Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, June 06, 2017
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDERATION OF SB 268 (MENDOZA) AMENDING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES CODE RELATED TO THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (CITY COUNCIL)
Body
I. SUMMARY
On Wednesday, May 31, 2017, the state Senate approved SB 268 (Mendoza) that would enlarge and reshape the agency that oversees mass transit in Los Angeles County.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
INSTRUCT staff to draft a letter of support and mail to Senator Tony Mendoza.
Body
III. ALTERNATIVES
DO NOT SEND a letter of support.
IV. BACKGROUND
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (METRO) was created by State law in 1990. The authority is governed by a 14-member board of directors, that consists of the Mayor of Los Angeles, 2 public members from Los Angeles appointed by the Mayor and one Los Angeles City Council Member, 4 members appointed geographically by the remaining 87 cities in Los Angeles County through the City Selection Committee and the 5 County Board of Supervisors.
Existing law requires the authority to submit a plan to the Legislature for revising the composition of the authority, if the number of members of the board of supervisors is increased, within 60 days of the increase. There is an effort underway to increasing the number of members of the Board of Supervisors statewide through a constitutional amendment (SCA 12). The proposed constitutional amendment would enlarge board of supervisors from five to seven members and required an elected chief officer.
SB 268 is a measure that would expand the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board from 14 to 15 members. It would also reduce the number of county supervisors on the board from five to two, remove the appointment of two public members and increase Los Angeles City Council member appointments by the mayor from two to five. SB 268 would also require that one supervisor represent the largest population in the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County.
The bill would delete the appointment of 2 public members by the Mayor of Los Angeles and require that the Mayor appoint 5 members of the City Council of the City of Los Angeles who represent contiguous clusters of 3 council districts. The bill requires that the Council member vacate their METRO board seat with the expiration of his or her term on the City Council. The bill also adds the County Auditor as a non-voting member of the METRO board. The bill was sent to the Assembly for consideration after passing with a 22-11 vote in the Senate.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
None.
VI. EXHIBITS
None.
Prepared by: Lisa Berglund, Principal Administrative Analyst