The City of Vernon currently employs about 50,000 people (Photo provided by Vernon city website).

Assembly speaker John Perez promoted a bill at Los Angeles City Hall this morning to disband the city government of Vernon.

Protesters congregated on the lawn outside in opposition to the proposal.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa stood by Perez in support today of the legislation.  69 Assembly members and 23 state senators are coauthoring the bill (LATimes.com).

Perez introduced the bill in December to dissolve Vernon as a city and make it an unincorporated part of Los Angeles County.

“For years, officials in that city have operated with a shocking lack of transparency and accountability.  The city is landlord and employer for virtually the entire electorate, so that they can make decisions that waste taxpayer dollars and put jobs at risk with no regard for the will of the voters.  That is unacceptable,” Perez said.

About 50 Vernon workers and business leaders protested outside City Hall today.

“We feel that if the city annexes Vernon, Teamsters’ employers will have to leave the area,” Jim Smith, a member of Teamsters Local 396, said.  “Obviously there are reasons behind the bill, but we think there are better solutions.”

If Perez’s bill passes, it would end Vernon city government by making any city with fewer than 150 residents end their affiliation.  Vernon is the only California city that falls into this category.