Council Members Assail Mayor’s Plan for Elected Reform Panel

Members of the Los Angeles City Council on Friday blasted Mayor Richard Riordan’s petition to create an elected government reform panel, calling it invalid because the way panel members would be elected has been changed since the signatures were gathered.

However, U.S. District Judge Mariana Pfaelzer issued a ruling late Friday that appears to reject the council’s arguments.

Although the council took no formal action, the harsh criticism voiced by a majority of members during their session Friday indicated that the council is willing to continue fighting to keep the measure off the April ballot.

“We really don’t have the option to put the petition, as circulated, on the ballot,” Councilwoman Ruth Galanter said.

The crux of the debate is language in Riordan’s petition providing that members of the reform panel shall be elected on a “citywide” basis.

After city officials raised legal concerns about the petition, Pfaelzer ruled, in a suit filed by the mayor, that the election should be held in April. But she also ruled that members of the panel should be elected by district to ensure that minorities are fairly represented.