Los Angeles Metropolis Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson gained his bid for the council’s prime management submit on Tuesday, saying he intends to make use of the presidency to focus closely on homelessness.
The council voted 14-0 to pick out Harris-Dawson to switch Paul Krekorian, who has held the place since October 2022, following the audio leak scandal that spurred the resignation of Council President Nury Martinez.
Harris-Dawson, 54, is slated to take over the presidency on Sept. 20. After Tuesday’s vote, he stated homelessness could be the council’s “primary, two and three” points underneath his management.
“There’s no problem extra essential than the tens of 1000’s of individuals sleeping on the street each night time, so we have to zero in on that as a lot as potential,” he stated. “I don’t suppose there some other enterprise that supersedes that for the council.”
Krekorian, who should depart metropolis workplace on the finish of the 12 months because of time period limits, is about to proceed as president for the subsequent 4 months. Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was absent from Tuesday’s vote.
Harris-Dawson, first elected in 2015, represents a South Los Angeles district that features all or a portion of Baldwin Hills, Hyde Park, Park Mesa Heights and several other different neighborhoods.
As president, he could have the ability to find out the make-up of council committees coping with public security, homelessness, town price range and plenty of different high-profile points. An in depth ally of Mayor Karen Bass, he’ll doubtless set the tone for the council’s relationship with the mayor, who has been targeted on transferring unhoused Angelenos into motels, motels and different varieties of momentary housing.
Harris-Dawson instructed The Instances earlier this month that he had spoken with every of his colleagues about what they need in a president. On Tuesday, whereas fielding questions from reporters, he declined to say whether or not he had requested Councilmember Kevin de León, a significant determine within the 2022 audio scandal, to assist his bid for the management submit.
“I’m comfortable that it was a unanimous vote,” Harris-Dawson stated.
Harris-Dawson had sought De León’s resignation almost two years in the past, after The Instances reported that De León, Martinez, then-Councilmember Gil Cedillo and a high-profile labor chief took half in a secretly recorded dialog that featured racist and derogatory remarks. De León has issued a number of apologies since then, saying he’s sorry for what he did and didn’t say throughout the recorded assembly.
De León voted for Harris-Dawson on Tuesday. In an interview earlier than the vote, he stated Harris-Dawson had spoken with him concerning the presidency — and did search his assist.
“I believe we had a superb dialogue on a complete number of points that affect town,” De León stated.
Harris-Dawson will take over the council’s management submit in a 12 months when metropolis leaders have been working to erase a significant price range shortfall. Final week, council members voted to eradicate about 1,700 vacant positions in an effort to rein in spending.
Metropolis leaders even have begun preparations for the 2028 Olympic Video games. Within the coming months, the council will resolve whether or not to push forward with an costly modernization of town’s Conference Middle within the run-up to the Video games.
Harris-Dawson instructed his colleagues that he could have extra to say about his plans as soon as he has assumed his submit.
“Till September, count on to see me with my head down, finding out as onerous as we are able to so we might be as ready as potential after we take management of this council,” he stated.
