DRIVES FOR POWER GO DIFFERENT WAYS : INTEREST GROUPS LURK IN CHARTER REFORM.Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer In an election that many agree is about who will have the power to decide L.A.'s future, dozens of candidates are vying for a chance to spend two years digging through the musty, 700-page City Charter. The job of serving on the elected charter reform commission offers no salary. Voters must decide April 8 if the elected commission will even exist. But the high-stakes work, which could ultimately wrest wrest tr.v. wrest·ed, wrest·ing, wrests 1. To obtain by or as if by pulling with violent twisting movements: wrested the book out of his hands; wrested the islands from the settlers. decision-making power from City Hall and calm the passions driving the 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. secession movement, may help explain why 58 people - former lawmakers, homeowner leaders, union activists and more - plan arduous, and in some cases costly, campaigns. More telling about the job's importance is that slates of candidates are quickly being forged by competing citywide interests: 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. , city employee unions, business leaders and homeowner activists. ``There is only one thing at stake here - just the future of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. ,'' says Richard Close, president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association. While the intent of an elected commission is to give voice to average citizens in recrafting the 72-year-old charter, the intrusion of special interest groups and hand-picked candidates may well leave those people in the minority. ``These (candidates) are all people having agendas, having an affiliation with certain special interests who have a stake in the system,'' said Claremont political science Professor Sherry Bebitch Jeffe. ``The community is not necessarily going to be represented.'' Studio City attorney David Fleming
David Fleming , who with Riordan co-sponsored the initiative creating the elected reform panel, claims the City Council is trying to usurp u·surp v. u·surped, u·surp·ing, u·surps v.tr. 1. To seize and hold (the power or rights of another, for example) by force and without legal authority. See Synonyms at appropriate. 2. the process by fielding its own candidates and backing them with money received from City Hall lobbyists. The council has appointed its own, 21-member charter reform commission that will recommend competing charter changes to the council in 1999. The elected commission will present its charter directly to voters. Union response Leaders of city employee unions, who have long wielded considerable clout at City Hall, say they are concerned that Riordan has turned to major corporate leaders for contributions of $25,000 to $100,000 each to finance a slate of candidates that the unions worry would push the interests of the downtown business establishment. ``We see a mayor who got elected on a platform of trying to privatize city services The examples and perspective in this article or section may represent an unduly geographically limited view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. but he didn't succeed under the current rules,'' said Julie Butcher an officer with the Service Employees International Union, Local 347, which represents 6,500 blue-collar city workers. ``I view this (charter reform) as a clear attempt by the mayor to buy a new set of rules,'' Butcher said. ``I see this as an attempt to get rid of civil service for city employees.'' Close and others say that if unions, council and other special interests sabotage charter reform, it could spell the end of Los Angeles as people know it. Close co-chairs Valley Vote, a group whose push for legislation to help the San Fernando Valley secede from L.A. drew the counter-proposal from Riordan for charter reform. The mayor and Fleming collected 304,000 signatures to qualify an initiative on the ballot that would create a 15-member charter reform commission whose work would be untouchable untouchable Former classification of various low-status persons and those outside the Hindu caste system in Indian society. The term Dalit is now used for such people (in preference to Mohandas K. by the council. Historic importance ``I think it is obviously of enormous historical proportions,'' Fleming said of the April vote. In addition to campaigning for the initiative, Riordan has helped raise $560,000 to back candidates who he says share his concern about the lack of accountability and centralized decision-making power in city government. Among them is Studio City businessman Marvin Selter. Selter, chairman of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, said he ``is not in the mayor's hip pocket,'' but does agree that the executive branch needs more authority. ``What you need in any kind of organization is some kind of titular tit·u·lar adj. 1. Relating to, having the nature of, or constituting a title. 2. a. Existing in name only; nominal: the titular head of the family. b. head to propose policy and put a system in place . . . and have some accountability,'' said Selter. ``Our mayor has no accountability.'' To counter that theme, several city unions have put together their own slate of candidates, including community college board member Gloria Romero Gloria J. Romero is currently the Democratic majority leader of the California State Senate and the first woman to ever hold this leadership position. Romero grew up in Barstow, and earned her associate's degree from Barstow Community College. She went on to a B.A. , as well as council aides Marcos Castaneda and Woody Fleming. Noting that the unions led efforts to kill the last comprehensive charter reform measures in the 1970s, Close and Fleming said they are wary of the slate of candidates being promoted by the union and some council members. ``The council people and the unions who want to kill charter reform have decided the initiative is going to pass so they are going to use the trojan horse See Trojan. Trojan Horse hollow horse concealed soldiers, enabling them to enter and capture Troy. [Gk. Myth.: Iliad] See : Deceit (application, security) Trojan horse theory,'' Close said. ``Since they can't stop the charter reform commission they are going to get their people elected as moles on the inside and then kill it like a cancer, from within.'' Butcher says the unions have decided not to actively fight the initiative because poll data shows it will pass, but she denied that the unions candidates are charged with killing reform. Instead, Butcher said the unions are supporting calls by homeowner groups to give local communities more decision-making power. ``We recognize very clearly the high level of disconnect, not only in the Valley but in San Pedro and other parts of the city,'' she said. ``Government has to respond.'' Valley leaders Battling fire with fire, Close and Van Nuys Homeowners Association President Don Schultz For the Marketing expert, see . Don Schultz is a former president and a former vice-president of the United States Chess Federation. He was born in New York in 1937 and currently lives in Florida. He was elected vice-president on August 14 2005. are putting together a slate of Valley community leaders whose platform will be to transfer decision-making power to neighborhoods. The still-developing slate is expected to include former Encino Property Owners Association president Rob Glushon, Sherman Oaks Homeowners director Matt Epstein, Studio City Residents Association president Tony Lucente, Selter, Gary Thomas Gary Thomas (born June 6, 1961) is an American jazz saxophonist from Baltimore, Maryland. He is a member of Special Edition and has worked with Cassandra Wilson, Wallace Roney, Miles Davis and Steve Coleman. and Northridge activist Walter Prince. ``It's going to be the only community-based slate, the only slate dedicated to local control,'' Close said, adding the group hopes to raise $100,000 for mailers. Close said charter reform needs to transfer to the communities throughout the city the decision-making power on planning, budget and service issues that affect those communities. One concept being discussed would create elected neighborhood councils Neighborhood councils are governmental or non-governmental bodies composed of local people who handle neighborhood problems. They can be found in many cities throughout the world. throughout the city. Lucente agrees with Close that neighborhood leaders have to organize and join the charter reform effort or else they will be left to watch charter reform turn into a battle of the established powers. ``The charter reform movement has degenerated into a battle between the mayor and the City Council,'' Lucente said. ``Well what about us? Unless we're involved in shaping the future,'' he added, ``I fear that the charter reform effort will be just another exercise in dividing power.'' THE RACE FOR CHARTER REFORM The following people have filed nominating petitions for a charter reform commission. Those with a (Q) after their name have already qualified, while the city clerk In the United States, a City Clerk is an elected or appointed official who is responsible as the official keeper of the municipal records. In some places, the Clerk may be known as the "Village Clerk" or "Town Clerk". must still check the signatures turned in by the other candidates. 1st District: Gloria Romero (Q). 2nd District: John Bunte, Anne Finn (Q), Marvin Selter (Q) and John Simonson (Q). 3rd District: James Greenfield, Gary Thomas and Dennis Zine (Q). 4th District: Helen Bernstein (Q), Tony Lucente (Q), Charley Mims (Q), James Regan, Denise Robb (Q), Seymour Rosen and Bill Weinberger. 5th District: Michael Bohlke, Jeff Brain (Q), Erwin Chemerinsky Erwin Chemerinsky (born 1953) is a well-known professor of Constitutional law and federal civil procedure, has recently accepted a position at the University of California, Irvine, in the new Donald Bren School of Law, beginning in 2009. , Matt Epstein (Q), Horace Heidt Horace Heidt (May 21, 1901 - December 1, 1986) was an American pianist, Big Band leader, radio and television personality, and entertainer. He was born in Alameda, California, and he attended Culver Academies. (Q), Howard Raphael (Q) and Andrew Tilles (Q). 6th District: David Colwell (Q), Sal Grammatico, Larry Kosmont (Q), Chester Widom (Q) and Jimmie Woods-Gray. 7th District: Marcos Casteneda, Sam Kimura and Robert Winn (Q). 8th District: Marguerite Archie-Hudson and Benetta Johnson (Q). 9th District: Woody Fleming (Q), Christine Robert and Richardo Torres II (Q). 10th District: ``Jackie'' Dupont-Walker (Q) and Casey Peters. 11th District: Jack Allen
Jack Allen is a major character in the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy Adventures in Odyssey (Q), Pamela Aronoff, Rob Glushon (Q), Mark Johnson Mark Johnson may refer to: Academics and scientists
12th District: Paula Boland (Q), Walter Prince (Q) and Keith Richman Dr. Keith S. Richman is a California, United States, Republican politician. From 2001 to 2007, he served in the California State Assembly representing the 38th Assembly District based in Northwest Los Angeles County. . 13th District: Lorri Jean Lorri L. Jean is nationally recognized as one of the most seasoned and effective leaders in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender ("GLBT") civil rights movement. Jean currently serves as CEO of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, the world's largest GLBT organization with (Q), Bennett Kayser, Cesar Portillo and Mike Sinkov (Q). 14th District: Jose Legaspi (Q), Nick Pacheco Lauro "Nick" Pacheco, Jr. is an American attorney, politician, and a member of the Democratic Party. Pacheco served as a member of the Los Angeles City Council (1999-2003). (Q), Sylvia Robledo and David Tokofsky. 15th District: Linda Forster, Jerry Gaines (Q), Janice Hahn (Q) and Joann Wysocki. Source: Los Angeles City Clerk's Office THE RACE FOR CHARTER REFORM: 12th Council District Three candidates are vying for a seat on the elected Charter Reform Commission from the 12th Council District, which represents the northwest San Fernando Valley. Name: Keith Stuart Richman. Age: 43. Residence: Northridge. Occupation: A physician and chairman and chief executive officer of Medco Associates Inc., a management firm that runs a group of health care centers. Birthplace: Upstate New York Upstate New York is the region of New York State north of the core of the New York metropolitan area. It has a population of 7,121,911 out of New York State's total 18,976,457. Were it an independent state, it would be ranked 13th by population. . Moved to Los Angeles at age 3. Family: Married with three children. Education: UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX Medical School. Master's Degree in Health Service Administration from UCLA. Community groups: Past president Sun Valley Rotary Club, past chairman of Valley Community Clinic. Government experience: Headed a Health Care Task Force appointed by U.S. Rep. Buck McKean to study health care reform issues. ''The primary reason I'm running is to help develop a system of city government that can involve the residents of the city to a greater degree and allow decisions that affect local neighborhoods to be made at the local level.'' Name: Paula L. Boland Age: 57 Residence: Northridge. Occupation: Board member of California Narcotic narcotic, any of a number of substances that have a depressant effect on the nervous system. The chief narcotic drugs are opium, its constituents morphine and codeine, and the morphine derivative heroin. See also drug addiction and drug abuse. Addict Evaluation Authority. Birthplace: Oyster Bay Long Island but moved to Granada Hills at 6 Family: Married, with three children and three grandchildren. Education: Graduated San Fernando High School San Fernando High School, located in San Fernando, California, is a secondary school that is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. The school colors are black and gold. All girl teams are referred to as Lady Tigers, all boy teams simply as Tigers. . Attended classes Cal State Northridge Community groups: COMMUNITY GROUPS: Past president and current member of both the Granada Hills Chamber of Commerce and Granada Hills Hospital Foundation as well as current member San Fernando Valley Board of Realtors. Government experience: State assemblywoman from 1990-1996. ``I want to go in and look at the charter piece by piece and make sure we have a charter that allows for job retention, that protects our police force and fire department, that protects our businesses and that makes sure the Valley gets its fair share.'' Name: Walter N. Prince. Age: 61. Residence: Chatsworth. Occupation: Owns and operates a building maintenance company, Executive Suite Services Inc. Birthplace: Los Angeles. Family: Unmarried, one child. Education: Graduated from Notre Dame High School Notre Dame is the name of the following high (secondary) schools: Bangladesh
The University of Miami (also known as Miami of Florida,[2] UM,[3] or just The U . Community groups: A director of the Northridge Chamber of Commerce and leader of Porter Ranch is Developed Enough (PRIDE). Government experience: Member of Citizens Advisory Council for the 12th Council District. ``The hot issue of course is going to be local control. South Central Los Angeles doesn't have the same needs that Chatsworth does. I personally think that if we can give local neigborhoods control over planning and city services then you won't ever hear about secession.'' CAPTION(S): 2 boxes, 3 photos, map Photo: (1) no caption (Keith Richmond) (2) no caption (Paula Boland) (3) no caption (Walter N. Prince) Map: 12th council district |
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