By JOSE HERRERA
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles City Council returns from a two-week recess this week, and the major item on its first day back will be to decide whether to appoint Heather Hutt to fill out the remainder of former Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas’ 10th District seat, following Ridley-Thomas’ recent conviction on federal corruption charges.
Council President Paul Krekorian has announced his intention to have Hutt — who had been filling the seat on a temporary basis — appointed by the council to serve out the remainder of the unexpired term, which runs through December 2024.
When Ridley-Thomas was convicted March 30, his seat officially became vacant, and Hutt’s stint as a temporary councilwoman also ended. Krekorian immediately named Hutt as the seat’s “caretaker,” and at the same time announced his intention to have the council vote, in its first session back, to appoint her for the rest of the term.
That moment comes Tuesday — but it comes with a measure of opposition, as some local civil rights leaders are calling for a special election instead.
Krekorian is opposed to that, saying it would cost taxpayers around $8 million.
“Heather Hutt has capably represented the district as the temporary appointee and I am confident she will continue to do so as the permanent appointee,” Krekorian told City News Service.
“In a matter of months,” he added, “the people of the district will have the opportunity to decide whether they prefer to elect her or a different representative in the regularly scheduled election. By contrast, a special election, which would cost taxpayers almost $8 million, could result in one person serving through the end of this year, a new person taking over in January, and another person starting a year later. That kind of instability, uncertainty and political gamesmanship does not serve the interests of the people of the 10th District.”
Krekorian’s comments came in response to a demand by Earl…
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