LAist’s Frank Stolz was first to report on L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia’s power grab to give him audit powers to oversee city programs run by elected officials—without needing their permission. It would seem Mejia is asking the Charter Reform Commission to change the city’s constitution to guarantee that authority.
The push follows Mayor Karen Bass blocking Mejia from auditing Inside Safe, her homelessness initiative. A federal judge later ordered an outside audit, which found serious flaws and cost the city nearly $2.8 million.
A Bigger Role—and a Bigger Budget?
Mejia’s proposals don’t stop at audits. He’s also asking for:
An independent budget: A guaranteed slice of the general fund that can’t be trimmed at will by the mayor or council.
Exemption from hiring freezes: As long as the office stays within its budget.
Authority to hire outside legal counsel: When there’s a conflict with the city attorney.
Designation as the city’s CFO: Mejia wants to consolidate the city’s scattered financial responsibilities—now spread across the mayor, council, CAO, and others—into one office for accountability.
“There’s no one steering the ship of the city financially, and that’s what the CFO would be doing,” Mejia said. “At the end of the day, the mayor and City Council still make the budget, but someone needs to be responsible.”
He also proposed that the charter formally require the controller to have relevant qualifications, and that the office’s fraud, waste, and abuse unit be officially embedded in the city charter.
The Charter Commission has until April 2026 to make recommendations. Any changes would go before voters in November 2026.
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https://coalitionrcd.formstack.com/forms/ptp_application
Is a link thats was used to falsified documents that I couldn’t physically sign in person becuase I was recruited across yhe country leaving hud housing with family discovering lease irregularities I never touched nor signed thsi information isnwhat prompt. Me.to report.to housing no undefined source of.funds have been. Paid to coalition for responsible community development entities to the landlord they assigned me admy.fiance to
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I think I saw that guy on a scooter careening past me on a the sidewalk.
Bass is a terrible mayor. The city just continues towards third world conditions.
WH is another matter. It’s run by silly unaccomplished people. Truly a perverted Portlandia.
I don’t particularly like Mejia, his shtick, his tiktokking, etc. But it’s instructive how the Bass Mafia is running one of their capos to try and oust him. And that they won’t let him even look at the homeless industrial complex let alone full powers of investigatory auditing. They’re spending millions of dollars more to those practitioners of the dark-arts of litigation, Gibson-Dunn, to evade any scrutiny of that active and rich vein of loot. The City of Los Angeles is a cesspool of corruption- the Los Angeles County, and State both are to be fair – LA needs independent… Read more »
Why is the City a Cesspool of corruption? Which it its. They know that voting base is not paying attention, and clueless on issues when voting. They vote more emotion than facts, They use fear mongering, identity politics, propaganda, repeating the same narrative over and over until voters are brainwashed out here. Don’t blame the leaders -BLAME THE clueless brainwashed VOTERS WHO put these corrupt officials into power. Lets see if “the voters” get Prop 50 right. To pass Newsom’s redistricting plan…..(Each state has their own state constitution)1. Violate the Constitution by holding hearings on a bill less than 30… Read more »
No, thank you, I’ll blame the ‘elected’ leaders. There hasn’t been an election in California since 2019 that passes the smell test – Prop 50 is rigged – it’s done, put a fork in it. Failed state