Fledgling L.A. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl will chair the Council’s Committee on Education and Neighborhoods, and will sit on panels overseeing Los Angeles International Airport, environmental issues, the city budget, and juvenile justice.
City Council President Alex Padilla announced the new assignments, which will take effect immediately and run until June 30, 2007.
“I could not be happier with these assignments,” Rosendahl said. “I will have a unique opportunity to shape legislation that will benefit our neighborhoods, my district and the entire city.”
The Education and Neighborhood Committee will give Rosendahl a front row seat in both the ongoing debate over school reform and the effort to prevent the infiltration of neighborhood councils by outside interests.
“We need to empower our neighborhood councils, but we cannot do that until we make sure that they truly represent our neighborhoods,” he said. “As chair of this committee, I will be able to push that agenda, which will give residents more control over their neighborhoods”
As vice chair of the Environmental Quality & Waste Management Committee, Rosendahl plans to advocate for protection of open space and natural habitat, the clean-up of Santa Monica Bay, and mandatory recycling at multi-unit apartment buildings.
The Commerce, Energy and Natural resources Committee oversees the Department of Water and Power, the Harbor Department and Los Angeles World Airports.
“Winning a seat on this committee was most important for me,” Rosendahl said. “I will now be able to force the issue of regional aviation and fulfill my campaign pledge by working with the mayor to reverse the recently approved LAX expansion plans.”
As a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Gang Violence and Youth Development, Rosendahl said he will seek the resources required to develop programs to help at-risk youth in Venice and Del Rey.The Budget & Finance Committee reviews all fiscal matters.
