NEWS ANALYSIS : Year-Old Falling-Out Haunts 2 Inglewood Councilmen

A year-old personal dispute between Anthony Scardenzan and Garland Hardeman has snowballed into a political battle between the two Inglewood City Council members that is showing no signs of relief.

Scardenzan, a 60-year-old tool and die maker who is in his second term on the council, and Hardeman, a 33-year-old Los Angeles police officer in his first month as an elected official, were once friends and political allies.

When Hardeman was still laying the groundwork for his political career, Scardenzan nominated him to the city’s Construction Appeal Board. Later, when Hardeman set his sights on the City Council, Scardenzan donated $1,000 to his campaign. Scardenzan says he supported Hardeman because he considered him to be “an intelligent young man who could really do something for the community.”

But all that changed last year when Scardenzan and Hardeman found themselves debating opposite views at a public forum.

They had been invited to the forum to discuss Scardenzan’s proposal to create a special police tax to pay for 20 new officers. Scardenzan says he expected to show a videotape about the nation’s drug problem and to discuss his proposal, but when he arrived he found himself facing a debate with Hardeman and questions from audience members who opposed the tax.

Although he knew that Hardeman did not favor the tax, which city voters later passed by a substantial margin, Scardenzan still recalls the debate with anger.

“I have no problem with somebody wanting to debate me, but the fashion he did it really hurt me,” Scardenzan said. “He embarrassed me in public and afterwards he laughed.”

Hardeman downplays what happened that evening, denying that he attempted to humiliate Scardenzan. He says Scardenzan has taken personal affront over their difference of opinion on the police tax.

Frank Denkins, a Hardeman ally who was at the forum that evening, says Scardenzan is overreacting.

“Scardenzan is so rigid I don’t see why he doesn’t break in half,” Denkins said. “When I was a kid, I remember tall palm trees that would bend right over in the wind and then snap back up. A different type of tree didn’t have much flexibility and would break right off. That’s Scardenzan.”

After the debate, Scardenzan dropped his support of Hardeman, who was challenging the 1987 election that had put Ervin (Tony) Thomas in office. Scardenzan endorsed Thomas in last month’s court-ordered special election and vowed to resign if Hardeman won. He later changed his mind, saying supporters had encouraged him to remain in office.

Although Hardeman recently offered to discuss their falling-out, Scardenzan has refused to speak to him.

“He had my friendship, and he threw it away,” Scardenzan said last week. “I don’t want to put my hand in the fire a second time when I know it will be burned.”

Political observers say they hope the dispute won’t affect council decisions.

“I don’t think the Scardenzan-Hardeman feud is in the best interest of anyone to continue--Scardenzan, Hardeman or the community,” said Ken Gossett, an Inglewood businessman and Scardenzan ally. “It’s a very immature way for both of them to act. There has to be some distancing of your own ego, your own political ambitions, from the job.”

Two weeks ago, at the first council meeting where both were present, Scardenzan angrily opposed a Hardeman proposal to push the meeting time back two hours and called for an investigation into a city-sponsored reception for Hardeman before his swearing-in ceremony Oct. 14.

Hardeman responded by taunting Scardenzan about his resignation threat.

At last week’s council meeting, Scardenzan called on Hardeman to repay the $650 the city spent for invitations, two sheet cakes and coffee for the reception.

“This is not right,” Scardenzan said in an interview. “I think if Garland Hardeman wants to be honest with the taxpayers, he will pay back the money.”

Hardeman did not respond to Scardenzan at the meeting, and he said in an interview later that he will no longer be drawn into personal squabbling. Hardeman said it was city staff members, not he, who suggested the refreshments at the reception, and he has no plans to reimburse the city.

The two men are now in a stalemate.

Hardeman says he has attempted conciliation but has failed. Scardenzan says he does not plan to talk with Hardeman, although he said he will not allow their dispute to interfere with city business.

Councilman Jose Fernandez, elected in June, said he is attempting to arrange peace talks.

“Tony and Garland will have to try to work together,” Fernandez said. “On the council, you don’t have to like your peers.”