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How To LA: Becoming A Government Watchdog
Los Angeles City Hall.
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Chava Sanchez for LAist.
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Topline:
In just four years, four elected Los Angeles city officials have faced criminal charges. Last October, three other city officials were caught on a leaked tape saying racist and anti-gay comments about the Angelenos they were supposed to represent. When so many appointed officials get caught up in scandal, and lose public trust, what can residents do to hold them accountable?
Why it matters: From homelessness to street repairs and aging plumbing, L.A. as a city needs a lot of work and, let’s be real, government officials don’t always work so fast. It requires an engaged electorate to keep officials on task. If you want to seek change in L.A. city or county, there are ways to stay in the know about what is happening in local government and get some action on issues that matter to you, be it bike lanes, trash cans or affordable housing.
Who we spoke to: How To LA podcast host Brian De Los Santos spoke with Brianna Lee, LAist’s Civics and Democracy producer, about how you can hold your local officials — from city council members to school board members — responsible for their actions. She even wrote a guide. Brianna says attending a public meeting, whether in person or online, can help you get a sense of the issues in your community and the dynamics between the elected officials. First step: Pay attention.
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Why now: Homelessness is on the rise and climate change is creating other headaches for Angelenos, from heat to flooding. Plus, there’s been all those political scandals of late, mostly recently L.A. City Councilmember Curren Price, who was charged with 10 counts of embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest last June.
Listen to Brian’s conversation with Brianna about the best ways you can get involved in your local government by clicking the player below.
Listen
• 13:27
How To Watchdog Your Local Government
Go deeper:
- Neighborhood Councils Are As Local As LA Government Gets. Here’s How They Work — And How To Join One
- After Outcry Over Racist Remarks, Nury Martinez Resigns As LA City Council President, Takes Leave Of Absence
- DA Charges LA City Councilmember Curren Price With Embezzlement, Perjury
- The LA City Council Hasn’t Grown In Nearly 100 Years. Now There’s Talk Of Doubling Its Current Size
- Mark Ridley-Thomas Sentenced To 42 Months In Prison, $30K Fine On Federal Corruption Conviction
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
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