Business Group Supports Giving Mayor More Clout
The Valley Industry and Commerce Assn., the San Fernando Valley’s main business group, Monday came out in favor of amending the city charter to empower the mayor to dismiss city department heads, with no interference from the City Council.
Most major U.S. cities--including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and New York--give their mayors sole authority to fire department heads, a VICA statement argued.
But under the Los Angeles city charter, the mayor must seek approval of the 15-member City Council to dismiss the managers, which critics charge diminishes accountability.
VICA Chairman Steve Lew said that strengthening the mayor’s hand was in accordance with his group’s drive to promote greater local representation, better efficiency and fiscal responsibility.
The endorsement comes days after leaders of the city’s two charter reform commissions--one elected and one appointed--reached a compromise on whether the City Council should be allowed to review a mayor’s decision to fire city general managers.
A special joint committee agreed to back a compromise allowing the mayor to fire department heads but permit the council to overrule the dismissal by a two-thirds vote.
That compromise now goes to the two separate committees considering charter changes to be submitted to voters.
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