Some Local Recommendations

The Times makes recommendations on the following Los Angeles City Charter amendments and a county measure on the Nov. 5 ballot.

YES on Amendment D: The Fire and Police Pension system is the only one of three city retirement systems that cancels pension benefits for surviving spouses who remarry. D will allow surviving spouses who remarry to keep their pension benefits.

YES on Amendment E: The authority for appointing members to the city’s five-member Ethics Commission for five-year terms should be spread equally. E would reduce the number of members appointed by the mayor to one (down from two), and add the president pro tempore of the City Council to the list of those who can make appointments. The City Council president, city attorney and city controller continue to appoint the other three commissioners. E also rightly allows the commission to appoint its own president.

YES on Amendment F: This measure will improve the City Employee’s Retirement System (CERS) to allow for automatic refunds for employees who leave city service after less than five years of work, and automatically vest employees with five years of service. At no extra cost, F would also eliminate need to establish guardianship for child benefits and allow CERS to administer any other retirement plan authorized by the City Council.

YES on Amendment G: It would allow the City Council to authorize the Department of Water and Power to conduct any business that is in the best interests of the city and does not interfere with its responsibility of providing water and power to the city. It would allow DWP to sell electricity and other products and services inside or outside the city, and allow the negotiation of electric rate contracts for certain customers. Under utilities deregulation, the DWP will face new competition. G’s changes are needed to allow the DWP to compete effectively and continue to offer low rates.

YES on Amendment I: Separate standards now apply for the borrowing and investing of funds by the Airports, Harbor and Water and Power departments, which generate their own revenues. Amendment I would: allow the City Council to establish uniform requirements for the departments; streamline procedures for the sale and issuance of bonds and for investments; require independent, periodic surveys of the business and property of the departments.

YES on Amendment J: City Charter Amendment J would allow the City Council, by a two-thirds vote, to exempt from Civil Service requirements up to 150 people providing management and professional services for the city (and for up to 15 positions in the DWP) when a city department cannot fill a position through usual Civil Service processes.

YES on County Proposition C: County department heads are already exempt from Civil Service rules. Proposition C would authorize the Board of Supervisors to add exemptions for a limited number of deputy department heads. There is no reason for senior managers to retain Civil Service protections. Supervisors and department heads should have maximum flexibility to assemble and retain senior staff. The change begins when vacancies occur.