Larger Council Would Help Blacks, Latinos, Study Finds

A new study commissioned by a business group and conducted by a respected voting rights expert has concluded that boosting the size of Los Angeles’ City Council as part of a reformed charter would expand minority representation in city government and could avoid a showdown in areas where Latinos and African Americans are vying for power.

“A larger City Council . . . will allow for greater representation of minority communities of interest,” the study written by Richard P. Fajardo concluded. “It will be easier to tailor districts to compatible communities of interest, whether minority or non-minority. A larger City Council will be more flexible in providing representation as minority communities grow and gain voting strength.”

According to Fajardo’s analysis, a 35-member City Council would contain seven solid Latino districts, while African Americans would represent substantial majorities in five districts. “Together,” Fajardo’s report said, “African Americans and Latinos could ultimately control up to 18 of 35” seats.

The San Fernando Valley would end up with 12 districts wholly within its borders. Wilmington also could emerge with its own council seat.

Those findings reinforce the arguments of some leading city business organizations, including the Los Angeles Business Advisors, which paid for the study. Critics have suggested that significant expansion of the council could play havoc with its internal workings and run afoul of voters, who in the past have shown little patience for proposals that seem to increase the size of government.

Many opponents of council expansion--including a new coalition that includes liberal activists and conservative homeowner representatives from the Valley--have argued instead for creation of powerful neighborhood councils that would help govern communities.

In an interview, Fajardo said he drew potential council seat lines for a 25-member council and a 29-member council as well as a 35-seat body. Although each of the maps allowed for better representation than the current 15-member panel, the best strides were found with 35 seats.

Although the business group funded his study, Fajardo emphasized that the organization, whose members include Times Publisher Mark Willes, did not influence his findings. “They haven’t told me how to say things or what to say,” he said. “They just got their copy of my report today.”

With two commissions working to rewrite the City Charter, leaders of the effort met Wednesday to discuss their progress and debate some of the remaining issues. At the session, Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg, who was in the audience, responded to a question by saying that she believes the council would probably approve the draft charter nearing completion by an appointed panel.

That would clear the way for that proposed charter to be considered by voters next year, although efforts to negotiate a common charter with an elected charter commission are ongoing. The elected commission’s work does not need to be reviewed by the council.