Meeting Will Focus on Charter Reform
Mayor Richard Riordan’s plan to rewrite Los Angeles’ 71-year-old city charter will be his San Fernando Valley deputy’s topic Wednesday at a meeting of the Sylmar Community Coordinating Council.
The charter reform movement has gained momentum in recent weeks as a result of threats of the San Fernando Valley’s secession.
After failing to unite on a single reform plan, the mayor and the City Council both indicated they would try to win public support for their own plan.
“The purpose of this is not to campaign for the mayor’s plan,” said Steve Parker, Riordan’s Valley deputy. “My presentation will be totally descriptive. I’ll talk about where the reform process is now and where it is going.”
Although Parker is the only scheduled speaker, Goodman said, the meeting will include representatives of City Council members as well as businesses, schools, police and social service agencies in Sylmar.
The mayor’s reform plan calls for an elected 15-member panel with the power to put reform ideas directly on the ballot. So far, the Riordan-funded petition drive for his plan has collected more than 155,000 of the 197,000 signatures needed to qualify for the April ballot.
Under the alternate plan, the council would have final say before changes recommended by a 21-member appointed panel would be put before voters.
Wednesday’s meeting will begin at noon at the Mandarin King restaurant, 17092 Devonshire St. For more information, call (818) 362-2299.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
