WOODLAND HILLS : Councilwoman-Elect Lauds GAIN’s Grads

In her first public speech since she declared victory more than two weeks ago, Los Angeles City Councilwoman-elect Laura Chick on Thursday lauded about 30 welfare mothers for completing a high school-level education program at Pierce College.

“You have proven something to yourselves: that you can do something and that you are competent,” Chick told the graduates of Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN), a program designed to help welfare recipients get off public aid and into the job market.

It was a happy day for the graduates and for the local organizers of GAIN, which was allotted an extra $38 million in the proposed state budget this week. It was also a sweet return for Chick to the Pierce College theater in Woodland Hills, where she participated in one of a bitter series of debates with her rival, Councilwoman Joy Picus.

Outside the ceremony, Chick said she had no plans to hire any of Picus’ staff, many of whom she worked with while an aide to the councilwoman.

“I believe in change,” said Chick, who will take office next Thursday with a skeletal crew. “I respect (Picus’ staff), but I think there needs to be a whole, fresh bunch of people. I’m going to make my choices slowly. I don’t want to hire and then have to fire anybody.”

Chick said one of her top priorities during the next few weeks will be setting up citizen advisory groups on economic and planning issues, and lobbying for more police funding for the San Fernando Valley.