Riordan Asks Public Works Panel to Abolish Paid Jobs

Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan completed his appointments to the city Board of Public Works on Thursday and ordered the panel to begin work on eliminating their full-time, $74,187-a-year jobs.

During his campaign, Riordan pledged that he would abolish the panel to save money.

Riordan named Jill (J.P.) Ellman, a city legislative analyst, and Julia Li Wu, a Los Angeles Community College District board member, to the five-member panel, which oversees garbage collection, sewage treatment, and street lighting and maintenance.

The mayor also retained two commissioners appointed by former Mayor Tom Bradley: Maurice E. (Red) Martinez and Percy Duran. They join Charles Dickerson, an attorney and former chief of staff to Councilwoman Rita Walters, who was named earlier by Riordan.

“The new appointees have been charged with the task of effectively working themselves out of a paid job,” Riordan said, adding that the new commissioners will be paid for 11 months only.

Riordan said that he will eliminate the board from next year’s budget in order to save $1 million. The action requires approval of the City Council, which has rejected similar efforts in the past, most recently in May when only six of the 15 council members voted to abolish the board. Eight votes are required for approval, but the council has gained four new members. The appointments are subject to City Council confirmation.