Hertzberg Decision Leaves Feuer With Fewer Worries

You could almost hear the sigh of relief coming from one end of City Hall at Assemblyman Bob Hertzberg’s (D-Sherman Oaks) decision to pursue the Assembly speakership next year.

City Councilman Mike Feuer, who shares many supporters with Hertzberg, is seriously pursuing the office of city attorney--a post Hertzberg had considered as well--in the 2001 election.

“[Hertzberg] would have been a formidable opponent in the race for city attorney,” Feuer said. “Not having someone of that stature in the race increases the chances for my candidacy.”

Feuer had scrambled hard to lock up many of the endorsements Hertzberg also might have vied for, but said many were waiting to see what Hertzberg would do.

“There were some people who said they were torn and were waiting to see what he decided,” Feuer said.

The shared constituencies are many: Both Feuer and Hertzberg represent liberal parts of the San Fernando Valley and both have strong support from Jewish voters, feminists, environmentalists and people interested in law and order issues, according to Larry Levine, a political consultant for the councilman.

Among those withholding endorsements has been the powerful Los Angeles Police Protective League.

“Obviously they worked closely with Bob in Sacramento and with me down here,” Feuer said.

Dennis Zine, a police union director, said the league will take its time in deciding whom to endorse in the race.

“It’s still a year and a half away,” Zine said. “A lot can happen in a year and a half. We’re in no hurry.”

No one else has formally declared for the city attorney’s race, but Deputy Mayor Rocky Delgadillo and county prosecutor Lea Purwin D’Agostino are both seriously considering a run.

There is another key endorsement Feuer will also now vigorously pursue: Hertzberg himself.

The assemblyman has not decided whom to support, his aide said.

“He has not endorsed anyone at this point,” said Paul Hefner, a spokesman for the legislator.

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ROLE-PLAYING: Supporters of Rep. James Rogan (R-Glendale) probably believe he is better suited for the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, but state Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) is set to guest star as Charles Dickens in a Dec. 15 musical production of “A Christmas Carol.”

Schiff, who is mounting a campaign to oust Rogan next year, will have some big shoes to fill when he dabs on the house paint: He’ll be filling in for entertainer Steve Allen, creator and former host of “The Tonight Show.”

Allen, a prolific songwriter and author as well as actor, adapted the Dickens classic, writing the book, music and lyrics for the production, which runs through Jan. 9 at Theatre West on Cahuenga Boulevard near Universal City.

“I don’t expect to win any acting awards,” Schiff said, “but I hope the audience will enjoy my performance.”

In case Schiff supporters get any clever casting ideas, the role of Scrooge is being ably played by Harold Gould, a five-time Emmy nominee.

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SECESSION SOLIDARITY: There’s a new entry in the eleventh-hour bid to block expansion of Sunshine Canyon Landfill: secessionists from the Harbor area.

Although 40 miles away, leaders of the Harbor-area secession group have pressured City Councilman Rudy Svorinich Jr. of San Pedro to drop his support for the dump expansion.

“As a community that itself has endured the environmentally negative impact brought about by the operations of the city, we find symmetry with the plight of the residents in the Valley,” wrote Andrew Mardesich, president of the San Pedro and Peninsula Homeowners Coalition and a Harbor secession leader, in a letter this week to Svorinich.

“We, as citizens, have to unite because we are up against a super huge bureaucracy,” Mardesich said Wednesday, adding that the Valley and Harbor leaders are communicating on a host of issues that in the past would have only affected one area of the city.

The Harbor secessionists were contacted by Valley opponents of Sunshine Canyon expansion, Mardesich said.

Svorinich has not changed his position, said Barry Glickman, an aide to the councilman. The dump issue comes back to the City Council for a possible final vote Wednesday.

“Right now his thinking is to stick with his vote,” Glickman said.

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LINE FORMING HERE: Just days after a group of activists in Hollywood announced their plans, with the help of Valley VOTE, to seek a secession study for their area, some residents of Venice have contacted the Valley group for assistance in organizing their own breakaway movement.

“They are serious,” said Jeff Brain, president of Valley VOTE.

Brain said he agreed to attend a meeting of Venice secessionists soon.

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PICKING UP THE TAB: Los Angeles taxpayers face a tab of more than $150,000 for playing host to 4,000 municipal officials attending the National League of Cities conference in Los Angeles this week, according to an estimate by chief legislative analyst Ron Deaton.

In addition to sessions on “media relations” and “preventing violence in your city,” there are several social events, including separate breakfasts for Democratic and Republican city officials.

Mayor Richard Riordan and Los Angeles City Council members are scheduled to host a reception for visiting officials Wednesday night at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, followed by a dinner at Impresario Ristorante.

Then there’s the Thursday reception for California city officials at the Los Angeles Central Library.

The only problem is that several Los Angeles City Council members are not planning to attend, including Valley representatives Feuer and Laura Chick, who is on vacation with family members.

Deaton said most of the cost of the dinners and receptions was paid by corporate sponsors.

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NO DUMPING: The 15,000 people who line the route of the Granada Hills Christmas Parade on Sunday may see Santa Claus, elves, Girl Scouts and marching bands. What they won’t see is an entry critical of plans by Browning-Ferris Industries to expand its Sunshine Canyon Landfill into the area.

Mary Edwards of the North Valley Coalition said her group approached the Granada Hills Chamber of Commerce last week, seeking permission to enter the parade in an antique car with signs.

“The signs would have said something tasteful and Christmasy about how rotten the dump is,” Edwards said.

But chamber officials said the group had missed the Oct. 31 deadline for submitting entries.

It turns out Browning-Ferris Industries is a major sponsor of the parade, having contributed $2,500 toward the nearly $10,000 cost of the event. The dump operator has been a sponsor the past three years.

Chamber officials said the group just waited too long.

“That [sponsorship] wouldn’t be a reason for not having a group in the parade,” said John Ciccarelli, a chamber official who is organizing the event.

Coalition member Ralph Kroy said he does not believe the chamber was trying to censor the group because when he approached the chamber he did not mention what message would be carried.

Edwards said 20 volunteers will pass out anti-dump fliers at the parade in hopes of rallying more opponents to attend the City Council meeting Wednesday, when a final vote on the expansion plan is again scheduled.

“The fliers are going to say, ‘Give your community a holiday gift--fight the landfill,’ ” Edwards said.