Election 2013: February 2012 Archives

Tipoff: Do court ruings undermine campaign reform? Mayor's ambitions and timing.

The city's redistricting commission approved new City Council district boundaries late Wednesday night after a nearly eight-hour hearing - but the fight will continue next month when the council itself considers the redrawn lines.Dakota Smith in the Daily News,

Hundreds of speakers packed City Hall chambers to speak out against the lines, with the majority of criticism heard over decisions in downtown, Westchester, Koreatown and the San Fernando Valley.

The commission ultimately voted to have two City Council districts split between the Valley and the Los Angeles basin - against the wishes of local groups, such as the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, which felt Valley-only districts were needed to increase the region's political power.

Tensions over newly drawn council district boundaries erupted Wednesday night as the redistricting commission prepared to finalize the map and send it off for City Council approval. The panel adopted, basicallly, the map that has been circulated with only minor changes.Dakota Smith in the Daily News.

Hundreds of speakers packed City Hall chambers to speak out against the lines, with the the majority of criticism heard over decisions in downtown, Westchester, Koreatown and the San Fernando Valley.

The commission was expected to debate the lines late into the night, and it had not taken a vote on the new map by the Daily News' deadline.

Amid political infighting, the citizens commission reviewing Los Angeles City Council boundaries is scheduled to take one last vote today on a disputed map that imposes sharp changes on San Fernando Valley and inner-city neighborhoods. Daily News

The meeting, at 4 p.m. in City Council chambers, is the last step before submitting the maps to the Council, which has a July 1 deadline for the 2013 election.

While the City Council may make changes, there is a likelihood that the map will be the subject of legal action by two Council members, Bernard Parks and Jan Perry, or by a civil rights group.

Tipoff: Mayor denies role as DNC conventioni chair could lure him from L.A.

Following weeks of complaints and praise from community groups, the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission will consider today more than 75 proposed changes to its draft City Council boundary map before submitting it to the council for final review. Daily News.

"It's one of those things where you cross your fingers and hope they have been listening," said Jill Barad, founder of the San Fernando Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils, which has criticized the most recent proposal for the way it divides up the San Fernando Valley.

The 21-member commission will meet at 4 p.m. in the City Council chambers at City Hall, where the different proposals will be debated. The commission will then give instructions on the final map to be presented to the City Council by March 1. The City Council then will have the option of accepting or modifying the proposal.

TipoffL Dueling security forces; Berman-Sherman debate and a shot of reenge.

Tipoff: Developer Rick Caruso talks mayoral politics, Doidgers bid. Leiweke and Rosky both stay away from Super Bowl.

In a proposal that could affect the 2013 mayoral election, the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission is considering increasing the limits on campaign donations for the first time since 1985. Daily News

The commission began reviewing the issue Thursday, but public interest groups and commissioners said they wanted more time to study the proposal, which would more than double the amounts city officials can raise from donors.

City Council members are now limited to $500 per donor per election cycle, and citywide officials - mayor, controller and city attorney - can raise $1,000 per donor per election cycle.