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In this fall's election, voters will consider updates for the first time in decades to the document that serves as Los Angeles’ constitution, including changes to the campaign finance rules for the board that oversees the country’s second largest school district.
Charter Amendment SC proposes aligning campaign finance rules for Los Angeles Unified school board elections with those of the mayoral contest, as well as deleting repetitive language.
“By and large, all it does is get rid of information that's duplicated elsewhere, so it's not changing elections anywhere,” said Diego Andrades, who served on the L.A. City Charter Reform Commission and wrote the ballot argument in favor of Measure SC.
The election is open to all voters who live within the 710-square-mile school district, which in addition to L.A., encompasses all or part of 25 cities, including Gardena, San Fernando, South Gate, Montebello and Beverly Hills.
What’s at stake
The seven-member Los Angeles Unified board oversees the nation’s second largest school district. LAUSD is responsible for the education of about 372,000 students, from transitional kindergarten through high school, and the employment of more than 65,000 educators, administrators and support staffers.
L.A. voters directly elect the board to four-year terms, unlike in New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C., where the mayor appoints education leaders.
LAUSD generally operates independent of the city of L.A.; however, the City Charter governs several aspects of the school board, including board member pay and redistricting.
Your guide to LA's charter amendments
Los Angeles residents are voting on six amendments to the city charter in the Nov. 3 election. LAist is helping you make sense of these complex policy changes.
- Amendment EE (LAist voter guide coming soon)
- Amendment LA
- Amendment PL
- Amendment PRK
- Amendment PRT (LAist voter guide coming soon)
- Amendment SC
Why now
A special commission recommended Amendment SC and several other changes to the L.A. city charter in an effort to rebuild public trust following the 2022 City Hall leaked tape scandal. City Council members and the L.A. County Federation of Labor president at the time were recorded using racist language and discussing the balance of political power related to the redistricting process.
Charter changes require voter approval, and the City Council ultimately decided which of the commission’s proposals to place on the November ballot.
Official language
Title on the ballot: Charter Amendment SC
You are being asked:
Shall the Los Angeles City Charter be amended to clarify the campaign finance rules for Board of Education elections and allow for changes by ordinance?
What your vote means
A "yes" vote means: You want the charter to clarify campaign finance rules for the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education and for candidates to follow the same campaign finance rules as mayoral candidates, with the exception of provisions that apply only to candidates for city-elected offices.
A "no" vote means: You want to keep the campaign rules for the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education the same.
Understanding Charter Amendment SC
Currently, the campaign finance rules for the LAUSD board, which are similar to those for mayoral elections, live in a separate part of the city charter and municipal code.
Amendment SC would remove much of the language specific to LAUSD elections and instead apply the same campaign finance provisions for mayoral candidates.
For example, candidates for both offices would be subject to campaign contribution limits, filing deadlines and audits by the city Ethics Commission.
There are a few provisions related to contributions and fundraising that would not apply to the board races, for example, the limit on contributions from city contractors and lobbyists.
What the LAUSD board does
- Hires and can fire the superintendent.
- Sets the spending priorities for a nearly $21 billion budget.
- Works with parents and resolves disputes in their district over facilities, budgets, etc.
- Votes on every charter school that hopes to open in L.A. and decides which ones get shut down.
What supporters say
Supporters say the amendment does not substantially change LAUSD board election campaign finance rules and helps create a more streamlined City Charter.
“When we were looking at the charter, we really tried to think about what is being repeated that doesn't need to necessarily be repeated,” Andrades said.
Current LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin is one of several people who submitted an argument in favor of Charter Amendment SC to the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder.
“ I hope it's part of a … continuing process of clarifying city government,” Melvoin said. “Making it easier for candidates to comply, but also for the public to understand.”
What opponents say
No individual or group submitted an argument against Charter Amendment SC to the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder.
Los Angeles Daily News opinion columnist Susan Shelley recommended a no vote on the amendment. Shelley is also vice president of communications at the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, a nonprofit that often advocates for limits on taxes.
“This would enable the City Council to pass an ordinance later that changes the campaign finance rules for school board races,” Shelley wrote.
Andrades, who supports the measure, countered that additional changes to the charter as it relates to LAUSD school board elections would require voter approval.
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Potential financial impact
Charter Amendment SC is not anticipated to have a financial impact on L.A., according to the city’s chief administrative officer.
Campaign finance
Further reading
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