LA voters could give council power to scrap a century-old board

The Los Angeles Board of Public Works has operated since 1905, but a new ballot measure could end its existence within years. Measure LA, appearing on Tuesday’s ballot, includes a provision allowing the 15-member City Council to disband the five-member board. If voters approve the measure, the council could vote to eliminate the panel, though the board would not vanish immediately. Disbanding it would require a two-thirds majority vote from council members.

The board currently oversees infrastructure projects including streets, sidewalks, and sewers. It manages more than 5,500 city employees across bureaus responsible for sanitation, street lighting, engineering, and graffiti removal. Board members serve as full-time city employees earning slightly less than $200,000 annually. They are appointed by the mayor and generally convene three times a week in a room on the fourth floor of City Hall.

Supporters argue the current structure fragments authority and slows repairs. Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky cited a long-running intersection repair project on La Cienega Boulevard where she struggled to obtain information. She said, “I can’t get any information from anybody, and I’m the councilperson.” Yaroslavsky believes a single director would offer clearer accountability. Councilmember Bob Blumenfield agreed, noting that multiple bureaus often create silos that hinder progress. He stated, “For years we’ve talked about, how do we better coordinate the bureaus? There have been advances, but it’s still fundamentally been a challenge.”

Opponents warn that removing the board would concentrate too much power in one person. Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who served on the board from 2013 to 2016, said, “If the Board of Public Works was eliminated and concentrated within the authority of one person, I think that gives way to more corruption than transparency.” She pointed to the 2022 sentencing of San Francisco’s former director of public works, who received seven years in federal prison for a kickback scheme. Rodriguez argued that a single director would not possess omniscient knowledge of all bureau activities.

Former board members defend the current five-member structure as an effective coordinating mechanism. Valerie Lynne Shaw, who served from 1996 to 2013, stated, “Power in the hands of many better serves the city as opposed to power in the hands of one.” She noted that commissioners regularly assist in solving public problems. Another former member, who asked not to be identified, said the panel allows for frequent public interaction that a single director might miss. “A director can do some of that, but not all of that,” the former member said.

Critics question why the board’s potential elimination is bundled with other less controversial changes. The measure also proposes a two-year budget cycle and a capital infrastructure plan. Rodriguez described the bundling as a tactic, saying, “I think those are all tethered together to make you swallow the poison.” A former board member suggested the board change should have been a separate item, noting, “The longer the paragraphs are, the fewer words the public will read.”

If Measure LA passes, the City Council will gain the authority to restructure public works management. Any future move to change or eliminate the board would require 10 council votes, or 12 if the mayor issues a veto. The measure does not mandate immediate changes, but it sets the stage for future debates on how the city manages its infrastructure.

Voters will cast their ballots on Tuesday. The outcome will determine whether the City Council retains the option to dissolve the Board of Public Works or if the board continues its current operations under the city charter.