Former LA council member Dennis Zine is chosen for LA City Charter Reform Commission
Dennis Zine, a former Los Angeles City Council member and a 33-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, has been named the final member of the city’s Charter Reform Commission, it was announced on Friday.
City Councilmember Pro Tem Bob Blumenfield, who was tasked with appointing the final member of the 13-seat Charter Reform Commission, nominated Zine to serve on the board, citing his “immense institutional memory and experience to the commission.”
Zine’s nomination will go before the City Council for a vote before he can officially join the commission, according to Blumenfield’s office.
“I think you’d be hard pressed to find someone who is more experienced, qualified and passionate about the history and future of Los Angeles than Dennis Zine,” Blumenfield said in a statement. “These are policy issues where we disagree, but his unique grounding of city experience and public service will make him a critical and meaningful voice in this body.”
Zine, 77, represented the West San Fernando Valley on the City Council for 12 years between 2001 and 2013. And he served as an officer with the LAPD for nearly three decades, and he was an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Police Protective League.
“I am honored to be asked to serve on the Charter Commission, which is among the most meaningful and impactful boards in the city,” Zine said in a statement.
“Changes to the charter should not be taken lightly or hastily as they have far reaching consequences for our city. At the same time, there is an opportunity to improve our government and ability to meet the challenges of the moment, which I am grateful to join.”
Zine served actively with many nonprofits in the San Fernando Valley such as MADD, Haven Hills, New Economics for Women and the Executives of Jewish Home for the Aging.
He grew up in Hollywood, and is the son of Lebanese immigrants.
In 1997, Zine served as vice chair of the previous Charter Reform Commission, which helped establish Neighborhood Councils, created an inspector general position at the LAPD, clarified the controller’s powers, gave the city attorney subpoena authority and reformed the city’s planning and land use process.
If approved, Zine would be joining Mona Field, Robert Lewis Jr., Raymond Meza, Melinda Murray, Christina Sanchez, Martin Schlageter and Ted Stein, who were appointed by Mayor Karen Bass, City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and former City Council President Paul Krekorian, as well commission-appointed members Carla Fuentes, Michael Yap, Diego Andrades, Andrea Mac, James Thomas.
The panel of commissioners are meeting to review and make recommended changes to the City Charter.
According to Mayor Karen Bass’ office, subjects for review may involve expanding the City Council, delivery of city services, contracting processes, revising the city’s budget process, and censure and suspension of elected officials.
Recommendations from the commission will be submitted to the City Council in early 2026 for possible inclusion on the November 2026 ballot.
In June 2024, the council and Bass established the commission, culminating months of work by the Ad Hoc Committee on City Governance Reform. The effort came in response to a leaked 2022 audio recording of racist comments made by then-City Council members Gil Cedillo, Kevin de León and Nury Martinez, which sparked public outrage.