By SAJE Staff
At next week’s Escuelita on Thursday, March 5, we’ll explore the ins and outs of Los Angeles City Charter reform. Our City Charter is the constitution for the entire city—and it impacts our everyday lives, from how the city keeps the lights on to how we are represented at City Hall. The Charter not only determines our city’s government structure (e.g., how city council members relate to the mayor’s office and other elected officials), but it also determines the powers of each government body, identifies how city departments are organized and governed, and sets rules for city officials and employees.
The Los Angeles City Charter was last revised in 1999, when the city’s population was just under 3.7 million. Today, that number is closer to 3.9 million. As Los Angeles grows, it’s worth reassessing how our leaders are chosen, how money is allocated, how land-use decisions are made, and, importantly, how we ensure accountability throughout these various processes.
The Charter Reform Commission is the civilian body nominated to oversee this reform process. One of the many issues they are considering is whether to expand the number of council districts beyond the 15 we currently have. The Los Angeles City Council is one of the smallest in the nation relative to overall population, with each council member representing roughly 260,000 Angelenos in their respective district. Consider that in contrast to New York or Chicago, where city council members represent around 160,000 and 54,000 (!) residents respectively.
Expanding the number of districts, and therefore council members, has its pros and cons. The Charter Reform Commission must consider how to balance administrative efficiency with the dynamic needs of constituent representation and service provision, especially when many Angelenos currently feel underrepresented and want greater diversity in leadership in terms of racial and gender identity, income, and housing status.
We hope you’ll join us on Thursday, March 5, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. to learn more about the history of our Charter and the reform process, and the ways in which we can all continue playing a role in shaping city governance in the years to come. To attend on Zoom or in-person, please RSVP in advance.
