Students Speak Out on Charter Reform

The students from Crenshaw High School showed up early Saturday morning to see city government at work.

They asked questions of the Los Angeles Appointed Charter Reform Commission, “voted” on proposed changes to the City Charter and spoke during the open mike period.

The event at Christ the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Leimert Park was held so the appointed charter reform commissioners could hear the public speak up, but mostly what they heard were the voices of youth.

Of about 40 people who attended the 9 a.m. event, at least 16 were from Crenshaw High School: 15 students and their government teacher, Patricia Bayard.

“I am very concerned as to the low turnout,” said Jose De Sosa, a commission member. “Being someone from the Valley and knowing the [advance publicity] that went out there, I wonder if we did not do a good enough job here.”

The meeting was one of seven open houses being held to gather public input on proposed changes to the city’s 73-year-old charter. The commission’s recommendations are still preliminary, said the commission’s executive director, Raphael J. Sonenshein. Feedback from the public will be taken into consideration before the recommendations are presented to the City Council.

“Public opinion really does count at this stage,” he said.

Though the adult turnout was low, concern about the recommendations and the future of city were high.

Norma Bertrand, a retired human resource director from View Park, opposes recommendations that amount to “a removal of checks and balances” in government.

The commission recommends giving the mayor more power over the city’s work force by allowing him to remove general managers without the City Council’s approval.

“We’ve seen what happens in New York with cronyism,” Bertrand said. “Closer to home, we see it with the MTA with all the cost overruns and out of control management that has occurred.”

Participants expressed their views by placing orange stickers on poster-sized copies of the recommendations hanging from the walls of the parish hall.

Romerol Malveaux agreed with the commission’s plan to create advisory neighborhood councils.

“That’s all about representation,” Malveaux said. “That’s all about whether the people’s voices will be heard in City Hall. That’s extremely important to me.”

The students from Crenshaw High School had much to say about the recommendations.

“This is one of the ways I encourage students to actively learn about government, rather than sitting in a class,” said Bayard, who discussed the proposed changes with her students.

Students Nikki Bludso and Esteban Lara, both seniors, supported the recommendation that the City Council have more flexibility to conduct meetings outside City Hall.

Holding council meetings in the community would make it easier for young people to participate, the students said.

“Most of us do have opinions, as you can see here,” noted Nikki, who said she became better acquainted with city government by seeing the process firsthand. “Now we know what’s really going on.”

Amber Chatman, 16, simply appreciated the chance to “participate and have an active voice.”

“Being the age that I am, I don’t get the chance to make decisions on things that affect me.”

Many students like 17-year-old Paris Hall suggested that the commission do more to inform the public about its events.

“I just think the meeting should be more announced in the community so more people can get involved,” he told the commissioners.

The commission relied on billboards, postcards and public service announcements to get the message out. But the biggest deterrent may have been the time and day, De Sosa said. At the same time as the open house Saturday, a Democratic political rally was taking place nearby.

De Sosa suggested that the commission might need to consider another event in the area. Gatherings in other communities are held from 6 to 9 p.m. on weekdays. A similar evening event in Northridge drew more than 100 people.