Garcetti to surrender council post

Looking to concentrate on his mayoral campaign in 2013, Councilman Eric Garcetti said he will give up his post as Council President on Jan. 2.
Garcetti, who has been the council president since 2005,said he had been planning to step down from the council;s top job for some time so he can concentrate on the race for mayor.
He is introducing a motion in council today to nominate Counclman Herb Wesson to take over his job and for Councilman Ed Reyes to become president pro tem, to fill the post vacated last week by Councilwoman Jan Perry. Perry also is running for mayor.
Counm\ciman Dennis Zine, who is running for city controller in 2013, has said he is planning to give up his post of assistant prseident pro tem.
The council president helps set the agenda for council meetings, appoints council committees and serves as mayor when Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is out of the city.