Charter Amendment 1: Yes

At a time of deep and often painful cost-cutting, it’s an embarrassment for the City of Los Angeles to spend more than needed to purchase supplies and equipment. If you think “no big deal,” do the arithmetic: You will discover that the extra expenditures on everything from computer disks to paper clips add up to what most people would call some real money. According to Los Angeles’ chief legislative analyst, $30 million a year could be saved if the procurement system were streamlined.

Charter Amendment 1 on the April 11 municipal ballot would affect more than two dozen sections of the City Charter and overhaul an antiquated and Byzantine purchasing system. A “yes” vote would remove the ineffective bureaucratic approval process now required for any city contract of $500 or more.

The measure also would increase efficiency by allowing the city to electronically pay invoices. In addition, City Hall could take advantage of volume discounts from retailers by combining purchase orders with those of other government agencies.

These highly technical changes, if supported by the voters, will require mayoral directives and as well as City Council ordinances for implementation.

No business person in his or her right mind would knowingly pay $24.45 for a box of computer diskettes that could be had for $6.59. While the situation is not in the league of the infamous $640 toilet seat bought by the U.S. Department of Defense, it’s amply clear that Charter Amendment 1 is needed. Unless a fix is found, Los Angeles might gain a new nickname--Pentagon on the Pacific.