This week, the City Council voted on a package of charter reform proposals after months of review by the Charter Reform Commission as well as the Rules, Elections, and Intergovernmental Relations Committee, where I serve as a member. Some of the larger proposals deserve their own full discussion. But today, I want to focus on a few less visible changes with major consequences for how the City does its work.

My approach throughout this process has been simple: the City Charter should set the basic structure of our government. It should not lock in every operational detail, outdated restriction, or management decision. When the Charter gets too specific, Los Angeles’ government becomes less able to adapt, solve problems, and make practical changes without returning to voters. Where possible, I have pushed to move those details into the Administrative Code or Municipal Code, where they remain public and accountable, but easier to update when circumstances change.

One important proposal would modernize the Department of Public Works. Right now, Public Works is run through a full-time commission and separate bureaus, each with its own general manager. These bureaus often touch the same kinds of projects, but the work too often becomes siloed. The proposal moving forward would empower a Director of Public Works to manage day-to-day operations across the department and its bureaus. It would also establish a citywide Capital Improvement Program, with a minimum five-year plan tied to identified funding sources. For residents, this should mean a more coordinated and efficient Public Works Department with a clearer strategy for streets, sidewalks, stormwater, sanitation, and major infrastructure projects.

But perhaps the clearest example of “small change, large impact” is Section 104. This section of the Charter is a strange mix of provisions, some very important and others outdated. It includes a strong nondiscrimination requirement for City employment, which belongs in our governing document and was left unchanged. But the section also includes restrictions on mortgaging City property, engaging in commercial activity, floor-area limits for buildings, and even a prohibition on a municipal newspaper. Taken together, these provisions show how a few lines in the Charter shape what Los Angeles is allowed to do.

Some of those limits have real consequences. The ban on mortgaging City property restricts a financing tool that California law already allows cities to use with voter approval. The commercial activity restriction, as interpreted by generations of City Attorneys, has made it nearly impossible to explore responsible ways to bring in revenue without raising taxes, something I have been focused on as the Chair of the Budget Committee. That means the City cannot sell materials it already produces, like asphalt and compost, to other cities. It limits our ability to explore creative ideas to license and sell intellectual property. It also prevents common-sense partnerships, like allowing a local business to sponsor a sports league at a park. These are practical tools other cities use to supplement tax revenue and improve services. The floor-area restriction limits how the City thinks about height and density in places where more housing near jobs and transit makes sense. And the municipal newspaper ban is a reminder of how oddly specific the Charter has become over time. I do not think anyone has their sights set on launching a City Hall newspaper, but the fact that this restriction sits in the Charter tells us something.

This is the work of charter reform at its most practical. It is not always about the proposal with the biggest headline or the loudest debate. Sometimes, the most important change is removing an outdated barrier so the City has more tools to serve people well.  Los Angeles is facing serious challenges, from housing and homelessness to aging infrastructure and long-term budget pressure. The way the city government is structured affects how well we are able to respond to all of them. Charter reform will not solve every problem on its own, but it can make the City more focused, more efficient, and better equipped to deliver the services Angelenos rely on every day.

All my best,
Katy

P.S. Happy Fathers Day!