The Standard Fill-In Won’t Do : A special appointee is needed to temporarily replace Yaroslavsky

Traditionally, the City of Los Angeles’ chief legislative analyst is tapped for vacant City Council seats until they can be filled by special or regular election. In this case, the analyst is Ron Deaton (who is highly regarded), and the shoes he figures to fit into are those of Fifth District Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky.

Yaroslavsky ascends to the Board of Supervisors early next month, and Deaton would handle day-to-day operations for the district until an election can be held in June. Usually, that protocol would be fine. However, the legislative analyst cannot vote on matters before the council, and it is precisely that non-voting status that is unacceptable in this instance.

The Fifth District includes Bel-Air, Century City, Fairfax, Westwood and sections of Studio City, Van Nuys and North Hollywood. But it also encompasses Sherman Oaks, and Yaroslavsky has produced statistics showing that in the Northridge earthquake of Jan. 17, Sherman Oaks suffered monetary damage that equals or surpasses that of Northridge. It’s also true that the City Council has been voting on many local funding programs for recovery and repairs, and figures to do so many more times soon.

The Fifth District will need a voting member to represent it during these important council debates through mid-1995. City Council President John Ferraro cleared the decks for such an appointment when he said that he would not oppose such a move if it was supported by a majority on the council. It would be a show of council collegiality and a display of respect for Fifth District residents if the council offered such support.

What’s needed now is a list of possibilities, and Yaroslavsky ought to help. Potential appointees should be both knowledgeable about the Fifth District and legislative affairs in general. It’s also imperative that they have no interest whatsoever in running for the council seat come June. Recent election results notwithstanding, even a short incumbency could provide an unfair advantage at the polls.

Among the folks who should be considered (or courted) are outgoing Supervisor Ed Edelman and outgoing state Sen. David A. Roberti. This is a matter that the council should take up soon.