THE PROCESS TO CONSIDER REDISTRICTING OF LA CITY COUNCIL SEATS HAS BEGUN
A commission has been named to look at new census data and to consider what geographic area each council district seat should represent. Our CD 5 area could be changed and it is important that we take part in the commission process to ensure that our community is not split apart. Having a single councilmember represent us is important. Having a relationship with the other areas within a council district is also important. (As we learned when the L A County redistricting took place, it is possible for a community to be moved into a district with communities with which one has little in common.) Meetings will be held across the City and you are invited to attend any of the planned meetings. However to facilitate community access, there will be ONE input meeting held in each council district.
The CD 5 meeting will be held on:
Thursday, January 05, 2012 at 6:30pm
Fairfax High School Auditorium
7850 Melrose Avenue, LA 90046
The CD 11 meeting which is the closest to our area will be held:
Thursday December 15, 2011
6:30 p.m.
IMAN Cultural Center
3376 Motor Avenue
Palms, CA 90034
A full listing of all public input hearings is available at:
http://www.redistricting2011.lacity.org/PDF/LACITY/Pre-Draft%20Map%20Public%20Hearing%20Schedule-%20FINAL%2011-28-11.pdf
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Typical PUBLIC INPUT meeting agendas include the following items:
1. Call to Order and Presentations
a. Introduction of the Commissioners
b. Presentation of the Commission Structure and Process
c. Presentation by the City Attorney on the Redistricting Law and Criteria
d. Presentatn by the Commission Comm. on Communities of Interest Definitions (15 minutes)
2. Public Testimony regarding City Redistricting
(Each presenter is allowed no more than two minutes per speaker at the discretion of the hearing Presiding Officer. All written testimony will be accepted, as well as testimony submitted on-line)
For information concerning this Commission, please contact Myriam Lopez at (213) 922-7740 or e-mail myriam.lopez@lacity.org.
Translators, sign language interpreters, assistive listening
devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or services may be provided upon request. To ensure availability, requests should be made at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. Please call (213) 922- 77408 or e-mail myriam.lopez@lacity.orgfor accommodations.
** This meeting is also noticed as a special meeting of the LA City Redistricting Commission because there might be a quorum (11 members) of the Commission present during the course of this meeting.
Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission
www.redistricting2011.lacity.org
200 N. Spring Street, Room 275
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 922-7740 / Fax: (213) 922-7707
email: redistricting.lacity@lacity.org
LA City Faces Many Challenges in Attempting to Balance the Budget
It isn't easy, but someone's got to do IT. After years of ignoring coming budget shortfalls which were exacerbated by a downturn in the economy, LA City must address structural deficits in the budget process leading to deficit spending -- as much as $ 400 million. The state and federal deficits ensure that LA cannot look to Sacramento or Washington DC for any large bailouts. The Feds are facing their own budget meltdown as is the Golden State.
So, what's a city to do? We are fortunate to have some dedicated volunteers and staff who area working to establish practices that will improve revenue collection in the city and will reduce expenditures. Take a moment to review their work and their recommendations:
LA CORE: Commission on Revenue Efficiency: In the spring of 2010, the Los Angeles City Council created the Ad Hoc Commission on Revenue Efficiency (CORE) at the initiation of Council President Eric Garcetti to evaluate and recommend improvements in collections, billing and new revenues. Comprised of seven volunteer Commissioners, CORE has had more than 25 meetings and hearings to study and develop its Blueprint for Reform of City Collections.
RECOMMENDATIONS -- CORE offers 65 specific Recommendations for reform. A summary of priorities:
• Inspector General – Establish and appoint an Inspector General for Revenue & Collections to:
a. Prepare and provide independent and objective reports on implementation of Controller’s recommendations and CORE’s Blueprint recommendations adopted by the City.
b. Independently report on departments’ revenue and collections performance compliance.
c. Aid in facilitating collaborations and coordination needed to implement recommendations and directives.
d. Provide technical, consultative advice and independent oversight of collections reforms.
e. Serve as a conduit to other officials charged with oversight.
• Centralization and clear authority -- Of and for collection, billing, reporting, systems and data.
• Accountability, incentives and budgeting -- Hold departments accountable and incentivize new revenues.
• Intensify consequences for delinquencies -- With interest, penalties, liens and public reporting.
• Enhance quality and availability of information -- Improve accuracy and share data.
• Ease of payment and collection -- Expand and improve payment options.
• Collect systematically and with a sense of urgency – Automate and simplify process flow.
• Collections agencies -- Transfer accounts to secondary vendors after the first round of collections.
• Sell / auction aged receivables – Instead of waiting to write off old debt, sell it now.
• Amnesty and settlements -- Expedite a comprehensive non-tax amnesty and settlements program.
• LAFD billing and collection -- Expedite modernization of LAFD’s paramedic billings.
You can read more about their work and recommendations at:
http://www.rongalperin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Blueprint-for-Reform-of-City-Collections.pdf
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Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates: As appointed delegates of the Neighborhood Council system, this group has actively engaged in a systematic analysis of the City’s sources of revenue, management of departments, pension programs, collection processes, and a host of other factors that could potentially help contribute to narrowing the budget deficit. As a result of this analysis, they have come up with specific recommendations to help save the City money or in certain situations, help contribute to an increase in revenues to the City. These budget proposals have been guided by four principles: (i) Increasing Efficiency; (ii) Generating Revenues; (iii) Structural Changes; and, (iv) Reducing Expenses. Read all about it at:
http://budgetadvocatesla.com
An article on a recent meeting between the Budget Advocates and the Mayor appeared on CityWatch:
http://citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4712
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ACE: Administrative Code Enforcement Program: The proposed ACE program is a comprehensive and self-funding administrative citation, hearing and enforcement program that will capture a wide range
of low-grade municipal code violations and free up scarce courtrooms and
law enforcement officers for more serious crimes and civil actions. The ACE program was introduced by a motion from Councilmember Paul Koretz and is pending before the Council Budget and Finance Committee. The City Attorney's office is prepared to implement the program once approved by the Council.
For more info on ACE, refer to:
http://plancheckncla.com/2011/03/ace-program/
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The recent ballot measure to implement a RATE PAYERS ADVOCATE at the DWP is an effort to improve efficiency and transparency at the City's energy agency, DWP.
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And, finally there are many audits that have been done by the Controller's office over the years that have not yet been implemented.
