Countywide : More Clout Would Be Goal of New Panel

Cities, special districts and other public entities are discussing formation of a countywide council in hopes of giving Orange County a stronger voice in regional government and saving money by sharing the costs of some services.

The League of California Cities will discuss the plan for a “council of governments” at a meeting next week.

If league members support the concept, officials will craft detailed bylaws for the panel and approach government agencies about joining.

League officials emphasized the council would not amount to a new layer of bureaucracy. Instead, they said, the panel would be a forum for officials to discuss regional issues such as air quality and seek ways to make government more efficient.

“This is not any kind of super-agency. It’s a good-government proposal,” said Janet Huston, executive director of the league’s Orange County division. “This group would not have any say over a land-use issue in Santa Ana, for example. That’s not the intent.”

Some city officials have questioned the wisdom of creating a new countywide panel at a time when experts are calling for government downsizing. Huston said league officials hope to alleviate any concerns as they meet with city leaders.

The council would focus on ways for Orange County’s dozens of government entities to work together to save money and provide the area with a stronger voice in regional and statewide affairs.

Supporters cited an example of government teamwork earlier this year when the league helped develop a plan to transfer responsibility for demographic research from the county to Cal State Fullerton, saving more than $400,000 a year.

Officials have yet to decide on the exact composition of the council. Huston said it would not require its own staff.

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Special Council

The League of California Cities next week will offer a proposal for a countywide council made up of city, county and special district officials. Here are some of the goals that the “council of governments” would pursue:

* Finding ways to make government more efficient by eliminating duplication of services

* Seeking savings by sharing costs of certain services

* Strengthening the county’s voice in regional and state affairs

* Focusing on countywide concerns such as transportation and air quality

Source: League of California Cities; Researched by SHELBY GRAD / For The Times

Los Angeles Times