User:Reppop/lacc pres

The President of the Los Angeles City Council serves as the presiding officer of the Los Angeles City Council since its creation in 1889. They chair meetings, assign council members to committees, and manage parliamentary procedures, including ruling on motions. In the absence of the mayor from the city, the president assumes the role of acting mayor. Since the shift in election years in 2020, the president is elected during the first scheduled council meeting in January of even-numbered years.

Paul Krekorian has served as the President of the Los Angeles City Council since October 18, 2022, following his election by council members. This election occurred after the resignation of Nury Martinez on October 10, 2022, due to her involvement in an audio scandal. Krekorian succeeded Mitch O'Farrell, who had been acting President in his capacity as President pro tempore since Martinez's resignation. As of June 20, 2023, Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Bob Blumenfield hold the positions of President Pro Tempore and Assistant President Pro Tempore, respectively. Harris-Dawson succeeded Curren Price, who resigned from the position on June 13, 2023, and Blumenfield filled a vacancy that had existed since December 14, 2020.

Common Council
The office of the President of the Los Angeles City Council was established on April 4, 1850, alongside the office of the Mayor of Los Angeles, under The Act of Incorporation, as the city grew from a remote town of 5,000 residents to a city of 15,000 residents. The first president of the Common Council was David W. Alexander, who held the position from its inception until he resigned on September 25, 1851.

From December 18, 1874, to December 5, 1878, the Mayor also acted as the president of the council, with Prudent Beaudry, Frederick Alexander MacDougall, and Bernard Cohn serving in both offices.

During this time, three presidents have acted as acting mayors of Los Angeles due to vacancies: Manuel Requena in 1855 and 1866, Wallace Woodworth in 1860-61, and Bernard Cohn in 1878.

Role and powers
The President and the President pro tempore are elected by the members of the city council after the seating of the newly elected council members, typically right after the new members are seated. However, the council can change its leadership at any time with a majority of votes. If the Mayor of Los Angeles is incapacitated or the office is vacant, the council president becomes acting mayor. If the council president becomes incapacitated, the president pro tempore becomes interim President until a new election. The president has the authority to set the agenda, determine the makeup of each council committee, and set the tone for the council's relationship with the mayor. Additionally, the president has the power to decide when and how policy proposals are vetted at public meetings.


 * Prior to 1878, the president was the ex-officio city auditor, with the president being able to appoint members to local commissions.

Two former presidents of the city council, John D. Works and Alex Padilla, have gone on to serve as U.S. Senators. One former president, Eric Garcetti, has gone on to become the Mayor of Los Angeles. Two sitting presidents, James Simpson Conwell and John Ferraro, have died in office.