1999: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

With Mayor Richard Riordan as the driving force, two of Los Angeles’ most battered institutions were overhauled in 1999, a year that the mayor had dubbed at its outset as “the year of reform.”

First up was the City Charter, an antiquated constitution that dispersed power throughout the government. Hailed by defenders as a bulwark against corruption, it was viewed by Riordan and others as an obstacle to efficient, accountable government. He pushed hard for a system that gave the mayor more power and held the mayor more responsible.

Riordan didn’t get all he wanted, but he got most of it, and in June, voters overwhelmingly endorsed the resulting document--which backers trumpeted as a new blueprint for a new century.

Then came the reshaping of the Los Angeles school board. That group, whose members Riordan derided for failing children, got the full brunt of his wrath in 1999. The mayor backed three challengers and one incumbent, and all four won. The Riordan-supported candidates now command a majority of the board.