Today a client asked me to prepare a list of all the possible Sacramento legislators eyeing a spot in the Los Angeles City Council. As I sat down to type the memo I realized that there were as many as five current legislators looking at Council seats…add that to existing 4 (5 if you count Alarcon) and we’re talking a straight up majority and an almost 2/3 majority of the Los Angeles City Council as refugees from Sacramento. So what does this mean?
First, we all agree that term limits has wreaked havoc on our political leadership. From the local level on up the food chain, it’s more like a game of musical chairs than a dedication to public service. Maybe I shouldn’t complain because we could consider it a jobs program for campaign consultants, lawyers, and folks like me. But, as a taxpayer and a person who believes in government all I can say is that we deserve stable government and elected officials who can devote time to the business of governance rather than the spectacle of campaigning all the time. Campaigns have a weird dynamic…they either make people say and do crazy things just to get a vote or they stifle people from saying what they REALLY think. Either way, perma-campaign mode is NOT the way to lead.
I’m also struck by the differences in the way Sacramento runs it’s shop versus the way Council has historically operated. A few big differences – in the legislature committees are run by policy staffers, not politicians and their political staff and so while some Sacramento legislators do get deeply into the issues, they actually don’t HAVE to…the committee staffs are long-time professionals who run the place. In fact, if you call some legislative offices to speak to a member about an issue, many times they will refer you to committee staff. Not exactly my idea of “representation”…I didn’t elect the committee staffer. Also, in Sacramento, there’s a lot more voting by party lines and so when the leadership says jump, in many cases you ask “how high?” lest your office be moved into a closet and your staffing budget mysteriously disappear (ask Anthony Portantino about how much he enjoyed that). Those are two elements of Sacramento I would not like to see start happening here in LA.
One thing I might like to see imported from Sacramento - those of us who have been doing this awhile often lament the fact that there is so little actual debate and discourse on the floor in City Hall these days. I remember being a young staffer in Council watching roaring debates between Jackie Goldberg, Hal Bernson, Joel Wachs, and Mark Ridley-Thomas. It may not always have been pretty, but at least as a civilian you got a sense that folks were arguing for what they believed in and that your elected representatives had opinions. Now I feel like people don’t want to stand up and debate, they just want to all get along and sing Kumbaya. The number of 15-0 votes in Council these days is a little disheartening. I know for a fact they don’t all agree…I hear the grumbling and the snarky comments off line. It does make me wonder what they really care about?
So, to my friends (and many of them are) who are heading back to LA, I offer you a few tips. First, hire smart staff. You’re going to work harder in Council than you probably ever have anywhere else and your constituents are going to see you in the grocery store and hold you accountable. You will need arms and legs to help you do the job right. Second, have an opinion or at least try to form one and then hold onto it. Have a reason for doing what you’re doing, don’t just go along with the crowd. Third, twelve years is a good long ride in City Hall. Decide to stick around awhile and learn about the place. Don’t get here and then start dreaming of running for Mayor or Controller or something else. It’s hard to run the second largest City in America and we deserve people who are dedicated to the task, not just someone who likes to see “Honorable” in front of their name.
As a Sacramento transplant myself I certainly do see the allure of coming back to LA. City Council is “the show”. It’s political, it’s fun, the issues are complicated and interesting, the pay is good, the weather is better and if you set your mind to it, you can really “do something”. I’m actually looking forward to seeing what the next crop of leadership will bring to our fair City. Someone told me once that we’re a young City, kind of like a teenager or twenty-something. We’re full of ideas and energy but we don’t have a lot of experience and we get easily distracted. I think that’s a fair assessment. Now we just need some parents to help guide us forward. Are you up to the task?
Vice President of Campaigns Crystal Litz gives her take on some of the top targeted legislative seats in California in 2012, and why candidates for two of those races have signed on with Cerrell Associates.
