RANDOM LENGTHS NEWS
part III of the RLN series on neighborhood councils and LA Charter Reform- due out on 4/31/98
Trying To Light a Fire Under Charter Reform
Appointed Commission Takes Expected Conservative
Stance on Neighborhood Councils; Activists Set Their Sights On
Electeds
by r.owen j.
Buckling under the pressures of the business community, the City Council, and concerns about "selling" a reformed charter to an under-informed voting public, the Appointed Commission for Charter Reform took a conservative stance on the inclusion of neighborhood councils in the new Los Angeles charter on April 22. The Elected Commission, which has appeared slightly more open-minded to radical ideas about what a neighborhood council system might be, will be addressing the issue in two upcoming public hearings, one of which will be held in San Pedro's Peck Park at 6pm on May 4th. Activists pushing for the inclusion of a small-scale elected neighborhood council system invested with actual local decision making power must rely, at this point, on the outside chance that the issue will create a rift between the two charter commissions, which have been working in very close conjunction with each other of late and speculating about preparing a single document to place on the ballot for voter approval in 1999.
Opinions outside the political mainstream have been decidedly scarce in media coverage of charter reform. The recent focus group study done by Fairbank, Maslin, and Maullin, a private firm hired by the commission has reinforced the understanding that the general public either doesn't know or doesn't care about neighborhood councils or the expansion of democratic involvement in government. However, a steady core of activists from both the Los Angeles area and around the country have been lobbying innovative ideas about bringing wider representation to the people through neighborhood councils since the inception of the charter reform process. Further, presently established neighborhood organizations, renters groups, labor organizations and the like happen to have very strong opinions on neighborhood councils, suggesting that F F & M's conclusion that neighborhood councils are a non-issue in getting voters to approve a new charter may be somewhat specious.
One matter on which activist and organization voices are virtually united on is the idea of granting neighborhood councils actual decision-making powers on local matters, particularly zoning and delivery of services. Bob Long, a San Pedro resident and member of the Harbor Area Greens observes: "Bringing decision making authority as close to the hands of the people as possible is something the Greens have always stood for." The consensus on the inside is to retain ultimate legislative authority in the hands of the present City Council by keeping NC's strictly advisory. Some are skeptical, however, about the drawing power that a merely advisory body would have. "As long as you feel your voice doesn't count, you are unlikely to participate," states Sharon Stewart, President of the Housing Authority Resident Advisory Council (HARAC) of Rancho San Pedro.
Another sticking point is the selection process. Council members and their Appointed Commission are split on this issue. Recent deliberations brought no clear direction, leaving the decision up to further ordinances under the "one size doesn't fit all" paradigm. Again, widespread sentiment outside the political infrastructure demands the more democratic option. Casey Peters, of the Campaign for Municipal Democracy, argues that "People are going to see an appointed council as just so much more of 'the powers that be'". Dee Petty, of the Barton Hill Neighborhood Organization in San Pedro, points out that appointed political participants may be perceived downtown as "community leaders", but that they often miss the mark. "Who knows better than the people of the community who their leaders are?", she asks. While Xandra Kayden, president of the League of Women Voters, and a supporter of appointed NC's, maintains that City Council members should be familiar enough with their communities to be able to appoint people accurately, the harrowing prospect of Rudy Svornich appointing a representative of, say, Watts, to a neighborhood council seat seems to counter this logic.
One general concern of activists is to ensure that neighborhood councils would not become just another locus of power for homeowner and business interests--a possibility which hasn't even crossed the screen of Charter Reform Commissioners, whose focus in spreading democracy is to assuage the various secessionist (homeowner) movements. "We need to create a means of empowering those who are not normally involved in decision-making. Homeowners groups don't need neighborhood councils", observed San Pedro Organizing Committee member Dennis Kortheuer. A basic concern is the economics of participation. Suggestions for expanding access to involvement rely on funding, particularly staffing budgets. Further, the necessity of an effective outreach program to stir up local interest and maintain it was stressed by both Fabian Nunez, political director of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, and Green Santa Monica City Councilman Mike Feinstein, who calls for the concurrent institution of microradio stations and local cable access channels designed specifically to spread the word and keep people informed and involved in local government. Various means of electoral reform including multi-seat districts, proportional representation and bottoms up voting, as proposed by the Center for Voting and Democracy are offered as another effective means of tapping minority voices of all types for involvement in government.
The persistent arguments which are faced by the
radical cadre of ideas in the Charter Reform process are concerns
for efficiency and frugality-or at least the appearance thereof.
As was emphasized at the recent Appointed Commission deliberations,
maintaining a body like the City Council is a miniscule expenditure
in light of the whole budget: expansion will not break the bank.
But the concern remains that voter disregard of this evidence
will sink a broadly democratic new charter. And as to efficiency,
Kortheuer argues, "Democracy takes time". Demands for
the streamlining of government call into question basic principles
of social organization. As the old saying goes, according to Kortheuer:
'Mussolini kept the trains running on schedule.'
(This look at alternative perspectives on NC's merely scratches the surface- Random Lengths News offers itself as both a resource for further information and a sounding board for public comment on Neighborhood Councils leading up to the important May 4 meeting at Peck Park. Be in touch-get involved!)