In a Valley Divided, Bernson Joins in Backing Padilla

Having won reelection last month to his 12th District seat, Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson of Granada Hills has decided to weigh in on the race next door in the northeast San Fernando Valley’s 7th District.

Bernson on Wednesday joined Councilman Rudy Svorinich Jr. of San Pedro and former Councilwoman Joy Picus of Woodland Hills in endorsing Alex Padilla in the June 8 runoff election.

Bernson said it is important for representatives of the adjoining districts to be able to work together. He said he believes Padilla, 26, is a better candidate than contender Corinne Sanchez, 52.

“He is young and aggressive, and I think he will do a better job,” said Bernson. “I think I’ll be able to work with him.”

Bernson’s backing splits the Valley’s delegation. Council members Laura Chick, Mike Feuer and Cindy Miscikowski have backed Sanchez in the race.

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CHARTER MEMBERS: The proposed City Charter on the June 8 ballot won endorsements from two Valley groups Wednesday, although both involved split votes that even supporters admit show an ambivalence to the reform measure.

After hearing supporters and opponents of the new City Charter debate the issue, the Studio City Residents Assn. voted late Tuesday to endorse the measure. About 65% of the members present favored the charter.

But association Vice President Polly Ward said she still has mixed feelings after hearing the debate between appointed Charter Reform Commission Chairman George Kieffer and Valley civic leader Bill Powers.

“It couldn’t be any worse than what we already have, so why not try it?” Ward said.

On Wednesday, Powers failed to convince his fellow delegates to the United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley to oppose the charter.

The influential business group voted 15 to 13 to support the charter. Elected charter reform panel commissioner Rob Glushon said he was pleased with the endorsement.

But, he added, “The fact that it was a split vote recognizes that many of us in the Valley aren’t entirely happy with the charter. But, it’s better than what we have.”

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BLAST FROM PAST: Just when Valley secessionists thought they had everything under control in their quest for a study of municipal divorce, a state commission this week opened a little box of horrors on them, summoning a specter from the legislation that set off the breakup process two years ago.

Secession backers apparently need not fear, however: The apparition should soon fade.

The Commission on Local Governance for the 21st Century, an appointed panel which has been asked to advise the Legislature on whether the state should fund a secession study, asked Valley cityhood proponents to answer a set of questions.

Most were relatively straightforward and predictable, such as: Who should pay for the study? But one of the questions took secessionists by surprise: Should consideration be given to activating the Special Commission on Los Angeles Boundaries?

Valley VOTE, the group behind the secession drive, had a clear answer: no.

During the debate over secession in Sacramento earlier this decade, some lawmakers expressed concerns that the panel that oversees the breakup process, the Local Agency Formation Commission, was not objective enough, and a special panel should be formed to help it study the breakup of Los Angeles.

Over the strong objections of secession advocates, a watered-down version of the special commission wound up in the final bill sponsored by Assembly members Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks) and Tom McClintock (R-Northridge) that was passed by the Legislature.

As a result, state leaders can activate the special commission to conduct a parallel study of secession--but only if they agreed to fund it. And it remains unclear what purpose the second opinion would serve, since the final decision on whether to put secession to a citywide vote would still lie with LAFCO and its breakup study.

Valley VOTE chairman Richard Close said the commission was conceived with one purpose in mind: to confuse the public and complicate the secession process. Since no one has argued publicly for it, Close believes the issue should be put to rest.

“That second commission was put into the bill against our will,” Close said. “We viewed it as a duplication of the LAFCO effort. It’s hard enough to get money for one study, so why have two?”

Judging from the negative reaction the idea received, it appears the box of horrors will remain closed.

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THE BIG CHECK: The Los Angeles Ethics Commission has notified City Council candidates in the June 8 runoff elections that they’ve been selected to get a big check.

Each of the six candidates who survived the April primary in the 7th, 10th and 14th districts automatically qualifies for $20,833--courtesy of Los Angeles taxpayers.

The money comes from a program, approved by voters, designed to reduce the influence of special-interest donations and lessen candidates’ dependence on large contributors. Individual contributions are matched for all candidates who agree to abide by spending limits, in this case $250,000 per election.

Matching funds are released only when a candidate certifies that a like amount has already been raised from supporters. But the Ethics Commission provided an up-front check for runoff candidates so they can get their message out in the relatively short period before the runoff. The cash will be applied against future claims to matching funds.

“It is helpful to start out with that,” said Steve Gray-Barkan, the campaign manager for Sanchez in the 7th District race.

“It allows you to keep the campaign going,” Gray-Barkan said.

But former 7th District Councilman Ernani Bernardi of Van Nuys sees no reason why $125,000 in taxpayer funds should be handed out to candidates just for making a runoff.

“I’m opposed to the whole program,” Bernardi said. “I’m opposed to financing campaigns at public expense. The money could be better spent fixing the horrible streets in this city.”

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FROM MOM, WITH LOVE: You give birth, raise your children, cook for them, bathe them, take care of them when they are sick, and is that enough?

No. Not if you are Padilla’s mother.

You’ve got to go out and campaign to get him elected.

Both Padilla and Sanchez spent some of their Ethics Commission money on a Mother’s Day mailing to 7th District mothers.

Sanchez wished voting mothers a happy Mother’s Day.

And Padilla had his mother do the talking for him.

In a card with a floral pattern, Guadalupe Padilla wrote, “I’m Alex’s mom and as you can tell, I’m very proud of my son.

“I knew from an early age that he would grow up to become a leader,” she wrote.

Just for good measure, the card was accompanied by a “Padilla for City Council” potholder.

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ANONYMOUS: Councilman Joel Wachs of Studio City prevailed on the City Council this week to join him in his crusade against anonymous political mailers.

A court has struck down a state law requiring identification of those who send political mail, but the council asked the city attorney’s office this week to determine whether a voluntary program can be created.

Under Wachs’ proposal, candidates who agree to identify themselves as the senders of mail will get credit for the voluntary action in the voters guide sent by the city to voters.

“It’s bad enough that filth goes out and lies go out,” Wachs said, “but to not know who it is from . . . It’s really, really wrong.”