Mayor Hahn Agrees to Allow Neighborhood Councils to Audit City Budget - And All City Departments!

At tonight's debate by candidates vying to become Mayor of Los Angeles (sponsored by the Alliance of Neighborhood Councils, City Watch, KCBS-TV Channel 2, KCAL-TV Channel 9 and KFWB radio), I was one of the people chosen to ask a question. My query was: Would any of them would support a commission organized by the Neighborhood Councils to audit not just the Mayor's budget, but also all of the departments of the City of Los Angeles. While four of the candiates gave the idea varying degrees of support or opposition, Mayor Hahn jumped right in and not only pledged to have such a commission convene - but he said that he welcomed and needed our help in doing this. The moderators, Laura Diaz and Paul Magers, were so surprised by this - Magers of them gave each candidate an opportunity to clarify their answers - and Mayor Hahn reiterated his full support of the proposal.

Now should Mayor James Hahn be successful in being reelected, and should Jim Hahn follow through on this pledge - then the relationship between the Neighborhood Councils and the City will be completely reinvented. And the Genie will be totally out of the bottle.