Give the Mayor ‘Fire’ Power

In crafting a new constitution for the city, the elected charter reform commission has rightly recognized the difference that a more accountable city government will make in improving city services. The panel has tentatively decided to grant the mayor sole discretion in removing department heads. This is a key decision that establishes an important balance between the executive and legislative branches of government.

Some detractors have attempted to frame this reform as a corporate CEO approach to government. Unfortunately, these individuals have either missed the point or are afraid to look at the merits. Separation of powers is good government that has been a tradition in this country since 1789 when President George Washington was granted the power to remove department heads without Senate approval. This executive authority has been a tried and true practice in state and local governments throughout the nation. Virtually every major city in the country, including Seattle, Denver, Houston, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York, gives its mayor the sole authority to fire department heads. Los Angeles is one of the few major cities that does not.

The commission’s charter proposal replicates the governing principles of separate branches of government with checks and balances. The mayor and City Council, as heads of legislative and executive branches of government, are partners in governing. The council’s role in confirming all mayoral appointments, the budget and virtually every other major mayoral initiative is an important check and balance on the executive branch. The mayor’s sole discretion in firing department heads is an equally important separation of powers that brings accountability to Los Angeles government.

Some have asked why granting the mayor the ability to fire department heads without interference from the council is so important. The reason is simple. This system would make the city bureaucracy accountable and responsive to the public it serves. The authority of the mayor to dismiss department heads who are not meeting the public’s needs is the linchpin of an accountable city government. After all, the mayor is the one leader elected by the citizens to ensure that city services are meeting their needs. Just as the public holds the mayor accountable, the mayor, too, must be able to hold department heads accountable.

The current city charter requires the mayor to obtain council approval to fire general managers. Council interference in the firing of department heads is bad government because it politicizes management and erases the lines of accountability. With the mayor and 15 council members for bosses, department heads are pulled in 16 different directions and, as a result, are forced to set department priorities based on who called last or yelled the loudest. Instead, department heads should set priorities based on constituents’ needs and how their resources can be used most strategically and effectively.

The elected commission has recognized the impact an accountable government will make in improving city services. Making department heads accountable to the mayor is the right decision. Just as neighborhood empowerment is a key element in true charter reform, this issue is crucial to improved city services. Meaningful reform should lead to changes that make a real difference for our citizens and our future.