Fund-Raising Ban Won't Bring Reform
Right now, the public is quite skeptical about the workings of government. So it may make sense to pass sweeping reforms, such as the ban on commissioner fund-raising set for a vote in coming weeks by the Los Angeles City Council. Perception is reality.
And, without a doubt, the city of Los Angeles can run its business better. Something definitely smells wrong, particularly in the city's independent "proprietary" departments. Maybe the fox isn't the best guard of the henhouse.
That said, Service Employees International Union Local 347 is opposed to the proposed ordinance prohibiting city commissioners from raising money for political candidates. The proposed new reform is a solution in search of a problem.
Los Angeles' campaign finance laws are among the toughest of any U.S. city. Commissioners can't solicit campaign contributions from anyone who might have business before the commission; other existing laws prohibit lobbyists, developers and others from giving financial help to anyone in an immediate position to decide on city contracts.
Personally, I support full public funding of all local elections, but I don't believe there's public support (or funds) for a "clean money" effort this year. And as long as there's no constitutional way to stop a rich man from spending his own money to win an election, every campaign finance rule should work to level the playing field.
It takes hundreds of thousands of dollars to win elections in L.A., collected at $500 a clip. A successful candidate for a council district of 250,000 people is going to "owe" plenty. The demands of this type of fund-raising guarantee donations from a wide variety of interests, interests so diverse as to temper and equalize competing forces.
That was the intent of the populist founders who included citizen commissions in the civic workings of Los Angeles. We should aim to involve more neighborhoods and individuals in the work of city commissions, utilizing video conferencing and other high-tech tools for interactive participation.
On the contrary, the proposed fund-raising ban would punish the many for the few. More than 200 women and men who serve as city commissioners share a high degree of civic mindedness and are politically involved in their communities. These individuals would face the choice of either forsaking involvement in political activities or service on an appointed city body. This will deprive our community as a whole of diverse voices.
We do not believe there is anything to be gained by forcing community leaders to make such a choice.
Los Angeles is a big city with big-city problems. Plans and solutions have to be just as big -- and touch the communities of L.A. in a significant and honest manner.
Big solutions are unquestionably needed when it comes to city contracting. Existing processes for administering and monitoring contracts are flawed in all city departments and are worst in the airports department, at the port and at the Department of Water and Power. No one's actually comparing apples to apples and no one knows how much those apples cost or should cost.
The city should first enforce the laws already on the books. Create simple consistent, transparent, enforceable procedures for contracting decisions, evaluate proposals and results, and monitor the use and administration of consulting and contracting in every department.
Commissioners didn't create this problem. Forcing these good people to choose between their appointed service and political activism is a short-sighted nonsolution that really doesn't serve the greater good at all.
Julie Butcher is the general manager of Service Employees International Union Local 347, which represents about 10,000 Los Angeles city workers.
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