BERNARDI TO BE BOND WATCHDOG; EX-COUNCILMAN SAYS PROP. 1 SHOULD WORK.Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer In a last-minute bid for public support, backers of Proposition 1 - the $744 million police and fire bond issue - turned Friday to former Councilman Ernani Bernardi Ernani Bernardi (October 29, 1911-January 4, 2006) was a politician in Los Angeles, California. He represented District 7 on the Los Angeles City Council from 1961 to 1993, a district that covered the east San Fernando Valley. for help with reluctant San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. voters. Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. and council President John Ferraro John Ferraro (May 14 1924—April 17 2001) served as a Los Angeles City Councilman from 1966 until his death. Early life Ferraro was born in the working class suburb of Cudahy, California, just south of Los Angeles. said they wanted Bernardi to serve with the citizens oversight
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``To have someone with the reputation of Bernardi, who is known as a tax-dollar watchdog, support this bond measure shows how important it is for the San Fernando Valley,'' said Deputy Mayor Noelia Rodriguez. Ferraro said he wanted Bernardi to serve on the oversight committee because of his history of protecting the taxpayers. ``I know of no one better qualified to look after the taxpayers' interest and ensure that these important public safety projects are completed on time and within budgets,'' Ferraro said. Bernardi, 87, said he was approached only Thursday about helping seek voter VOTER. One entitled to a vote; an elector. approval of the measure and in serving with the oversight committee. ``I think if it's managed properly, it will do everything it says,'' Bernardi said. ``I want this to work. In the past, they only had committees from (city) departments. This is a way to make sure it's done properly.'' In selecting Bernardi, who served on the City Council for 30 years until his 1993 retirement, the officials are hoping to tap into his credibility as a fiscal watchdog to win the two-thirds voter support necessary for approval. For years, Bernardi was known for his opposition to various spending programs and was the person responsible for a cap on the Central Business District redevelopment project. Opposition to the measure has come from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association helped sponsor Proposition 13, the property tax-cutting initiative in California in 1978 which slashed property taxes by fifty-seven percent and initiated a national tax revolt. It was founded by California republican Howard Jarvis. , which has described it as too large, and a new group called No Bonds Now. No Bonds Now includes many involved in the San Fernando Valley secession secession, in art secession, in art, any of several associations of progressive artists, especially those in Munich, Berlin, and Vienna, who withdrew from the established academic societies or exhibitions. movement who have questioned not only the size of the measure but the timing of it as well. In all, the measure would pay for a new downtown police headquarters, 18 fire stations and six police stations, along with replacement of a Fire Department helicopter facility at Van Nuys Airport Van Nuys Airport (IATA: VNY, ICAO: KVNY, FAA LID: VNY) is a public airport located in Van Nuys, California in the San Fernando Valley, within the Los Angeles city limits. . For the San Fernando Valley, it would mean two police stations, a new traffic division and six fire stations. The citizens oversight committee would have five members with expertise in construction, with two of those from the San Fernando Valley. Before serving on the City Council, Bernardi was in the construction business. In addition to the citizens committee, a panel with representatives from the Mayor's Office, chief legislative analyst and city administrative officer will meet monthly with various officials to review the work's progress. |
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