letter/CW1st Stay Involved in Charter The business community, having played a major role in the passage of the new city charter, must continue its participation in the process. The job of making city charter reform work has just begun. One of the major creations of charter reform has been the establishment of neighborhood councils. The City Council is currently in the process of creating the structure that will govern and control them. It is imperative that every chamber of commerce and civic organization assign a representative to participate in the process of implementation. As currently drafted, Sec. 22.811 states that neighborhood council membership will be open to everyone who lives, works, owns property or otherwise identifies himself or herself as a stakeholder in the area. The business community must make sure that this provision is not diluted so those who work or own commercial property in the area are deprived of membership. Also, there must be severe penalties administered to those that would violate the spirit and letter of the law in operating their neighborhood councils. HAROLD L. KATZ Katz, Fram & Co. Los Angeles
