Slow-Growth Backers Get Key Council Assignments

Los Angeles’ slow-growth movement picked up momentum Tuesday in City Council committee appointments announced by Council President John Ferraro.

Michael Woo and newly elected Ruth Galanter, whose slow-growth platforms helped them win seats on the City Council, received coveted appointments to the Planning and Environment Committee. Councilman Hal Bernson, who is perceived as more sympathetic to development, will chair the committee.

Another winner in the committee sweepstakes included a likely 1989 mayoral candidate, Zev Yaroslavsky, who retained his high-profile chairmanship of the Finance and Revenue Committee.

Development Projects

The influential Planning Committee, which shapes development projects before they reach full council hearings, “is representative of the attitude in the community,” Ferraro said at a press conference. Although Bernson is not a part of the slow-growth faction, Ferraro characterized him as “very cautious on development.”

Woo and Galanter, both of whom have master’s degrees in city planning, should provide additional “professional competence” to the committee, said Laura Lake, a co-founder of the activist group Not Yet New York.

Gerald Silver, president of Homeowners of Encino, characterized Bernson’s appointment as “a big disappointment,” noting that the chairman decides which issues will be debated. However, Fred Kramer, vice president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn., said he considers Bernson to be objective.

Ferraro said he tried to achieve philosophical and geographic balance on the council’s 15 committees. Only eight of the 15 council committee chairmanships were objects of lobbying by members, Ferraro said.

Under council rules, each member must be assigned to chair a committee. The council president’s decisions are final.

Ferraro denied reports that, while politicking for the council presidency, he promised key committee chairmanships to more than one member. He acknowledged that in making appointments “you certainly don’t mistreat your friends”--and many who had sided with Ferraro early received key appointments.

Newly elected Councilman Nate Holden, for example, sided with Ferraro early and triumphed over Woo in gaining chairmanship of the Transportation and Traffic Committee. A source said Woo’s disappointment was tempered by the fact that another slow-growth ally, Marvin Braude, was named along with Woo to the transit committee, likely forming a majority on many issues.

Councilman Richard Alatorre, another early Ferraro ally, was seeking the chairmanship of the Finance and Revenue Committee, but got a good consolation prize in the chairmanship of the Police, Fire and Public Safety panel. He also received appointments to two purse-string committees: Finance and Revenue, and Grants, Housing and Community Development.

Several other Ferraro friends got the chairmanships they wanted: Gilbert Lindsay will chair Public Works; Robert Farrell, Grants, Housing and Community Development; Joan Milke Flores, Industry and Economic Development, and Bernson, the Planning Committee.