Times’ Election Endorsements : Today’s ballot includes City Council seats and charter amendments

Los Angeles voters today will decide seats on the City Council, the Board of Education and the board of trustees of the Community College District, plus eight proposed City Charter amendments. Times policy is not to endorse in every race but rather to express preferences selectively. *

City Council

District 2: JOEL WACHS

District 4: JOHN FERRARO

District 5: MIKE FEUER

In this hotly contested race, attorney Feurer has made the best case for his election. The former legal services director would bring energy and new ideas to this district, which sprawls from the Westside to the San Fernando Valley.

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District 6: RUTH GALANTER

District 8: MARK RIDLEY-THOMAS

District 10: KEVIN ROSS

The Times endorses Ross with the full awareness that this first-time candidate is up against better-known and better-financed opponents. But incumbent Nate Holden, beset with charges of sexual harassment, repeatedly has failed to demonstrate that he is in tune with the diverse mid-city district; and attorney Stan Sanders, despite impressive credentials, faces worrisome financial-propriety questions. Ross, a deputy district attorney with specific ideas for improving life in the district, provides a welcome contrast to the personal bickering that has marked the Holden-Sanders rivalry.

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District 12: HAL BERNSON

District 14: RICHARD ALATORRE

Board of Education

District 1: BARBARA BOUDREAUX

District 3: JEFF HORTON

District 5: No Endorsement

District 7: KATHLEEN FLEMING DIXON

As a parent of two children in public schools, attorney Dixon would press two perspectives not considered often enough in board deliberations--that of the parents and that of the children.

Community College Board

Office No. 1: No Endorsement

Office No. 3: JULIA L. WU

Office No. 5: KENNETH WASHINGTON

Office No. 7: DAVID LOPEZ-LEE

Ballot Propositions

Charter Amendment 1

(Procurement Reform) YES

Overhauls an antiquated purchasing system, saving as much as $30 million.

Charter Amendment 2

(Civil Service/Department Heads) YES

Increases accountability and pares back some civil service excess by allowing the mayor to appoint--or, in some cases, remove--most of the city’s top managers. An overdue reform.

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Charter Amendment 3

(Police Department Inspector General) YES

Creates an inspector general’s office--a key recommendation of the 1991 Christopher Commission--to handle citizen complaints against police officers. The office would audit and oversee the disciplinary process. Wrongly accused officers would benefit by being cleared by a body outside the LAPD. An excellent idea.

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Charter Amendment 4

(Retirement Board Expansion) YES

Expands the Board of Administration of the City Employees’ Retirement System (CERS) from five to seven members. An expanded board would allow city retirees to elect one retired member. The other seat would go to a mayoral appointee. Makes sense.

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Charter Amendment 5

(Accounting Change/Retirement Board) YES

Updates city accounting practices to match other retirement systems and would initially save about $15 million. Why not?

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Charter Amendment 6

(Retirement System/Beneficiaries) YES

Allows a CERS member to name a legal entity, such as a trust or nonprofit group, as a beneficiary. Under the current law, only a person may be named.

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Charter Amendment 7 (Pension System Changes) YES

Gives the City Council the authority to make changes to the Fire and Police Pension System by ordinance in order to conform with future federal tax code changes. This reform would entail no additional costs. Useful change.

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Charter Amendment 8

(Airport Funds) YES

The charter currently directs all airport revenues into one airport revenue fund. This amendment would allow the Department of Airports to create separate fund accounts for Los Angeles International, Palmdale, Van Nuys and Ontario. A better system.