SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA / A news summary : The Local Review / DEVELOPMENTS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY : Democrats to Revive Bill Shielding Bus Workers

Assembly Democrats say they will revive legislation today that would protect bus workers if a new transit zone to serve the San Fernando Valley is spun off from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Led by Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa and Assemblyman Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks), Democrats plan to resuscitate the bill--which is strongly opposed by Valley business leaders--in time to reach the Assembly floor before the end of the legislative session next week.

The measure was derailed last Thursday when Republicans, rallied by Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Northridge), refused to send it to the Appropriations Committee. That will now force Democrats to amend its content into another bill already scheduled before the committee.

The bill would force any new transit zone to abide by existing contracts between labor unions and the MTA. Opponents have portrayed it as a move to block an autonomous Valley transit zone. They argue that taking on the labor contracts would make it all but impossible to meet an MTA requirement that such zones can only be formed if they can be shown to operate 15% cheaper than the MTA.

Supporters say that was never their intent. They argue that they are not trying to stop a breakup of the MTA, but simply want to ensure that it does not occur at the expense of bus workers.

Hoping to untangle the issues, Hertzberg and the Democrats are now proposing that the same legislation also include language lifting the MTA’s requirement that transit zones be 15% cheaper.