Feuding Over L.A. City Council’s 1st Black President

Some people just cannot to be happy for others. Or, at least their actions make it seem that way.

Turn to the Los Angeles City Council recently when the group voted Herb Wesson, Jr. as their first Black council president. Many of his fellow council members were on-hand to cast their ballot in favor of Wesson. However, the other two African Americans that serve with him, Jan Perry and Bernard Parks, were strangely absent and did not vote.

That’s cold.

Despite sitting out that day, the remaining 11 council members voted overwhelmingly to install Wesson as the next council president. He officially takes the lead on January 2.

Wesson’s previous spats with Perry and Parks have been rumored as the cause of an ongoing rift between the council members. The disagreements are concerning the redistricting efforts in Los Angeles, some believe. One of Wesson’s staffers, Andrew Westall, was also appointed to lead the commission that will redraw districts in the city.

Parks, in particular, also believed there were some preferences to see Wesson as president of the council over other potential candidates. Perry had no comment about the actual reason she is at odds with Wesson, according to the Los Angeles Times. Both missing councilpersons excused themselves from duty on the exact day when the vote for council president took place.

For his accomplishment, however, Wesson didn’t have to look far for support. Observers noted the unusually high turnout for the council vote that landed Wesson in the top slot. Several other black leaders from Southern California were in attendance and offered their support.

Wesson did not dwell much on the absence of his colleagues. He made a brief statement about it after his vote, but continued to focus on the positive support he received.

“I just thought they should have been there,” Wesson said, according to the Times.

“But hey, life goes on,” he added.

Wesson will not have much time to dwell on the actions of other council members. He and the team have their work cut out for them.

Looking forward to his tenure as president, Wesson will face issues that are not much different than those facing city councils across the country.

Ed Johnson, assistant chief deputy to Councilman Wesson, told Politic365 that the major challenge facing Los Angeles is the budget constraints caused by current economic conditions.

“We have to figure out how to deliver basic services … in an era of diminishing resources,” Johnson said.

He added that police and fire personnel are obviously a major budget concern. Crime rates in Los Angeles have decreased in the past few years  However, the Council will need to determine if now is an appropriate time to cut key safety services.

Wesson and the City Council will also handle other issues such as business growth, energy, water issues within Southern California, HIV/AIDS education, and domestic violence.

With a long to-do list, Wesson – a former California State Assembly Speaker – will need to be a leader who can unite council members and best serve the residents of Los Angeles. The question remains whether other members will step up, put their differences aside, and deliver results for the nation’s second largest city.  That includes the other two Black members in a city where it’s Black political future remains uncertain.

Matt E. Stevens is the creator and chief blogger of Prune Juice Media. The site takes a sarcastic and informative look at the issues of the day – namely politics and current affairs. The goal of the site is to share information and make people laugh, or at least think. Matt is a contributing writer for Politic365.

• New York Gov. David Paterson Ushers In September as Preparedness Month
• Congress is Now in Session; Let the 112th Games Begin
• New Jersey on the Mend with Trickle-Up Economics