UNM professor contributes Los Angeles Times op-ed
October 25, 2022 - Savannah Peat
University of New Mexico Political Science Professor Timothy Krebs is spreading his expertise on urban politics.
Krebs has just been featured in the Los Angeles Times, his ‘hometown’ paper, after being asked to compose an op-ed on the latest L.A. City Council scandal.
This controversy centered around leaked audio that revealed racist comments and unfair redistricting plans, and caused the city councilor at the heart of the scandal to resign from her position.
It’s a situation involving public trust and government accountability which has major implications not just in The City of Angels, but in cities big and small across the country.
“This controversy fit well with what I study, and ties into my broader research agenda,” Krebs said. “It's fun to do this kind of writing.”
There are multiple dimensions to Krebs’s evaluation, but at the core of it is the need to reform political institutions to deepen local democracy by enhancing the connection between voters and local elected officials, improving accountability and restoring trust.
Local institutional reform refers to efforts to improve how government entities like city councils, mayors, and public agencies function. The end goal of reform is to enhance representation, responsiveness, and accountability to the public.
Access to the full story can be found at UNM Newsroom
