LA’s Neighborhood Councils: Theatre of the Absurd

LA’S NEIGHBORHOODS-One of the fascinating things about Los Angeles is that it has no institutional memory - everyone is from somewhere else, is moving in or out of wherever they live, its buildings are constantly being torn down and rebuilt as the latest and greatest, and a constant flow of newcomers don't care much about how things 'used to be'; it's what’s trending on Twitter or Facebook that counts.  

So here's an historical note.  A few of us have been around the Neighborhood Council system long enough to remember the promise of the Charter Reform which led to the creation of the Neighborhood Council System.  We remember the number one priority of the system as laid out in the City Ordinance back in 2001: 

"WHEREAS, the goals and objectives of the Neighborhood Council system are to: promote public participation in City governance and decision-making processes so that government is more responsive to local needs and requests and so that more opportunities are created to build partnerships with government to address local needs and requests ...  " 

Ah, those heady days!  Who would have thought that within 15 years the City would figure out a way to reverse the promise, totally control (photo above) the Neighborhood Council system, choke off meaningful pushback by the stakeholders, and by golly claim victory. It's one of those "only in LA" moments. 

Consider.  Even as the size of elected officials staffs swell, and the Mayor announces a new City Initiative almost every day, the staffing for the Neighborhood Councils has gone from around 52 in their heyday to under 10 (ten) as I write.  And at the same time, the City trumpets how we now have (clap here) 96 certified Neighborhood Councils and counting (down, I believe to 93 since the announcement). 

The Council and the Mayor pat the Neighborhood Council's on the head even as they sell the City of Angels off to real estate developers and displace those who are diverse and not affluent -- the very people who define the true character of our City.  If you don't believe me, just see Jack Humphreville's recent CityWatch piece on Herb and Eric's latest gift to our citizens.  Or look at the annals of CityWatch.  You just can't make this stuff up. 

How did this come to be?  As a great believer in economic determinism (I note that Charles A. Beard's work 'An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States' celebrated its 100th anniversary recently), let us follow the money. 

The City controls the money for the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE), and it's Commission (BONC), who staff and regulate the Neighborhood Council system.  Since the Neighborhood Councils aren't a regular part of City Government, they have to rely on these two resources to distribute funds, pay for things the Councils want to buy or contribute to, and provide staffing such as clerical support/supplies/printing etc. 

Well, DONE got BONC'd by the City.  After an abortive attempt by then Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to simply eliminate the Department, the City got clever and started to strangle the Councils by drying up the money.  Without money and staff, DONE becomes the bottleneck which freezes the ability of the Neighborhood Councils to take any action.  I guess someone figured that the cost savings from beggaring the Neighborhood Councils will help offset the unfunded liabilities which the City faces.  On an $8 Billion City budget, ask how that math works :-). 

As a direct result of these 'efficiencies', anyone but a politician knows that it is physically impossible for 10 people to adequately staff and support 96 (or 93, or whatever) independent Neighborhood Councils.  Witness the recent action by LANCC (Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition) to ask the Neighborhood Councils to in effect petition the City to provide more staff for DONE.  From a Charter priority in 2001 to 'Mother May I" in 2015.  Wow! 

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But wait, there's more.  Starved of funds, the bureaucratic response to this money/staffing problem is for the folks at the top of the food chain to simply issue Edicts, and unilaterally impose their will on the folks who were supposed to 'promote public participation in City governance and decision-making processes...".  From bottom up democracy to Imperial Edicts in one fell swoop. Or, as my headline states, The Theatre of the Absurd. 

We now have new Council Ordinances to govern us, and BONC (too bad its not spelled BONK) Policies.  Approval to expend funds is subject to prior approval of DONE which can't handle their own payroll, much less the  ever increasing and contradictory 'rules', which result in Neighborhood Councils unable to actually expend their funds for something useful to their communities.  Instead, the unspent funds can be 'swept' by the Department and/or the City for their own purposes.  Pretty slick. 

And just to make sure that the troops are toothless, the City Attorney gives 'privileged legal advice' to Neighborhood Council Boards to stop them from actually acting on their agenda items. You know, the City Attorney -- the guy who has 'outsourced' land use litigation to the developer's attorneys so that the citizens get to pay to get hosed.  The net result is that the Neighborhood Councils can try to stop something, and then have the taxpayers pay the tab if they are lucky enough to push back against the developers/billboard companies/ etc. 

I'm starting to think that we my need another Valley Succession movement.  And here in Northeast LA where I reside, we probably need a NELA Succession movement before the PLUM Committee (don't you just love that title?) gives away all the rest of our land to gentrifyin' developers so they can squeeze who’s left of regular folks out of their homes and neighborhoods. 

Just sayin' …

 

(Tony Butka is an Eastside community activist, who has served on a neighborhood council, has a background in government and is an occasional contributor to CityWatch.)

-cw

 

CityWatch

Vol 13 Issue 50

Pub: Jun 19, 2015