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THIS IS THE URBAN ISSUES PAGE
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IN THIS SITE
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Some links on these archived pages are not operative.
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This NONCOMMERCIAL site is a harmless hobby of George Garrigues, who has lived in the Westside Village district of Palms for 12 years. These pages have no connection with any organization.
Send him e-mail with corrections and comments.
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RICK ORLOV
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Livable neighborhoods are on the minds of L.A.'s local councils
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From the Los Angeles Daily News
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Making neighborhoods more livable and improving traffic were among top priorities cited by neighborhood councils as their leaders gathered Saturday [Jan. 21, 2006] to refine their message to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and city leaders on where they want to see the city's money spent.
In a half-day session at City Hall, about 150 representatives from neighborhood councils voiced their goals for Los Angeles and its $5.4 billion budget.
"It used to be, a mayor would prepare a budget, the City Council would approve it and that would be it. Today, it's different," Councilman Dennis Zine told the group. "You are part of the process and the budget will reflect your priorities."
Over the past several months, the city has surveyed neighborhood council leaders on what they think are their communities' preferred budget priorities. While some members said Saturday they were upset with how the survey was conducted — including areas outside the city's responsibility — most said they agreed with the priorities that resulted.
Using a weighted factor, the surveys found most respondents were concerned with livable neighborhood issues such as sidewalk repair, parks, libraries and after-school programs for children.
That was followed by traffic issues, economic development and homeland security.
Zine and budget aides to the mayor cautioned that even with the priorities listed by the group, it did not necessarily translate into where the most money will go.
For example, the city's largest department — the Los Angeles Police Department - receives more than $1.1 billion of the city budget and will continue to receive the highest priority to meet Villaraigosa's goal of hiring 1,000 more police officers in his four-year term.
"But we aren't seeing the people come in to be police officers," Zine said. "The mayor and the council put the money in the budget to hire 700 officers this year. They aren't coming in the front door to be hired. So we have to match our priorities with reality."
Assistant Finance Director Ben Ceja said the city also is facing some grim financial realities — including a structural deficit that has been estimated to result in a $245 million shortfall heading into budget deliberations.
"The easy fixes are gone," Ceja said. "The city has used up a lot of the one-time money that was used in the past. We need to look at real ways to have our revenues meet our expenditures."
Among the problems facing the city, Ceja said, is an expected $200 million increase in labor costs this coming year because of pensions and higher salary expenses.
The city also is expected to face growing construction costs amid rising prices for materials, including lumber, steel and concrete.
Villaraigosa has brought in efficiency experts to examine how the city can streamline its bureaucracy, Ceja said, but that will result in limited savings, given the demands for city services.
One area that neighborhood councils will be asked to consider is a possible increase in fees for trash collection and sidewalk repair.
Ceja said the city now pays 67 percent of the cost of trash collection; more than 40 percent of the neighborhood councils surveyed said they would support a $7 monthly trash fee to make up some of the $315 million annual cost.
"The mayor is not saying there will be any increases of this sort, but it is something the neighborhood councils should consider as they look at the budget priorities," Ceja said.
The neighborhood councils now will be asked to select 14 representatives - two from each of the city's seven planning areas - who will meet with Villaraigosa in February to discuss their recommendations.
The mayor also will be meeting with department heads to get their budget requests before submitting a budget plan to the City Council in April.
Neighborhood councils' inclusion in the city's budget process was started by former Mayor James Hahn. Villaraigosa has expanded involvement to include a ranking of city services.
Rick Orlov, (213) 978-0390 rick.orlov@dailynews.com
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DAN LAIDMAN
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North Hollywood makes a move to break into 3 smaller districts
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From the Los Angeles Daily News, Jan. 28, 2006
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A North Hollywood neighborhood council has become the first to move formally toward breaking into smaller groups - a development that could encourage similar efforts elsewhere in the city.
This month's vote by the Mid-Town North Hollywood Neighborhood Council would shrink its boundaries to allow for a total of three community groups to eventually sprout within its current limits.
The council currently represents almost 69,000 people - significantly more than many of the city's . . . other councils, which get $50,000 each, regardless of size.
"You've got different people from different areas fighting for the same amount of resources," said Diann Corral, treasurer of the council and a supporter of the split.
"We just thought it made more sense for smaller neighborhood councils to get the maximum amount of services for our areas."
"It would eat up two-thirds of our budget just to send out a newsletter monthly to everyone in our community," Corral said.
Greg Nelson, general manager of the city Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, said the effort could encourage such shifts in South and East Los Angeles, as well.
"This would be setting a precedent and we're excited about it," said Nelson.
DONE now must examine city rules to determine how a split would work. The boundary change also needs the approval of the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners.
And, as with most neighborhood council issues, the split has not come without some discontent. Some Mid-Town North Hollywood members, including the council's current president, object to the process.
"It came down so quickly I don't believe anyone was prepared," said Cary Adams, the head of the council.
Adams also worries that some areas may suffer under the proposed setup.
The Mid-Town council would shrink to an area south of Burbank Boulevard, and Adams said there is no guarantee new councils would develop in the two areas to the north, especially the less-affluent area closer to the Burbank border.
Leba Marquez, a board member from that area, also worries about her neighbors losing their voice.
"I'm concerned that we had a viable system working that seemed to somehow disappear without community outreach," she said.
But Corral said the move to shrink the boundaries was properly agendized so those who follow council activities would know about it.
And she said she believes people will come forward in the two areas to the north to create new councils.
"I feel confident that it's going to go smoothly. There's strong leadership in each area," she said.
Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, who represents most of the area, said her office also would assist.
"We will help fill that gap if there is one," she said. "I think the existing Mid-Town Neighborhood Council is committed to the entire community even if they do want to split it up into the three areas."
Nelson, who was involved in the genesis of the neighborhood council system, said early advocates believed larger councils resembled small cities and could not effectively communicate with stakeholders.
"My feeling is the ideal size would be so everything that was discussed at the meetings would be of interest to everyone in the area," he said.
Dan Laidman, (213) 978-0390, dan.laidman@dailynews.com |
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