For Rep. Moorhead, Letting States Set Speed Limits Is the Ticket

TELL IT TO THE JUDGE: It is no surprise that Rep. Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale) intends to join his Republican colleagues in voting to end federal speed limits and allow individual states to set their own roadway restrictions.

After all, Moorhead generally shares the philosophy that the feds ought to stay out of state affairs. He also knows firsthand how troublesome the current limits can be, as the only local congressman to get nabbed recently for putting the pedal to the metal.

The bill now under consideration in the House would lift the federally imposed 55-m.p.h. and 65-m.p.h. restrictions and allow states to set speed limits themselves. A House subcommittee approved ending federal speed limits this week, advancing an idea already endorsed in the Senate.

Opposing the change is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which says studies clearly show that faster-moving traffic leads to more accidents and more lost lives. About 40% of California’s fatal crashes were related to speeding in 1993, according to federal data.

In Moorhead’s view, it is careless lane changers and drunk drivers who really make the roads unsafe. Even if Congress does lift the federal speed restrictions, Moorhead seriously doubts California will turn its roadways into raceways.

As for his ticket, Moorhead fesses up that he was speeding Oct. 5, 1992, when a patrol officer cited him, but . . .

“It was 2:30 in the morning and we had just completed the session,” Moorhead explained, remembering the incident as if it were yesterday. “I was coming down a divided highway in Virginia, going about 12 m.p.h. above the speed limit. There was not another car on the highway. . . . Then this police car comes the other way with a radar and he got me. Technically, he’s right. If the common sense law applied, he’d be dead wrong.”

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OVERHEARD VOICES: Valley Organized In Community Efforts, a coalition of churches and synagogues in the San Fernando Valley, demonstrated its growing influence this week by attracting such political big shots as Mayor Richard Riordan, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and City Atty. James K. Hahn to its annual fund-raiser in Encino.

But there are many City Hall insiders and political observers who say that the group, better known as VOICE, is influential because it is so intimidating. VOICE has been known to send up to 10 members into an office to demand a meeting with a council member.

VOICE representatives, however, reject that depiction.

At least, that is what they say publicly.

Following the fund-raiser at the home of attorney Ben Reznik, the group held a meeting in his back yard to go over the day’s events. Members crowed about the success of the fund-raiser, which netted $52,500.

One member was heard citing Machiavelli, saying it is better to be feared than liked. Another member commented about the glowing praise the group received from the elected officials, saying, “When you have that many politicians saying that many good things, maybe you are not asking for enough money.”

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TRASHING BRAUDE: After Councilman Marvin Braude mounted a failed attempt in July to oust Councilman John Ferraro from the council presidency, it was no surprise that Braude didn’t fare well when Ferraro made committee assignments recently.

Ferraro removed Braude, a veteran councilman who represents parts of the west San Fernando Valley, from his position as chairman of the powerful Public Safety Committee and assigned him to the less prestigious Environmental Quality and Waste Management Committee.

Councilwoman Laura Chick, a first-term Valley lawmaker, was assigned to head the Public Safety Committee, which oversees police and fire matters.

Ferraro said he didn’t make the changes to punish anyone.

Punishment or not, the move was applauded by the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents the rank and file of the city’s cops.

In a column in the league’s monthly newspaper, the Thin Blue Line, union Director Dennis Zine said: “We are pleased that council member Marvin Braude has been removed from the Public Safety Committee and placed in charge of the Environmental Quality and Waste Management Committee. Since Marvin Braude attempted to unseat Council President John Ferraro from the presidency and lost, it seems appropriate that he end up in the trash.”

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BUCK VERSUS BILL: Rep. Howard P. (Buck) McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) has demanded an apology of President Bill Clinton. But do not expect Clinton to say he’s sorry any time soon.

The alleged offense? Engaging in inflated partisan rhetoric--not exactly a rarity in the nation’s capital.

The dispute centers around the student loan program, from which the Republicans are squeezing funds in next year’s budget. The latest GOP plan would eliminate the six-month grace period for repayment after graduation.

During a recent campaign against the cuts, Clinton blasted Republican plans, saying that they would significantly increase the financial burden on students.

In a letter mailed to the White House this week, McKeon told Clinton that “the partisan tone of your rhetoric and the misleading of countless numbers of students and parents about student loans serves no useful purpose except to scare Americans into maintaining the status quo and allowing Washington to run this nation further into debt.”

BUCK VERSUS TOGO: McKeon has also fired off a letter to the Pentagon, specifically Secretary of the Army Togo D. West Jr., attempting to stop the transfer of an Army helicopter unit from Edwards Air Force Base, the sprawling base just north of McKeon’s congressional district in the Mojave Desert.

The unit itself is tiny, employing just 130 of Edwards’ 15,000 employees. But with the defense budget being trimmed, military bases being closed and the economy still sluggish, it is in the best interest of every military base to hold onto every program it can and aggressively seek out others, as well.

Edwards officials are hopeful that their base will benefit from the defense build-down causing havoc at other bases throughout the state and nation. Unfortunately for Edwards, current plans will move the helicopter unit--officially called the Airworthiness Qualification Test Directorate--to Fort Rucker, Alabama, as part of a consolidation of the Army’s helicopter test and evaluation activities.

In his correspondence to West and the General Accounting Office, McKeon argues that the helicopters ought to remain in California airspace.

Lacey reported from Washington, D.C., and Martin from Los Angeles.