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TRANSCRIPT
Please share your experience – use these hashtags:#PBI
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Los Angeles City Government And the Neighborhood Councils
Raphael J. SonensheinThe Pat Brown Institute at Cal State LA
Session One: The Power Structure at Los Angeles City Hall
April 2, 2015
•THE CIRCLES OF INFLUENCE Raphael J. Sonenshein, “Your Guide to Power in LA” Los Angeles Magazine, February 21, 2013.
Mayors of Los Angeles1961 - Present
1961 - 73 1973 - 93 1993 - 2001 2001 - 05 2005 - 13 2013 -
Sam Yorty Tom Bradley Richard Riordan James HahnAntonio
VillaraigosaEric Garcetti
The Myth of the Weak LA Mayor: Formal Powers
• Budget authority and the CAO
• Department heads
• Commissioners
• Veto
• Intergovernmental relations
The Myth of the Weak LA Mayor: Informal Roles
• For Big Projects, it’s the mayor
• Speaking for the city
• Events: The person you most want
• The most popular press conference
• Alliances: Include citywide electeds
The Mayor and City Departments: Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Mayor
Staff
Commission
Department Head
Stuff gets done
BUT…Who Ya’ Gonna Call? The Councilmember!
• If voters have a problem in their neighborhood, 27% will go to their city council member for help, while only eight percent will seek out the mayor’s office.
• Clearly, the council, rather than the mayor, is seen as the constituency service center of the city government.
*PBI poll result October, 2013
It’s not just the mayor and council
The big ones:•Mayor
•City Council
•City attorney
•Controller
But don’t forget:•The CAO and CLA•City commissioners
•Staff members at all levels
•Non-City electeds•Neighborhood councils
•City departments
Part Two: Where Do Neighborhood Councils Fit In?
•Origins
•Expectations
•Why no dotted or solid line to the government?
•Powers and roles: outsiders, insiders, or both?
•Reinventing and reimagining
The Roots of the NC Movement: Born in Rebellion
Photo Credit: KCET.org from Los Angeles Neighborhoods Collection, Los Angeles Public Library
What’s the role of NCs?
•Semi independent
•Draw their own boundaries
•Devise their own bylaws
•Decide to elect or not
•Advisory to city government
Turning points
•1999 city charter Article IX
•Regulations governing neighborhood councils
•Introduction of funding for NCs
•Neighborhood Council Review commission and following ordinances
To Consider for Next Time….
•Within the current design of the neighborhood council system, what will be the most effective way to operate?
•If you could reimagine or reinvent any part of the neighborhood council system, what would it be?
Los Angeles City Government And the Neighborhood Councils
NEXT WEEK Session Two:
The Guts of City Government
April 8, 2015
Los Angeles City Government And the Neighborhood Councils
LAST SESSIONSession Three:
Moving the System
April 15, 2015