Supporters Launch Campaign to Win Approval of New L.A. City Charter

A broadly based coalition of Los Angeles civic leaders launched a campaign Thursday to win voter approval of a new City Charter, saying the measure on the June 8 ballot is the key to a more efficient, accountable and open city government.

“A new charter is just what Los Angeles needs to assure its continued ascent,” Mayor Richard Riordan said during a news conference with three dozen business executives, labor leaders and civil rights activists at the Central Library. “A new charter means more accountability, more efficient government. It means giving a voice to people.”

The proposed 143-page charter, copies of which were mailed this week to city voters, would replace a 700-page blueprint of city government that was adopted in 1925 and amended 400 times since then, said George Kieffer, who chaired the city’s appointed Charter Reform Commission.

Kieffer is co-chairing the new Citizens Committee for Charter Reform, along with Erwin Chemerinsky, chairman of the city’s elected Charter Reform Commission.

“Seventy-five years ago when this current City Charter was developed, this city was a different city--less diverse, smaller, more manageable,” Kieffer said.

The Citizens Committee for Charter Reform is a separate entity from Reform L.A., the campaign committee that plans to spend $1 million on the election, but the two groups share members and goals.

Others appearing on behalf of the new charter Thursday were City Atty. James Hahn, City Council members Mike Feuer and Cindy Miscikowski, former Urban League President John Mack and Chamber of Commerce President Ezunial Burts.

Leaders of the NAACP, League of Women Voters, American Jewish Congress and Asian Pacific Leagal Center also have signed on to the campaign.

The San Fernando Valley, which is seen as key to the measure’s success, was well represented in the new group. Studio City attorney David Fleming, Valley VOTE Chairman Richard Close, former City Councilwoman Joy Picus of Woodland Hills, attorney Rob Glushon of Encino, and Tony Lucente, president of the Studio City Residents Assn., attended the news conference.

Lucente said the new charter does not go as far as many Valley leaders wanted, but is better than the status quo. Failure of the new charter could give new momentum to the Valley secession movement, he warned.

Bill Carrick, the charter reform campaign manager, said the education efforts will target the Valley, as well as the 10th and 14th council districts, where runoff elections may mean higher turnout.

“We’re going to pay a lot of attention to the Valley because that’s where turnout is higher,” Carrick said.

Although there is no comparable organized opposition, individual opponents include City Council members Ruth Galanter, Jackie Goldberg and Rudy Svorinich Jr., and charter commissioner Paula Boland of Granada Hills.

Some council members say the charter gives the mayor too much power to remove general managers without their approval.

“If this charter passes, it will bring Los Angeles back 75 years to a time of crime, cronyism and corruption,” Svorinich said.

The councilman said opponents have formed a group called Los Angeles Taxpayers for Good Government to fight the measure.