Stay Involved in Charter
The business community, having played a major role in the passage of the new city charter, must continue its participation in the process. The job of making city charter reform work has just begun.
One of the major creations of charter reform has been the establishment of neighborhood councils. The City Council is currently in the process of creating the structure that will govern and control them. A proposed ordinance establishing the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment and the rules under which it will operate and select members for these councils will come before the City Council on Friday, July 9.
It is imperative that every chamber of commerce and civic organization assign a representative to participate in the process of implementation. As currently drafted, Sec. 22.811 states that neighborhood council membership will be open to everyone who lives, works, owns property or otherwise identifies himself or herself as a stakeholder in the area. The business community must make sure that this provision is not diluted so those who work or own commercial property in the area are deprived of membership. Also, there must be severe penalties administered to those that would violate the spirit and letter of the law in operating their neighborhood councils.
Strict rules regarding the establishment of financial internal controls should also be established so that all funds received by a council are spent for the legitimate activities of the council. Proper rules must be established for safeguarding of the funds that will flow to the many neighborhood councils that are going to be created.
HAROLD L. KATZ
Katz, Fram & Co.
Los Angeles
