Mayor Vetoes Council’s Latest Redistrict Plan

Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley today vetoed the City Council’s latest redistricting plan, calling it unfair to the San Fernando Valley.

“Overwhelmingly the people in the Valley feel that they have been treated shabbily,” Bradley said in his veto message to the council. He said his office received “hundreds of telephone calls, telegrams and letters from Valley residents protesting both the proposed district lines as well as the process involved in determining them.”

The council appeared to have the 10 votes needed to approve the plan over Bradley’s veto. A vote to override the veto could come as early as Friday. The plan was approved by the council Wednesday on a 10-3 vote over objections of Valley residents who packed the council chamber to urge a no vote.

Would Eliminate District

These residents oppose the plan because of the feature that eliminates the northeast Valley’s 1st District, represented by the late Councilman Howard Finn. The territory would be parceled out to Council members Joel Wachs and Ernani Bernardi, who would represent largely different areas than they do now. Wachs in particular opposes the shift, by which he would lose his Sherman Oaks-Studio City base of support.

Wachs said he is hoping that Bradley will use his influence with council members to prevent an override vote of today’s veto.

The plan was drawn up by Councilmen John Ferraro and Michael Woo, who under the redistricting plan approved July 31 found themselves in the same Hollywood-Wilshire district.

Area Heavily Latino

In his veto message, Bradley said he has compared the two plans and, “admittedly the first plan could entail some inconvenience, but democracy does not exist for the comfort of elected officials.”

Under the latest plan, portions of Wachs’ district would be assigned to Ferraro and Woo, who would go back to representing separate districts. The new heavily Latino district located near downtown would become the new 1st District.