Bernson Defuses Blowup With Utilities; Staff Had Wires Crossed

Someone messed up. That is the only way Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson could explain how the council almost made it illegal for utility companies to use spray paint on sidewalks and streets to mark where underground pipes and wires are located.

The proposal appeared before the council this week under Bernson’s name and was only minutes away from possible passage before he pulled it from the agenda and sent it to the council’s Public Works Committee for modifications.

Good thing, too. Utility company representatives and officials at the city’s Public Works Department almost blew a fuse when they heard about the proposal, according to one City Hall source.

The measure said that such markings on sidewalks and pavements should be banned, asserting that they are as aesthetically harmful to the city as any graffiti on walls and freeways. It went on to say that some public agencies responsible for the markings are “graffiti vandals in their own right.”

When asked about it, an embarrassed Bernson said one of his staff members wrote the measure and got it on the council’s agenda before he could read or sign off on it. His only intent, Bernson said, was to request that the utilities remove the markings when they are no longer needed.

“Someone went too far,” Bernson said.

Dining for Dollars

Political challengers usually spend more time on the rubber-chicken circuit than incumbents.

Ask Los Angeles city attorney hopeful Ted Stein of Encino, whose dizzying schedule of banquet appearances would have a lesser stomach begging for Mylanta.

Among his stops in early May: the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the anti-drug group DARE, Latinos for Riordan, the American Jewish Committee, the Milken Foundation education awards and the San Fernando Valley Assn. of Realtors.

Stein said he had more than 1,000 meals with different people last year preparing to challenge incumbent City Atty. James Hahn, who’s running for a third term. (Yes, that sometimes means two dinners a night.)

No doubt, Stein’s favorite May event was his own fund-raiser Wednesday night at Jimmy’s in Century City. It was hosted by Police Commission chairman and Valley resident Bert Boeckmann and his wife, Jane, publisher of Valley magazine.

Stein said he expected to bring in $110,000 from the event, which will put him over the $400,000 mark. That sounds like a lot, but it is just 20% of the $2 million he hopes to amass to take on Hahn next April.

Given an incumbent’s fund-raising advantage--and household name--Hahn could afford to gear up later than Stein. He did so this week, with a major $500-a-plate dinner at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Thursday night.

While not specifying a target number, Hahn said he is confident he can raise enough money to be reelected to a fourth term (his last because of term limits).

“I’m not taking anything for granted,” Hahn said. “I’m confident I’ll be reelected.”

Hahn said he, too, is out at events most nights. It is not oddl that the two don’t often cross paths, Hahn said. “It’s a big town.”

Who is the candidate Stein runs into most often these days? Incumbent Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti, who’s hoping to win a second term, running against one of his senior deputies, John Lynch.

Sales Pitch

What does one find at a congressman’s garage sale? The same kinds of knickknacks, old clothes, antiques and books non-politicians hawk on the weekends.

Clearing out his closets in anticipation of his end-of-the-year retirement, Rep. Carlos J. Moorhead recently held a weekend sale at his northern Virginia townhouse. A brand-new electric coffee maker went for a mere $5. A Peruvian sweater netted $25.

Most of those who stopped by had no idea whose merchandise they were picking through. Still, they liked what they saw, buying up $1,000 worth of stuff. What was left behind was donated to the Salvation Army.

Now Moorhead is trying to sell the townhouse itself. Once a buyer is found, the Republican stalwart and his wife will move back to their home in Glendale and enjoy the first stretch since grade school that he has not been studying or working full time.

The Late Show

What was Assemblyman James Rogan (R-Glendale) doing outside the Continental Cable station the other night with a man who’s a dead ringer for President Clinton?

Trying to get in to tape a show hosted by Democratic consultant and pundit Joe Cerrell, that’s what. Rogan, caught in traffic, was almost a no-show. Cerrell had taped the hourlong program in two parts and was almost out the door when an apologetic Rogan arrived.

The Bill Clinton look-alike was his aide Greg Mitchell, who looks enough like the President to portray him at GOP fund-raising events, including a performance set for this week.

After just one term in the Assembly, Rogan is running for Congress in the open seat left by retiring Rep. Carlos Moorhead. His quick bid for higher office caused Cerrell to suggest that Rogan was trying to leave Sacramento before he even learned where the bathrooms were.

In what is expected to be a hot race, Rogan faces Democrat Doug Kahn, who was asked to be on the cable interview show later in the month, though the show’s producer said Kahn’s campaign manager, Ted Toppin, said he was too busy campaigning.

Not so, Toppin said. It’s just that Kahn will be in Washington, D.C., the night the show wants him.

Toppin was eager to share the results of a Kahn survey that shows Kahn at 35%, Rogan at 37% and 28% of the electorate undecided. The Kahn camp interprets that as good news, since Rogan has much better name identification and Clinton is polling way ahead of Bob Dole.

But Rogan oozes confidence and predicts victory in the Glendale-Burbank-Pasadena district. While Kahn is raising money over the phone, Rogan is having a major fund-raiser next week hosted by Gov. Pete Wilson, which gives you some idea of the GOP company he keeps.