LA County BOS Charter Reform Vote:
9:30am Tues 7/23
Fair Rep LA Website
This page: bit.ly/FairRepLA
MEETING INFO
- Comment taken in person & via phone
- Board Hearing Room, located at 500 West Temple Street, Room 381-B, Los Angeles, CA 90012
- You may sign up for items on the posted agenda using the Kiosks located outside and inside the Board Hearing Room
- You may also sign up with your cellular phone or device using the QR codes posted outside and inside the Board Hearing Room
- Your name will be called and displayed on the screen when it is your turn to address the Board
- Starting at 9:00 a.m. PDT, call (877) 226-8163
- Once prompted, enter the Participant Code number 1336503, then press #
- An Operator will take your name and item number(s) you wish to address and place you in a “listening-only” queue.
- Please listen carefully to the instructions on providing live testimony to the Board.
- You will need to press 1 then 0 to be moved into a “speaking“ queue when the item(s) you wish to address is called.
- You will hear, “You are in queue.”
- When it is your turn, the moderator will call your name and open your phone line.
- Note: Your line will be muted when your time expires, and you will be moved back to the “listening-only” queue.
- Note: If you press 1 then 0 twice, you will hear, “You are removed from the queue.”
- If you are inadvertently removed, you may press 1 then 0 to be placed back into the “speaking” queue.
- More info on calling in.
- When you are called on to speak:
- The moderator will call your name and open your line.
- You must pay close attention to the meeting to know when the agenda item you wish to speak on has been called and it is your time to speak.
- You may be asked to state your name and the agenda item(s) you will address, including general public comment.
- You must ensure your microphone is unmuted before speaking.
- Turn down any other device before you unmute your line.
- You may speak for the allotted time.
- Please stay on topic or the moderator may move to the next speaker.
- To provide written comments on agenda items, use the following link: https://publiccomment.bos.lacounty.gov/
- Complete information at the top of the comment page (Note: First and Last names are required fields.)
- Choose the agenda item(s) that you wish to address.
- Select In Favor, Oppose, Other
- Optional: You may submit comments for each item separately or upload a document with all of your comments. (Attachment limit is 5 documents.)
- Select “Next”
- Verify the information is correct and select “Acknowledge” to submit.
- All comments submitted are public and viewable online.
- This page is updated at the end of each day.
- Closest Metro stations to LA County BOS:
- Grand Ave Arts / Bunker Hill Station
- Blue (A) Line & Gold (E) Line
- Civic Center / Grand Park Station
- Red (B) Line & Purple (D) Line
- Historic Broadway Station
- Blue (A) Line & Gold (E) Line
- Little Tokyo / Arts District Station
- Blue (A) Line & Gold (E) Line
- Red (B) Line, Purple (D) Line, Blue (A) Line, & Gold (E) Line
- This relatively affordable & convenient lot can be found a few blocks east at:
- 101 Judge John Aiso St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
- Cash or Card accepted
Main Ask
Request the board amend the draft language to ensure the creation of an ethics commission that is actually independent.
- The draft language does not provide any meaningful guidance on what the ethics commission would look like:
- No information on how many commissioners it would have or how they would be appointed.
- No protection for commissioners against unjust removal. LA City Ethics Commissioners can only be removed for cause.
- Does not address how the individual leading the ethics department would be appointed.
- Does not address circumstances under which that individual could be removed.
- Does not provide a protected budget or outside counsel.
- Does not address the process for enforcement actions, or potential fines.
- Deferring these choices to the reform task force is not an option.
- 1st, it allows the board to come up with rules to regulate themselves (without voter approval involved).
- 2nd, it allows the board free reign to reverse these rules (without voter approval involved).
2nd Ask
Schedule a special meeting so that the board has additional time to hear from the public and flush out details.
- Many important decisions are left to a reform task force created after the measure’s passage, but there needs to be greater effort to detail what that process would look like and how the public’s role will be preserved.
- Decisions related to the ethics commission cannot be left to the task force. The commission will only be independent if its powers and safeguards are placed in the charter.
General Talking Points
The Board must act quickly, but in order to get the details right we need to ensure the public has sufficient opportunity to weigh in. After the official language is drafted, the Board should hold an evening meeting on this item to maximize public input.
Fair Representation (5->9 districts):
- A 5 member board cannot represent the diversity of 10 million people.
- The 2021 redistricting commission had a very difficult time drawing fair maps w/ just 5 puzzle pieces, and recommended expansion.
- Districts with 2 million residents are too large to manage, and do not produce competitive elections.
Checks and Balances (County Exec):
- Making the County CEO an elected position will provide a meaningful check on the Board of Supervisors.
- The County faces enormous challenges, but does not have a clear leader in charge of its departments or the delivery of services.
- This hinders our ability to address issues like homelessness or transportation with true accountability or a clear voice.
Transparency (Ethics Commission):
- The County needs an independent ethics commission to hold county officials accountable.
- Corruption scandals have undermined faith in government.
- The County Registrar has too much on their plate, removing campaign finance disclosure from their responsibilities will allow them to focus on other matters.
- The County’s current campaign finance database is severely outdated.
- Voters deserve to be able to quickly search and comprehensively view campaign finance and lobbying data.