Copyright hoodline
As the City of Los Angeles anticipates a surge in infrastructure ventures and significant upcoming events, Mayor Karen Bass has signed an executive directive aimed at ensuring that large-scale infrastructure projects are completed both on time and within budget. The directive focuses on streamlining processes and bolstering efficiency within the City’s three proprietary departments: Los Angeles World Airports, the Port of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, according to the Mayor's Office. In her move to overhaul outdated review processes, Mayor Bass has made it clear that swifter decision-making and robust financial management will be prioritized, citing that these measures are vital for operational success without skirting oversight or accountability. Outlined in the directive and reported by an official announcement, the City is currently working on a range of infrastructure and maintenance projects, including airport renovations and the expansion of the Los Angeles Convention Center. Bass, emphasizing the urgency for efficiency, stated, “This is to ensure that we use every available tool to help LAX and Van Nuys Airport, Port of Los Angeles and Department of Water and Power succeed at delivering infrastructure projects on time and on budget.” She further noted that the updated procedures, which are part of the directive, will keep projects proceeding as planned. The new directive, officially known as Executive Directive No. 15, supersedes a directive from 2005 and reinforces the Mayor’s push for innovative governance. Key projects like the modernization of the cruise terminal at the Port of Los Angeles and the energy-efficient redesign of the LA Convention Center stand to benefit from this new approach. Moreover, Mayor Bass has made a corresponding effort to influence the City Council, urging legislative actions that would further reduce red tape in the contracting processes at the Airport and Harbor Department. Executive Directive No. 15, signed on Wednesday, imposes a revised protocol for the city’s proprietary departments. Critical changes include a streamlined review process for projects requiring Council approval, with a 15-day window for mayoral review — a significant departure from the previous directive. Additionally, the directive calls for annual budget submittals to be delivered to the Mayor’s Office and the City Administrative Officer before heading to the City Council. This and other elements of the directive offer a glimpse into the Mayor’s vision for a more agile and responsive municipal administration, one that is better equipped to manage Los Angeles' intricate and increasingly ambitious civic web.
