Council OKs Settlement With County on Elections

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a settlement with the county ending a dispute over election costs that would have kept a sweeping ethics proposal and three other measures off the June ballot.

During a brief closed session, the council agreed to pay the county $401,129 for the November, 1988, election, drop a lawsuit challenging the election bill and accept a new formula for future election payments.

The council action came after the county Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to withdraw its threat to prohibit the city from participating in the county-run election on June 5 as long as the city paid the compromise election price tag and drop the suit.

The suit contested the $755,654 the city had been charged for participating in the 1988 election, which represented an 822% hike over the fee it had been billed for the 1986 election.