Rogan Asked to Help Get the House Ready for Clinton-Starr Wars

Less than a month after he was appointed to the powerful House Judiciary Committee, freshman Rep. James Rogan (R-Glendale) has already been thrust in the midst of the controversy surrounding the investigation of President Clinton by independent counsel Kenneth Starr.

Rogan, a former Municipal Court judge and prosecutor of hard-core gang members, has been pulled into the fray by House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who asked Rogan to produce a report on previous investigations of the president.

In the past few weeks, Republican leaders have been wrestling with how to proceed if Starr were to hand the House evidence of serious wrongdoing by Clinton in the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Gingrich has been trying to come up with a way to proceed without appearing to lead a partisan attack on the president, particularly since Clinton continues to enjoy high public approval ratings.

Enter Rogan, a Republican who is well-liked on both sides of the aisle and has a background in the law. Gingrich generally wants him to review previous investigations and offer his thoughts on the legal and political options available to the House.

But the White House and Democratic leaders, such as Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.), are already jumping on Gingrich, saying impeachment talk is premature.

Rogan has repeatedly said that Clinton deserves the same presumption of innocence as any courtroom defendant.

During an interview with CNN Thursday, Rogan echoed Gingrich’s call for a fair investigation.

“I think it’s incumbent upon the House to make sure that both sides can express their opinion in a fair manner,” Rogan said.

Polling Duels

Who is the most popular candidate vying for the state Senate seat being vacated by Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles)?

It all depends on which poll you believe.

The two top candidates for the seat are former Assemblyman Richard Katz and City Councilman Richard Alarcon, both of whom are pointing to separate polls as proof of their popularity.

Earlier this month, a poll commissioned for Katz by the firm of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates found that Katz had more than twice the support of district voters than Alarcon.

Of the 600 registered voters polled in the survey, 37% said they would support Katz for the job, with only 16% in support of Alarcon, according to the survey.

According to the poll, Katz and Alarcon both enjoy a high level of name recognition, but Alarcon has a higher unfavorable rating among voters.

Alarcon supporters call that survey biased and point to an independent poll by Arnold Steinberg for proof of his popularity. The Steinberg survey of 1,205 Valley voters was primarily intended to gauge Valley attitudes on secession, but it also asked voters to rate their local elected officials.

The survey was paid for by Valley businessmen David Fleming and Herbert Boeckmann.

Of the seven Valley council members, Alarcon got the highest rating, with 66.4% of those polled saying he has done a good or very good job. Katz supporters note, however, that the Steinberg survey only polled 113 voters in Alarcon’s council district.

The two Richards will face off in the first head-to-head debate of the campaign at 1 p.m. Saturday at the New Horizons Center, 15725 Parthenia St., North Hills.

Putting It in Neutral

Since 1992, only two new cities in California have incorporated, largely because of a little-known 1992 law that allows new incorporation to proceed only if it does not result in extra cost or profits for any affected municipality.

In other words, no new city can be formed unless the impacts are “revenue neutral.”

But Assemblyman Bruce Thompson (R-Fallbrook) wants to change that. He has introduced legislation to eliminate the so-called “revenue neutrality” clause.

Thompson represents parts of San Diego and Riverside counties, where three communities are considering incorporating as new cities, including his hometown of Fallbrook.

The bill may have some serious local impacts because the “revenue neutrality” clause is considered the biggest potential roadblock for any San Fernando Valley secession.

Thompson said the revenue neutrality clause was adopted as part of a deal struck between California counties and former Speaker of the House Willie Brown Jr.

Thompson said the counties demanded the “revenue neutrality” clause to keep wealthy communities from incorporating as independent cities and taking tax revenues from the counties. In exchange, the counties allowed the state to raid local coffers to pay for state education projects, he said.

“Revenue neutrality is a failure, and now that California’s economy has come out of the recession, there’s absolutely no justification to retain it,” Thompson said.

The bill has yet to be heard in the Legislature, so its popularity is unclear. Even the Los Angeles City Council--a vocal opponent of a Valley secession--has yet to take a position on the bill, said Leslie McFadden, a city lobbyist.

The California League of Cities--an influential group of city representatives--plans to meet today to take a position on the bill.

But Assemblyman Robert Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks), who co-wrote legislation to make Valley secession easier, said he expects the bill will face strong opposition from lawmakers, like himself, who oppose “piecemeal” changes in the state’s incorporation laws.

The first test will come April 15, when the bill will be heard by the Assembly’s Local Government Committee.

Unsinkable Sheila

Now that all the hoopla over the Oscars has faded, Sacramento is gearing up for its own awards celebration: “The Minnies.”

The Minnies, named after the goddess Minerva who appears on the state seal, are awarded by the California Journal every two years to the best and worst of our state’s lawmakers.

While the Oscars are decided by a vote of the motion picture academy, the Minnies are decided by a vote of state lawmakers, lobbyists, legislative staff, administration officials and the Sacramento press corps.

The results show that Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica), whose district includes parts of Encino, took in nearly as many awards as “Titanic.”

Kuehl was named most intelligent Assembly member. Hertzberg and Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Northridge) were dubbed “others with serious wattage.”

Kuehl also was named the Assembly member with the most integrity. McClintock got honorable mention in this category.

Kuehl was dubbed one of the Assembly’s best problem solvers. Hertzberg and Kuehl won honorable mention in the “hard-working” category.

Kuehl was also named as one of the Assembly’s most influential members.

But the Minnies are not always kind.

This year, McClintock and state Sen. William “Pete” Knight (R-Palmdale) were called two of the Legislature’s biggest obstructionists.

Knight and Assemblyman Scott Wildman (D-Los Angeles) were recognized as being among the least influential lawmakers in Sacramento.

Special Delivery

Santa Clarita residents could soon see more public buses in town and new ramps at the interchange where Interstate 5 and Magic Mountain Parkway meet.

In addition, Antelope Valley residents could see a California 14 overpass at Avenue H, the last overpass project needed in Lancaster to complete a peripheral loop of the city.

The House Ways and Means Committee approved a $218-billion highway bill Thursday that included $22.5 million for those local projects.

The bill “will go to the House floor next,” said David Foy, a spokesman for Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R--Santa Clarita). “It’s probably expected to go to the House next Tuesday.”

The BESTEA bill (for Building Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity Act) provides $13.9 million for the I-5 interchange project, $2.5 million for the buses and $6.1 million for the Lancaster overpass project.

BESTEA is the House version of the Senate’s Intermodal Surface Transportation and Equity Act, or ISTEA bill.

Foy said the local project money found its way into the bill at McKeon’s request.

“The I-5 interchange money is much-needed,” McKeon said in a statement. “The interchange is often very congested.”

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Times staff writer Tom Schultz contributed to this story.