Fact-Finding Politicians Take a Plane to Catch a Train

Like ducks that head south for the winter, politicians from the San Fernando Valley have gone on their post-election, fact-finding treks abroad in search of answers for important questions, like what it feels like to ride on a really, really fast train.

The biggest delegation--with 11 state officials--is headed by state Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks) and includes Assemblyman Tony Cardenas (D-Sylmar). They arrived in Hong Kong on Saturday and plan stops in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto before returning Sunday.

Goals of the lawmakers include meeting with Asian government and business leaders to forge closer economic ties.

Hertzberg noted, in a parting news release, that Asia is an important economic partner with California, and three of the legislators represent state ports that do heavy overseas trade.

“I am very excited to be going to Asia to share the story of California--and to work to strengthen our relationships with our state’s trading partners,” Hertzberg said.

Cardenas, who took his wife, went on the trip in his capacity as head of the Assembly Budget Committee, an aide said.

A highlight of the trip will be a ride on Japan’s bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka, the Hertzberg news release said.

The release notes that there is talk about building a high-speed rail system between San Francisco and Los Angeles, although one critic said the idea is still in early stages and it isn’t necessary for an army of state officials to head overseas for a test ride.

“Do they really need to be riding on a train that goes 180 mph just to know they can?” asked Jon Coupal, head of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. “It sounds like an excuse for a nice trip to Japan.”

Coupal said the size of the delegation--which includes six legislators and five staff members--is “excessive.” The legislators are tapping political contributions to pay their way, while the state is ponying up $19,000 for the backup staff, said Paul Hefner, a spokesman for the speaker.

MOVING ON UP: The heavy turnover in Sacramento caused by term limits has meant some freshmen legislators are getting rare opportunities for leadership positions.

Just look at Assemblyman Keith Richman (R-Northridge). A month after he was elected, Richman has been named as Republican Caucus Whip by Assembly Republican Leader Bill Campbell (R-Villa Park).

“As a new member, it is a great honor to be appointed to a senior leadership post,” Richman said.

On the Democratic side, new Assembly members from the Valley, including Dario Frommer and Fran Pavley, are waiting for Hertzberg’s return from Asia to see what their assignments will be.

I’LL CALL YOU: Councilman Mike Feuer has always kept a finger on the touch-tone pulse of telephones.

When nonemergency calls clogged the city’s 911 system, he led the charge for a new 311 number to handle complaints about barking dogs and untrimmed trees. When state regulators suggested an area code overlay for the Valley’s 818 region, he sharply questioned the need for new numbers. And when cellular phone antennas began sprouting across the city like unsightly weeds, he helped promote a plan to control their design and placement.

Feuer’s direct line to the world of telephone indignations rang again this week. This time, the villains were those annoying telemarketers who disrupt “millions of family dinners nightly with unwanted solicitations,” according to a statement the councilman released.

Following the lead of New York, which recently enacted a “Do-Not-Call” law, Feuer proposed a program that would fine wayward telemarketers each time they call someone who has signed a city registry saying they don’t want the intrusion. More than 180,000 New Yorkers have put their names on their local registry, and telemarketers can be fined up to $2,000 per unwanted call.

Feuer himself has often been pestered at home by such solicitors, said aide Daniel Hinerfeld. “He does get a lot of these calls at home, and they annoy him tremendously,” Hinerfeld said.

But he’s always happy to hear from constituents. A savvy communicator who’s now running for city attorney, Feuer stays connected via three office phones plus another trio of mobile phones.

Just don’t call him during dinner.

LOS ANGELES EXPRESS: The term-limit-inspired trend of state legislators leaving Sacramento to run for office at Los Angeles City Hall may be continuing. First there were state Sen. Tom Hayden and Assemblyman Scott Wildman running for City Council in the April 2001 election.

Now, another former state pol who has represented part of the Valley is eyeing a possible run in 2003.

Former state Senate President Pro Tem David Roberti may run for the 4th District Council seat when John Ferraro is forced out by term limits in three years, he says.

“I’m definitely looking at it,” said Roberti, who represented the North Hollywood and Studio City portions of the council district during his long tenure in Sacramento.

He served in the state Assembly from 1967 to 1971, and the Senate from 1971 to 1994, when he was forced out by term limits.

Others whose names have been bandied about as potential candidates in the 4th District include former Assemblyman Wally Knox, former city Charter Reform Commissioner Bill Weinberger and Ferraro aide Susan Yackley.

Ferraro has suffered some severe health problems that have forced him to miss a lot of meetings this year, but aides said there is no talk of him stepping down before his term is up.

Adding to the uncertainty about who might run in 2003 is redistricting, which will soon redraw the boundaries of the 4th District.

Roberti, a Los Feliz resident who currently serves on the California Integrated Waste Management Board, said it should not be surprising that so many legislators from Sacramento are opting to run for City Council.

“There is a lot of unfinished business to take care of,” he said.

NEW LEADERSHIP: Rocked during the last year by concussions from the Rampart police scandal, the union representing LAPD officers has overhauled its leadership, electing its first woman president.

Mitzi Grasso, a former senior lead officer in the Van Nuys Division, was elected president of the Police Protective League by the board to replace Ted Hunt, who stepped down. At the same time, police union Vice President Dennis Zine, a resident of West Hills, left his leadership position to campaign full-time for the West Valley’s 3rd District seat on the Los Angeles City Council.

Zine said one of the reasons Hunt stepped down was to help him with his council campaign.

As for Grasso’s historic election, Zine said it is a significant accomplishment for someone he described as smart and tenacious.

“It has been such a male dominated environment in the past, but we want the board to reflect the membership more,” Zine said.

NEW CLOUT: At an age when many people have retired, City Councilman Hal Bernson of Granada Hills is looking to take on new responsibilities next month when he becomes chairman of the Southern California Regional Rail Authority.

The authority oversees the operation of the Metrolink system, which runs commuter trains on 1,470 miles of track with 120 stations.

Bernson turned 70 on Nov. 19. The Metrolink chairmanship is one of several appointments he fills as a member of the Los Angeles City Council. Bernson also serves on the governing boards of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Local Agency Formation Commission, Southern California Assn. of Governments, South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Entertainment Industry Development Corp.

Francine Oschin, the councilman’s much-younger transportation deputy, said her boss shows no signs of slowing down.

“I can’t keep up with him,” she said. “He has got an amazing energy level. He’s like the Energizer bunny.”

Oschin said she thinks Bernson is taking on so much because he knows term limits will force him out of office in three years.

“He is looking at the end and looking at all the things he wants to finish up, so when he leaves he will have accomplished what he wanted to,” Oschin said.