Borough Proposal Submitted to Council

A proposal to create a borough system in Los Angeles was submitted Tuesday to the City Council by five of its members. If approved by the council, it would go to voters on Nov. 5, providing the city’s electorate with an alternative to an expected secession measure or measures that same day.

The proposal calls for a charter amendment that would create an elected, 15-member commission to draft a plan within a year. That commission would be required to divide the city into boroughs, each of which would elect its own board to handle local budget and planning decisions.

The motion was introduced by Councilwomen Wendy Greuel and Janice Hahn and seconded by council members Tom LaBonge, Jan Perry and Dennis Zine.

“This is not a study,” Greuel said. “This is a binding reorganization that dramatically moves power away from City Hall and to the local communities.”

Although she picked up some support from additional council members, some secessionists viewed the motion as an attempt to derail their efforts and some council members greeted the move skeptically.

“If they had floated this two or three years ago, it might have been taken seriously,” said Councilman Hal Bernson. “To me it looks like a blatant attempt to sidetrack a vote on secession.”

Councilwoman Hahn said she supported a similar effort as a charter reform commissioner in 1997. That proposal was set aside by the charter panel in favor of other changes, including the creation of a citywide neighborhood council network.

Hahn said the key feature of the borough system would be to have city departments coordinate with each borough to provide the level of service they demand.

“This takes all the negative aspects, all the uncertainties about breaking the city up and says we can stay together and clearly we heard from the public that they want a government that better serves the constituents,” Hahn said.

Her brother, Mayor James K. Hahn, was noncommittal.

“It is an interesting idea,” said Deputy Mayor Matt Middlebrook. “But what the mayor is focused on is the neighborhood councils. That’s his priority in terms of empowering neighborhoods and getting communities involved in working with the city.”

The borough proposal would keep the neighborhood council system to complement the borough boards. It also would, to the extent legal, “increase community borough control over neighborhood public schools,” although it does not say how.

Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski said she wants to hear more details about how the borough system would work before she decides whether she can support it.

“It is innovative. It is attractive,” said Miscikowski, who opposes secession efforts by the San Fernando Valley, Hollywood and the harbor area. “I’m not so sure it can be precipitated quickly. I think we need to give it a lot of thought.”

But some secessionists portrayed the proposal as a ploy to undermine plans to break up the city. Gene La Pietra, president of Hollywood Vote, likened the proposal to putting a ringer candidate on the ballot to take votes from a legitimate contender.

“It’s a cheap trick,” he said. “Obviously, the intent is to deprive the people of Los Angeles of an honest vote.”

After being introduced, the proposal was referred to two council committees Tuesday. Those committees will consider the measure and make recommendations to the full council, which has until late August to act.