Eric Garcetti to Resign as City Council President

Councilman Eric Garcetti introduced a motion at Friday's Los Angeles City Council meeting formally announcing his intention to resign as council president on Jan. 2.

Garcetti, who is supporting Councilman Herb Wesson as his successor and Councilman Ed Reyes as president pro tem, has been council president since December 2005. He said he is resigning to concentrate on his campaign for mayor of Los Angeles in the 2013 election.

"I believe the time has come for me to step aside as council president as I turn to the next chapter in my work as a public servant," Garcetti said Thursday. "As a council member and as a candidate for mayor, I want to make sure there is strong council leadership in place that shares my focus on job creation, fiscal discipline and government reform."

Garcetti called Wesson and Reyes "strong and accomplished public officials who have given our city and our state decades of public service."

"Their election to leadership positions would be an asset to the city," Garcetti said.

The council is expected to consider the issue Wednesday.

The position of president pro tem, the No. 2-ranking official on the council, became open Nov. 4 when Jan Perry, resigned out of "disgust" with what she described as behind-the-scenes maneuvering over redistricting and the council presidency. Perry is also running for mayor.

Wesson was elected to the council in 2005 and served in the Assembly from 1998-2004 and was its speaker from 2002-2004.

Reyes has been a council member since 2001.