Valley VOTE Denies Ties to Backers of Same-Sex Marriage Ban

Jeffrey Gascon of Lake View Terrace supports Valley VOTE’s petition drive for a study and possible vote on the secession of the San Fernando Valley, but he’s not too happy with one of the people hired to collect signatures.

Gascon was leaving the Kmart on Foothill Boulevard in Tujunga on Wednesday when he noticed a table set up near the entrance touting a sign for Valley VOTE--and another petition to outlaw same-sex marriages.

“Frankly, it was offensive,” Gascon said. “It appeared the two issues were related, since they had signs on the same table.”

Valley VOTE President Jeff Brain said there is absolutely no connection between the two issues. The organization is taking steps to ensure this never happens again, Brain said.

“We are not involved in any way with that issue,” Brain said.

Apparently, an employee of Progressive Campaigns of Santa Monica, the professional petitioning firm that Valley VOTE hired, was hawking petitions for the two separate issues without Valley VOTE’s knowledge or consent, Brain said.

Akasha Jelani of Progressive said it was done without the company’s consent as well. Progressive isn’t even working on the same-sex marriage ban, she said.

Jelani said the company employs “independent contractors,” who are free to work for other companies and on other issues.

“We have no control over them,” Jelani said.

Gascon on Friday said he accepted Valley VOTE’s assurances that the organization has no ties to any petition in favor of banning same-sex marriages. He said Brain was clearly upset about the mix-up.

Gascon had sent a letter to the Los Angeles Times criticizing Valley VOTE for getting involved with the proposal on same-sex marriages--a letter he later retracted.

Still, Gascon said Valley VOTE is ultimately responsible, since the petitioner at Kmart was working on its behalf.

“My intention is not to hurt Valley VOTE, but the way this whole thing was presented [at Kmart] was terrible,” Gascon said.

Mayor Wachs

Are you ready for the Wachs administration?

An odd confluence of circumstances has put City Councilman Joel Wachs at the city’s helm for the next ten days or so. Mayor Richard Riordan is traveling in Europe (with his wife and friends). But City Council President John Ferraro, who normally fills in as acting mayor when the city’s chief executive is away, is taking a break until Sept. 4 or 5.

That means it’s Wachs’ turn to hold down the fort.

But what to do with all that power? Offer a paid membership at the downtown Y for every city employee? Revoke trash pickup for anyone who voted against him?

Nope, the councilman says his term will be all business. He expects to sign grant applications or routine ordinances, and most important, stand ready to keep the city operating in the event of an emergency.

“It’s not a time to get cute,” he said.

Riordan spokeswoman Noelia Rodriguez, however, insists it’s time to get cute “with a capital C.” She suggests issuing citations to tourists who wear black socks with sandals. No word yet from the mayor of the moment.

Statehouse Haunts

Exactly where was Assemblyman Jack Scott (D-Altadena) on June 25 from 8:56 a.m. to 9:22 a.m.?

Ken LaCorte of Pasadena, Scott’s Republican challenger, wants the incumbent to fess up.

LaCorte says he has evidence Scott was at a Sacramento television station participating in an on-air debate. But, according to official Assembly voting records, Scott somehow managed to cast three votes from the floor of the Assembly at the exact same time.

In a campaign press release, LaCorte accuses Scott of “ghost voting” on three bills that morning.

Ghost voting--one member pressing the yes or no button for another member not at his or her desk--is a violation of the Assembly’s internal rules. However, there is no penalty, and there are no legal sanctions against the practice.

Still, LaCorte wants answers.

“Evidently, someone broke the law and now some important questions must be answered,” LaCorte said.

Scott’s spokesman, Scott Wetch, called LaCorte’s allegations a “laughable” political stunt.

Wetch said he doesn’t know what happened that morning, but said members are permitted to record a vote on a bill hours after the official tally is taken.

As for the “ghost voting” violation, the guilty party is the lawmaker who presses another member’s vote button--not the member who is off the Assembly floor, Wetch said.

Of the three bills at issue, two passed the Assembly unanimously.

The third was approved with a 58-10 vote. The legislation proposed a new compensation option for directors of irrigation districts that serve 500,000 acres or less and that produce or distribute electric power.

Full Court Press

It’s easy to tell the state Legislature is heading for adjournment and the November general election is on the horizon--lawmakers are sending out a blizzard of press releases touting their legislative victories.

Assemblyman Scott Wildman (D-Los Angeles) has been very busy, according to Assemblyman Scott Wildman (D-Los Angeles).

Among his successful legislation: a bill prohibiting violent felons from purchasing or owning bullet-proof body armor. He introduced the measure, in part, because of last year’s horrific shootout during a North Hollywood bank robbery, when two suspects wearing body armor kept 350 police officers at bay.

Wildman’s bill requiring the state to complete the construction of more than 60 sound walls along freeways, including one on Toluca Lake, also passed the Legislature. Plus, his bill requiring bounty hunters searching for fugitives to notify local law enforcement agencies before entering private property has made it to Gov. Pete Wilson’s desk.

Wildman’s district covers Glendale, Burbank, Los Feliz, Hollywood and other parts of northeastern Los Angeles County.

Assemblyman Tony Cardenas (D-Sylmar) also scored some legislative winners he wants voters to know about. State lawmakers approved a Cardenas bill to study the award-winning program “Communities in Schools,” a program in his district to prevent teenagers from entering gangs, as well as treaties among 75 Latino street gangs, to see if they can be successful in other communities.

Cardenas’ bill for a state-sponsored prostate cancer screening program also passed the Legislature. The measure provides screenings for uninsured men older than 50, and for high risk men older than 40.

Cardenas is finishing his first term in the Assembly and seeking reelection. He also is debating whether to seek appointment to the Los Angeles City Council should Councilman Richard Alarcon win election to the state Senate.

State Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) has been one of the Valley’s more prolific lawmakers, and he isn’t up for reelection for another two years. Aside from the education budget bill he authored, which was included in the budget package signed by the governor, Schiff sponsored legislation designed to assure that California universities would not become stooges for foreign governments.

Schiff’s measure, also included in the budget bill, imposed strict requirements on foreign government grants to the universities, to ensure there are no strings on what can be taught about the country giving the money.