LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Members of the Los Angeles City Council's Ad Hoc Committee on Governance Reforms Thursday attempted to hash out details for establishing an independent redistricting commission.
John Wickham, assistant chief legislative analyst, and committee members began Thursday's meeting by discussing creating a mission statement to serve as the guiding principles for the redistricting process.
"I do think some kind of an acknowledgement in the preparatory phrasing of this about concerns over integrity in the process," said Councilwoman Traci Park, a member of the committee formed in response last fall's leak of a racist conversation featuring three council members discussing manipulation of the 2021 redistricting process.
"That's why we're having this conversation and acknowledging that, as we think about the purpose and giving voice to that in the opening purpose language. It makes sense."
The committee continued its discussion about what an independent redistricting committee would look like and how it should operate.
Wickham reiterated the independent redistricting commission is the one and only body to decide boundaries for council districts based on census data and following federal and state laws.
Independent redistricting commissioners could also consider a slew of factors such as, but not limited to, geography and communities of interest such as the city's Neighborhood Councils. According to Wickham, it's important the independent redistricting commission to define what a community of interest is as it will influence their decisions.
"The commission should have flexibility in defining what that will be because 10 years from now, 20 years from now, and 30 years from now, that could be different from what you think it is today," Wickham said.
If any commissioners were using the process to be divisive and produce maps that did not have a wide public approval or acceptance, there would be significant problems and the solutions would be found in the courts.
Alex Whitehead, an analyst with the Office of the Chief Legislative Analyst, led the discussion on the "nitty gritty" details for organization of the commission, including the number of commissioners, qualifications, how long they would serve; a proposed timeline ahead of the redistricting process in 2031; and the duties of commissioners.
"It's important to identify a number that can represent the city's diversity and ensure full participation," Whitehead said. "Too few commissioners may cause the opportunity for diversity to suffer, but if you had too many it could dissipate responsibility between all the commissioners and make it difficult to debate."
Council members appoint representatives to a 21-member redistricting commission, which meets every 10 years to redraw council district boundaries. The commission handing redistricting in Long Beach has 13 members and San Diego's has nine, and each of them includes between two and four alternates.
Committee members came to the conclusion that the number of commissioners would be 17, including alternates for potential vacancies. Committee members also agreed alternate members would participate in the process from the beginning.
"I think that capturing a diversity of viewpoints is to me a higher priority than avoiding meetings," said Council President and chair of the committee Paul Krekorian. "I'd rather have them try to figure out how to get along and have a discussion, and know that we have a pool of people that are able to include all voices."
The committee also discussed to what extent geography should play a role in how commissioners are selected, citing a need to ensure representation of different communities. Councilwoman Nithya Raman pointed out that while it's important to select commissioners from different areas of the city, no one person can capture the essence of one area like the San Fernando Valley for example.
"The higher goal for me is to get people in there who can really consider the needs of different communities in Los Angeles with an even-handed approach and speak up for communities that don't often get spoken up for," Raman said.
Committee members also talked about potential term limits for commission members, which could be anywhere between six to 10 years.
Council members went over certain qualifications they'd like to see from prospective candidates, the type of communication commissioners would be allowed and not allowed to engage to ensure the redistricting process remains transparent and ethical, and the need for public participation to engage during the entire process.
The next three committee meetings will be held away from City Hall in an attempt to receive comment on governance reform from residents from throughout the city.
-- At 4 p.m., April 20 the committee will discuss the size of council districts at the Expo Center, 3980 Bill Robertson Lane;
-- At 4 p.m., May 22, the committee will deliberate on commission selection at Van Nuys City Hall, 14410 Sylvan St.; and
-- At 10 a.m., June 1, the committee will discuss commission instructions at the Cheviot Hills Recreation Center, 2551 Motor Ave.
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