is the last actual, peaceable, uncontested status which preceded the pending controversy. . Acknowledging the panels may change their drafts and affect his final position, Riordan said he believes the elected commission's recommendations would provide for more accountability by future mayors by giving them more power to serve as the city's chief executive officer. ``I'd vote clearly for the elected (commission) as of now,'' said Riordan, who sponsored the initiative that created the elected commission but lost control of it to public employee-backed candidates. The mayor said he supports expanding the City Council from 15 to 25 members but opposes creation of elected 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. . ``You have another layer of elected officials, which makes the council and mayor less accountable,'' Riordan said. He said he favors the appointed commission's proposal to have neighborhood councils that are self-selected, possibly at a community caucus, with only advisory powers on land-use issues. ``I think it would be very dangerous to give absolute veto power over development'' to neighborhood councils, Riordan said, worried they could block important development. The mayor said appointed regional planning regional planning: see city planning. commissions are preferable. Addressing more than a dozen reporters during a briefing at his City Hall office, the mayor said he believes the elected charter commission's proposals could help go a long way in addressing concerns of 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. residents who are considering secession. Riordan said the elected panel's reforms could blunt the call for Valley cityhood. ``To have a voice in government and more efficient government will make them feel even better and less predisposed pre·dis·pose v. pre·dis·posed, pre·dis·pos·ing, pre·dis·pos·es v.tr. 1. a. To make (someone) inclined to something in advance: to vote for secession,'' Riordan said. The mayor weighed in on the charter reform issue at a critical stage in the process for changing the city's 73-year-old constitution, said Erwin Chemerinsky Erwin Chemerinsky (born 1953) is a well-known professor of Constitutional law and federal civil procedure, has recently accepted a position at the University of California, Irvine, in the new Donald Bren School of Law, beginning in 2009. , chairman of the elected commission. The elected Charter Reform Commission has scheduled a constitutional convention for Saturday to gauge public support for its draft charter. Riordan, who did not attend any of the open houses on the appointed commission's draft charter, said he plans to attend Saturday's convention to make his preference known. ``To have a key player of the city, the mayor, praise our work is tremendously gratifying grat·i·fy tr.v. grat·i·fied, grat·i·fy·ing, grat·i·fies 1. To please or satisfy: His achievement gratified his father. See Synonyms at please. 2. ,'' Chemerinsky said. Some sources at City Hall said the mayor may be trying to sabotage the work of a conference committee of both commissions that might lead to the elected commission's proposal being changed to conform with the appointed commission's so one charter could be put on the ballot. Appointed Commission Chairman George Kieffer said he called Chemerinsky on Monday to reaffirm re·af·firm tr.v. re·af·firmed, re·af·firm·ing, re·af·firms To affirm or assert again. re his commitment to the conference committee coming up with one charter. ``I will say that no matter what pressure we get from stakeholders Stakeholders All parties that have an interest, financial or otherwise, in a firm-stockholders, creditors, bondholders, employees, customers, management, the community, and the government. , I am committed to moving forward to try to achieve a consensus document,'' Kieffer said. Riordan praised both panels for their dedication and work, but said the Charter Reform Commission appointed by the City Council has done its work ``with an eye toward the City Council,'' which has the power to revise the reforms before putting them on the ballot. ``The elected commission has total independence to put what they come up with on the ballot,'' Riordan said. The appointed commission has voted to maintain the status quo that requires City Council concurrence CONCURRENCE, French law. The equality of rights, or privilege which several persons-have over the same thing; as, for example, the right which two judgment creditors, Whose judgments were rendered at the same time, have to be paid out of the proceeds of real estate bound by them. Dict. de Jur. h.t. when the mayor fires a general manager, while the elected commission has recommended the mayor have sole power over firing managers. Kieffer said public hearings on the issue show the mayor is in the minority on that issue. ``As soon as we got outside downtown we found there was very little public support for creating a vastly more powerful mayor,'' Kieffer said. Responded Riordan: ``If you don't have power to fire the heads of departments, how can you keep their attention?'' The mayor said he prefers the elected commission's decision to give the Mayor's Office more control over financial and budget functions. |
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