Bernardi Begins Petition Drive Against Redevelopment Agency

Retired Los Angeles City Councilman Ernani Bernardi, a relentless critic of government waste during his long political career, launched a petition drive Saturday against one of his favorite targets--the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency--and what he described as efforts to funnel more tax money to the agency.

About 50 people, including representatives from several San Fernando Valley homeowner groups, attended a news conference held by Bernardi at the city’s government center in Van Nuys. Bernardi, 81, retired from his seat representing the northeast Valley in June after 32 years in office.

“I have much more time now and am devoting myself full time to informing the public of how they’re being ripped off by CRAs statewide,” Bernardi said later. He said he hopes to impress city officials with the signatures of thousands of citizens who want to “keep the cap.”

Continuing a long crusade against the Los Angeles CRA, Bernardi said the agency and some city officials are working on a plan to lift the limit on tax money it receives from the downtown business district and one in North Hollywood, whose current spending caps are $750 million and $89 million, respectively.

Those amounts are expected to be depleted by 1996 or 1997, according to Bernardi, who successfully sued the CRA to place the $750-million cap on its spending for downtown renewal.

But if allowed to lift those limits, he said, the CRA would continue to draw property tax revenues that otherwise would revert to city and school district coffers.

He said CRA officials have been meeting with community groups around the city, lobbying to add 20 CRA projects to the existing 17 and telling residents “how much they’ll benefit if the cap is lifted.”

CRA and city officials could not be reached for comment Saturday. Bernardi said he held the news conference on the weekend to accommodate his supporters who work weekdays.

The groups represented Saturday were Homeowners of Encino and the Federation of Hillside and Canyon Assns., a coalition of homeowner groups.