Supporters say Measure EE strengthens the institutions responsible for holding City government accountable. It expands the authority of the Police Department Inspector General and Fire Department Independent Assessor, providing stronger independent oversight of two of the City's most critical public safety departments. It also strengthens campaign finance enforcement by increasing penalties for violations and establishes a five-year cooling-off period before Ethics Commissioners may seek certain elected City offices.
They argue that Measure EE also modernizes how the City Council conducts its work. The City Charter currently requires Council to meet at least three days each week – an unusual mandate that makes Los Angeles an outlier among major American cities and limits the time Councilmembers have to work in their districts, meet directly with constituents, implement policy and programs, and address neighborhood needs. Measure EE requires regular weekly Council meetings while allowing additional meetings as needed, providing greater flexibility to meet at times and places that accommodate the needs of residents across the City and allow Council to conduct the public's business efficiently and effectively.
Los Angeles is a city of nearly four million people, and effective representation requires Councilmembers to work in their communities, respond to constituent concerns as they arise, and tackle complex policy challenges citywide.
A YES vote on this measure means: you support the proposed amendments to the City Charter.
Opponents say Measure EE is presented as an ethics reform measure, but buried within is a proposal to reduce Los Angeles City Council meetings from three times a week to once a week.
Its primary effect is to reduce the number of public meetings where residents can watch proceedings, provide public comment, and hold elected officials accountable.
After years of corruption scandals and ethics failures at City Hall, Los Angeles needs more transparency not less. Fewer public meetings mean fewer opportunities for public scrutiny and greater potential for important decisions to be shaped outside the public eye.
A NO vote on this measure means: you are against the proposed amendments to the City Charter.