Valley Commentary : L.A. Council Must Fill the Vacancy in 5th District : When Zev Yaroslavsky leaves to join county board, district could be left without a city voice for seven months. But its needs require an interim replacement.

In the first week of December, Zev Yaroslavsky will prematurely vacate his Los Angeles City Council seat to assume his new role as a county supervisor.

Unless the council appoints an interim council member to fill this vacancy, which it is authorized but not obligated to do, the 5th District--which includes Bel-Air, Century City, Fairfax, Sherman Oaks, Westwood and portions of Studio City, Van Nuys and North Hollywood--will be without representation on the City Council for more than seven months, until a newly elected council member takes office in July, 1995.

Anyone who lives or works in this district, as I do, should be concerned about the impact of a seven-month vacancy in this seat and ask in Yaroslavsky’s absence, Who’s minding the store?

I am appealing to the members of the L.A. City Council to make it a priority to appoint an interim council member to the 5th District seat.

This seat represents a full-time job that requires the complete focus and attention of one very dedicated and experienced decision-maker, someone who is familiar with the special dynamics of the 5th District and who understands the inner workings of city government.

*

Whoever they appoint should not be a candidate for the elected seat. It will be no easy task for the council members to find such a qualified person. I recognize the conflicting motivation of council members who oppose an interim appointment as they view the prospect of splitting the city pie 14 and not 15 ways. I am asking them to make an appointment because it is essential to the welfare of the 5th District. It is morally the right thing to do; it’s good government, and I urge the mayor if necessary to intercede.

We elect council representatives to be advocates for the interests of our district. The 5th District encompasses both San Fernando Valley and Westside areas with varied interests, and our councilman’s premature departure may well jeopardize the well-being of these areas by leaving them unrepresented if the City Council does not act. The needs of this district cannot be placed on hold or ignored for seven months or even seven days.

I hope those who live and work in the 5th District will add their voices to mine in this appeal. The Northridge earthquake was the worst natural disaster in American history. In its wake, how council vacancies were or were not filled in the past is irrelevant under the extraordinary circumstances confronting the city and the 5th District.

Sherman Oaks, Studio City and Westside areas in the 5th District are struggling to rebuild. We must ensure that these areas get their fair share of the forthcoming financial assistance that will be divvied up by the City Council in the coming months. Relief funding has been fought for and allocated only after heated debates about which communities should get what and why.

These parts of the 5th District were some of the hardest hit areas of the city and can ill afford to be left out in the cold in earthquake recovery. However, that is exactly the danger these areas now face and will continue to face during the next seven months and beyond. What about the very basic principle of no taxation without representation?

People who live in the Fairfax district, Van Nuys and Westwood have a stake in the decision as well. Crime is a serious problem in Los Angeles, and reducing crime is an ongoing and demanding process requiring money and manpower. When the money is up for grabs during next year’s budget process, 5th District areas need someone representing their interests to ensure that it receives its fair share.

As someone who lives and works in the 5th District, I feel it is my civic responsibility to do my part to preserve our voice in local government. I hope others will add their voices to persuade the L.A. City Council to do the right thing and make a swift and appropriate appointment.