Residents of 10th District still without voting member on LA City Council
The fight over Los Angeles City Council District 10 returns to the courtroom Wednesday, as a judge is expected to decide whether Herb Wesson, the currently appointed council member is allowed to vote on behalf of the district.
While who will or won't represent these communities remains in limbo, there are hundreds of thousands of people dependent on that vote who are not currently being served.
From Leimert Park to Koreatown, the people of district 10 are the heart of Los Angeles, but the more than quarter-million residents who live in the district have been caught in a political battle.
Zen Brown manages Hot & Cool Cafe in Leimert Park. He didn't realize his community had no one representing them on LA City Council.
"We need a lot of representation now with everything that's going on, you know, we just got the Metro that's about to open up. So, it's a lot of things that's blossoming," Brown said.
Kevin Wharton Price, though, hasn't forgotten that the district has no representation.
"CD 10 is going to suffer as a result of the lack of leadership right now," he said.
The issue started almost a year ago when elected Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas was indicted by a grand jury on bribery charges. While awaiting trial, he was removed from office, and in March, former Councilman Herb Wesson was reappointed.
RELATED: LA Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas To Step Back From Council Meetings Following Corruption Charges
Pastor William Smart with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference said that was the wrong move, and that Wesson's tenure was up.
"They need come above board and be transparent," the pastor said of the city council.
Wesson already served three elected terms in office and was unable to run again. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference sued the city to have him removed. A judge ruled last month that Wesson can't vote anymore.
"A transparent process would've been more helpful and important," Pastor Williams said.
CBSLA asked the pastor about his concern for the community that after all these months remains underserved and unrepresented.
"[Nury] Martinez needs to come to the table with the voters of the 10th Council District and talk to them, talk to us," Williams said.
Though the district remains in limbo, it does have an appointed caretaker to address any concerns that may develop, but when it comes to actually voting on any city issues addressed by LA City Council, no one in the district has a say.
"I think the more we learn about district 10 and the lack of representation right now, the more chaotic, in fact, it is," said political analyst Jessica Levinson, who added that she can't recall the last time a district went this long without a voting member.
"Certainly we've had vacancies in the past, but to have a vacancy that's going to stretch out this long, it really does a disservice to people who live in that district," Levinson said.
While Wesson and Ridley-Thomas' roles in the district are in the hands of the courts, the city council does have another option.
"I do believe they had the discretion at that point to say, 'We're pulling this appointment back, we're choosing somebody else,'" Levinson told CBSLA.
That's exactly what many are now demanding, so that district 10 is no longer left behind.
Asked for comment by CBSLA, Heather Hutt, the 10th District's appointed caretaker, released the following statement:
"This community deserves representation, it deserves a voting member; but until we have an appointed member, our office is committed to providing services and resources to the district. As the Caretaker for this district, I'm here to help my neighbors. My priority is making sure the residents of the 10th District have someone they can turn to for their constituent needs.
The work does not stop just because we do not have a voting member. We have continued our focus on addressing the homelessness crisis by offering outreach services and housing to our unhoused neighbors with the help of our community partners; we have worked with LA Sanitation to keep our community clean, implemented Traffic Calming measures to ensure that our communities are safe; and increased tree trimming and street repaving services.
Just last week, our office introduced a motion to provide funds to the Street Bureau services to maintain island cleanups.
Our team is here and available and we will continue to do the work. Residents that need services, please continue to reach out to our District and City Hall Offices with any concerns or requests. Visit cd10.lacity.org or call (323)733-8233."
