LOS ANGELES : Early Hearings Ordered on Privatization Proposal

Los Angeles City Council members on Tuesday ordered early public hearings on proposals by Mayor Richard Riordan to turn over city operations to private contractors.

Saying that rumors of such proposals threaten to reduce morale among city employees, the council voted unanimously that public hearings should be held before such proposals are formally introduced to the council.

“If other participants are involved at the earliest stages, then it comes before the City Council as a better proposal,” said Jeff Prang, spokesman for the sponsor of the proposal, Councilwoman Ruth Galanter.

Galanter said her concerns were raised because early discussions about privatizing operations at city golf courses, including the Penmar Golf Course in her district, did not include city employees.

Riordan aides have studied the possibility of putting private firms in full or partial command of several other operations, including parking ticket enforcement, data processing, workers’ compensation case management, trash collection and custodial services. The mayor’s staff said it had always intended to hold public hearings on the proposals and will comply with the council order.