Council Won’t Appeal 50% Cut in Its Pay Raise

The Los Angeles City Council voted Friday against appealing a preliminary injunction reducing by half the 10% pay raise the council recently approved for itself and other officials.

Council President Pat Russell said the decision not to appeal--taken in a closed meeting--was unanimous. She said that the council still believes it was legally correct in approving the raise and will defend its action if the taxpayer suit contesting the increase goes to trial. But, she conceded, until a trial settles the issue, the council will get just half of its raise this year, and the other 5% next year.

The suit was brought by Dorothy Green, a taxpayer who contended that the amount of the raise was illegal, and that the manner of its approval--”rushed through a vote in less than a minute”--violated state laws requiring local governing bodies to conduct their business in public.