The 15-member council has been the governing body of the city of Los Angeles since 1925 and enjoys legislative and oversight power, while members exercise some informal executive powers in their own districts. The council has so far fended off a charter reform commission's attempt to expand its membership to 25 while shrinking individual council districts.
Los Angeles County provides public health services for the City of Los Angeles, yet the city has a Health Commission that is largely ignored for being redundant.
Los Angeles mayors are cat-herders, not thumb-breakers. They lead a city that must share power with the county. Their choice is to "lock arms" and lead together, or fail.
