POLITICS: Becoming member of the panel is a fulfillment of his dreams.
Friday was the day Mitch Englander had been looking forward to for years.
It was the day he became the 14th person to represent the 12th City Council District.
More importantly, it meant "that a boy from the San Fernando Valley, raised by a single mother could fulfill his dreams," Englander told the City Council moments after he cast his first vote - to re-elect Eric Garcetti as City Council president.
"It hit me this morning how important this is and how important the job is," Englander said in an interview. "When I sat in the chair, I suddenly felt the weight of the world and how important this work is."
Englander, 40, who had been chief of staff to Councilman Greig Smith, was elected in March to succeed his former boss.
A resident of Granada Hills, Englander also serves as a reserve Los Angeles police officer out of the Devonshire Division. He said he plans to continue the reserve work, but might be taken off patrol duties.
In his first acts as a councilman, Englander introduced three motions to establish himself: to launch a shuttle service between the Metro Orange Line and Chatsworth and Northridge; create a remote access weather station in the district's hillside areas to help deal with fire danger; and require the Department of Water and Power to review
recommendations from the ratepayer advocate."The issue of ratepayer advocate was on the same ballot as I was on and I know how important it is to the public," Englander said. "The voters have spoken loud and clear. They demand transparency and this motion will increase the ratepayer's input."
The proposal would require DWP management to review and respond to whatever report the new ratepayer advocate makes in its review of rate increase proposals.
Englander's assumption of the office - which prompted 12 council members to shift over by one desk as they are seated alphabetically around the seating area nicknamed "the horseshoe" - came as the council began its 44th legislative session.
Garcetti was re-elected on a 13-0 vote, with Councilman Herb Wesson absent because of the death of his mother and Councilman Jose Huizar on vacation.
Councilwoman Jan Perry was re-elected as president pro tem on a 12-1 vote, with Councilman Richard Alarc�n nominating Wesson. Alarc�n said he did not believe in having a member in a leadership role who has announced for another office - Perry has declared for mayor.
Garcetti, who has been council president for more than five years, said he will be meeting with individual council members to determine their committee assignments for the coming two years.
He also took note of the actions of the council over the past two years in working almost full time on the city budget, dealing with more than $1.6 billion in deficits.
"This is where democracy is on display," Garcetti said. "It is not what we do here, but how we do it. We do it openly. Democracy can be difficult. Democracy can be messy. But it shows us a way ... that people can succeed here, in the most American of all cities."
Source: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_18395194?source=rss
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