The city council voted Tuesday to begin the process of placing a measure on the 2024 ballot or sooner that would create an independent redistricting commission.
One week after three council members and a top county labor official were heard on a taped 2021 conversation attempting to impact last year's redistricting process in favor of themselves, the City Council voted Tuesday to begin the process of placing a measure on the 2024 ballot or sooner that would create an independent redistricting commission.
The leaked conversation between then-Council President Nury Martinez, Councilmen Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo and then-head of the L.A. County Federation of Labor Ron Herrera took place last October while the commission was meeting, with the council members each attempting to have maps drawn in their favor.
The council's decision Tuesday came alongside City Attorney Mike Feuer's proposal for the council to hold a special election next spring that would create new council maps prior to the 2024 election. The council voted separately Tuesday to begin the process of placing a ballot measure before voters in 2024 that would increase the number of council districts in Los Angeles.
Martinez called those on the redistricting committee "so-called purists'' and hinted that they should take direction from the council because they were appointed. She said the committee members had "f--- gone rogue'' and were "f--- useless at this point.''She added, referring to de León and Cedillo: "I'm just trying to get the majority a good district so you all can get re-elected.
Raman is up for re-election in 2024. Martinez said it would serve them to not give Raman all of Koreatown because it would give Raman more renters in her district.