PORK BARREL POLKA; LAWMAKERS TRY TO BRING HOME THE BACON AT BUDGET TIME.Byline: Terri Hardy Sacramento Bureau Pork season has arrived in the Capitol, and lawmakers from 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. have fired up their efforts for state funds for pet projects in their home districts. All except, of course, Assemblyman Tom McClintock Thomas Miller "Tom" McClintock (born July 10, 1956 in White Plains, New York) is a California State Senator. He ran for Governor of California in the 2003 California recall election of Gray Davis and finished third out of 135 candidates with 13.5% of the overall vote. , R-Granada Hills, the rare legislator who has consistently refused to participate in divvying up millions of dollars in state money that occurs every June as part of the loud, messy, complicated and seemingly never-ending budget process. ``I've never acquired a taste for pork,'' McClintock said. ``The reason the state budget is growing larger and larger is pork barrel pork barrel n. Slang A government project or appropriation that yields jobs or other benefits to a specific locale and patronage opportunities to its political representative. politics.'' For most other legislators, bringing home a full portion of pork is critical to electoral politics. Valley-area legislators are pushing for hundreds of millions of dollars for their communities: $1.8 million for the secession study, money for parks and museums, even an odd request for $100,000 for a totem pole totem pole Carved and painted vertical log, constructed by many Northwest Coast Indian peoples. The poles display mythological images, usually animal spirits, whose significance is their association with the lineage. Each figure represents a type of family crest. project. ``The ability to bring home the bacon is a time-honored and time-tested tradition,'' said political analyst Sherry Bebitch Jeffe. ``It's what constituent service is all about. And there's no doubt that it gives the incumbent power and leverage to get more votes.'' Lawmakers don't much like the word pork. And they don't relish their requests being put under a spotlight. Still, they believe they will be measured on an election day more for their success in bringing tax dollars home to their local districts than for their big picture achievements. ``My wish list shows my philosophy for the Valley,'' said Assemblyman Robert M. Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, whose several requests include funding for the Valley cityhood study and a jogging trail in the Sepulveda Dam Located in Los Angeles, California, the Sepulveda Dam is a project of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, built in 1941 to control winter flood waters along the Los Angeles River. Recreation Area. ``I'm fighting very hard for self-determination for residents. I'm trying to bring back resources, rectify unfairness and address quality-of-life issues.'' Most of the items on lawmakers' wish lists won't make it into the final budget. Sources in the Assembly budget committee said requests from lawmakers throughout the state are several times the $100 million in items that have made the first cut in the Assembly and Senate budgets. Even with another $100 million that is predicted to be added to the budget for the host of requests, lawmakers will have to intensely jockey for the funds. And even if an item has been included in the draft budget, its future is not certain, given the fluid and unpredictable budget process. Still, political insiders agree there are some likely candidates. There is more space for recreation and parks projects as well as museums in the budget. And requests that echo Gov. Gray Davis' priorities of education and the environment are top runners, lawmakers said. This is apparent in Valley projects that made their way into draft budgets. Plans to renovate or improve Brand Park and Hansen Dam Hansen Dam in Los Angeles County, California was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District in 1939 and 1940. The project is located near the northern edge of the San Fernando Valley on Tujunga Wash, about one mile below the confluence of the Big Tujunga Wash were approved. There is the likelihood of the 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. Children's Museum Children's museums are institutions that provide exhibits and programs that stimulate informal learning experiences for children. In contrast with traditional museums that typically have a hands-off policy regarding exhibits, children's museums feature interactive exhibits that are moving from downtown to Griffith Park Griffith Park is a large public park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains. It is situated in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers 4,210 acres (17 km²) of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America. . Requests for $15 million for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy is an agency of the state of California in the United States founded in 1979 and dedicated to the acquisition of land in the Santa Susana and Santa Monica Mountains and the Simi Hills, north and west of Los Angeles, for preservation as open were initially successful. On the other hand, transportation improvements fared poorly. Efforts to expand the study of the 101-405 freeway interchange and on the Ventura Freeway The Ventura Freeway is a freeway in southern California running from Ventura to Pasadena. It is the principal east-west route through Ventura County and in the southern San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. from the Moorpark Freeway in Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. east to the Hollywood Freeway didn't find a place in the draft budget. Neither did a push to put soundwalls on the Hollywood Freeway. Assemblyman Tony Cardenas Tony Cardenas served in the California State Assembly. In the Assembly, he had the powerful position of chair of the Budget Committee. He is now a Los Angeles City Councilman, representing the 6th district, which includes parts of the San Fernando Valley. , D-Panorama City, saw his $1 million request to add an amphitheater and meeting rooms to Brand Park get $450,000 in the budget, while a $1 million request to add a child-care facility to a battered women's' shelter was unsuccessful. ``You often don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. why one request makes it and another doesn't,'' Cardenas said. ``And you don't want to go in and demand answers, or they may decide this community isn't grateful enough. You just bite your lip and hope for the best.'' The requests, while filling a need in the community, are also pivotal chess pieces in the budget game. Assemblyman George Runner George C. Runner, Jr. (born March 25 1952 in Scotia, New York) is a Republican California State Senator, who represents the 17th Senate District, which includes portions of Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County and Ventura County. , R-Lancaster, refused to discuss his wish-list items, saying he believed it would damage his negotiations. The Assembly budget committee refused to provide access to a document that shows each member's requests. Funding for the cityhood study is certain to generate some heated negotiations and horse trading Noun 1. horse trading - the swapping of horses (accompanied by much bargaining) horse trade barter, swap, swop, trade - an equal exchange; "we had no money so we had to live by barter" 2. - especially among powerful senators who have publicly opposed the item, including Senate President Pro Tem president pro tem n. pl. presidents pro tem Informal A president pro tempore. John Burton, D-San Francisco, and Sen. Richard Polanco, D-Los Angeles. Political insiders said pork requests could be used by Democrats to reel in swing votes in the Assembly and Senate needed to approve the final budget. Assemblyman Tony Strickland, R-Camarillo, said his colleagues have vowed to stand together and refuse a vote on the budget unless Democrats agree to add tax cuts and return local property tax money that has been diverted by the state. But cynics Cynics (sĭn`ĭks) [Gr.,=doglike, probably from their manners and their meeting place, the Cynosarges, an academy for Athenian youths], ancient school of philosophy founded c.440 B.C. by Antisthenes, a disciple of Socrates. aren't so sure. Said one Assembly budget staff member: ``Put an item into the budget giving a certain member a park or a ball field, and they might just change their vote.'' TAPPING THE PORK BARREL: ASSEMBLY Grabbing a share of state funds for their home districts, lawmakers in the San Fernando Valley region propose various ways to spend part of the $77.5 billion California budget for 1999-2000. Tony Cardenas, D-Panorama City $450,000 for improvements to Brand Park. In Assembly budget. $141,000 to build a skateboard park at Hansen Dam. In Assembly budget. $25 million to build a ``mission walk'' to revitalize Van Nuys business area. Not approved for draft budget. Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys $1 million for a new Los Angeles Childrens Museum at Griffith Park. In Assembly budget; received $2 million in Senate budget. $1.87 million to pay part of the cost of a San Fernando Valley cityhood study. To be placed in a budget trailer bill. $10,000 to the Los Angeles Police Department "LAPD" and "L.A.P.D." redirect here. For other uses, see LAPD (disambiguation).  This article or section is written like an . to train volunteers to
collect evidence against graffiti vandals. Not approved for draft
budget.
Wally Knox, D-Los Angeles $1 million in two requests to study improvements for the 101-405 freeway interchange. This would be in addition to plans to add a lane to the 405 from Mulholland Drive to the 101 freeway and add a lane on the connector. Not approved for draft budget. $400,000 for a soundwall on the Hollywood Freeway. Not approved for draft budget. $1.8 million for the Los Angeles District Attorney for prosecution of domestic violence and child molestation Child molestation is a crime involving a range of indecent or sexual activities between an adult and a child, usually under the age of 14. In psychiatric terms, these acts are sometimes known as pedophilia. . Not approved for final budget. Sheila Kuehl, D-Encino $10 million to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy for land purchases. This request was also made by Assembly members Bob Hertzberg and Wally Knox and Sen. Tom Hayden. In Assembly and Senate budgets. $500,000 for feasibility study to improve the Ventura Freeway from Highway 23 in Thousand Oaks to the 134-170 interchange in North Hollywood. Not approved for the draft budget. $2 million for Hollywood Entertainment Museum. Request also made by Assemblyman Scott Wildman. In Assembly and Senate budgets. Tom McClintock, R-Granada Hills Refuses to make ``pork requests.'' Instead, he introduced a constitutional amendment that would elimate the state's vehicle license fee (car tax). George Runner, R-Lancaster Refused to provide information. Jack Scott, D-Pasadena $463,786 to the Armenian Film Foundation in Glendale to produce a documentary on the Armenian Genocide. Also recommended by Sen. Adam Schiff. In Assembly and Senate budgets. $50,000 to Glendale's Department of Water and Power for electric cars as carpool car·pool n. also car pool 1. An arrangement whereby several participants or their children travel together in one vehicle, the participants sharing the costs and often taking turns as the driver. 2. vehicles. To be determined by budget conference committee. $100,000 to upgrade athletic field lighting in Temple City. Not approved for draft budget. Tony Strickland, R-Camarillo $300,000 for air conditioning the Oxnard Performing Arts Center A performing arts center, often abbreviated PAC, is a multi-use performance space that can be adapted for use by various types of the performing arts, including dance, music and theatre. . In Assembly budget. $400,000 to build a gymnasium at Rio Del Valle Junior High School in El Rio. Not approved for draft budget. $272,000 to forgive a loan to the Water Resources Board of Ventura County. In Assembly budget. Scott Wildman, D-Glendale $5 million for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to buy 238 acres in the Oakmont area, in the foothills of Glendale. Also recommended by Sen. Adam Schiff. In Assembly and Senate budgets. $100,000 to study adding ramps to the 134-5 freeway interchange. Not approved for draft budget. $100,000 for a Native American Awareness team for a totem pole project at Hoover High School Hoover High School may refer to any of the following:
TAPPING THE PORK BARREL: SENATE Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys $4.7 million to build classrooms at Mission College. In Senate budget. $1 million to build equestrian and bicycle trails from Hansen Dam to Tujunga Wash. In Senate budget. $200,000 to build a memorial for police officers and fire fighters in the San Fernando Valley. Not approved in draft budget. Tom Hayden, D-Los Angeles $3 million to beautify and reconstruct Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. In Assembly and Senate budgets. $250,000 to create a cultural center for Indian springs at University High School. In Senate budget. $1 million for laser tattoo-removal machines as part of a gang prevention program. Funds to be granted statewide, with a focus on Los Angeles County. In Senate budget. William J. ``Pete'' Knight, R-Palmdale $6.5 million to attract aerospace industry to Calfornia and bring the VentureStar space vehicle to Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 301,000 acres (121,805 hectares), S Calif., NE of Lancaster; est. 1933. It is one of the largest air force bases in the United States and has the world's longest runway. . In Senate budget. $4 million to relocate jet engine testing facilites from Moffett Naval Air Station A Naval Air Station is an airbase of the United States Navy. Such bases are used to house Naval Aviation squadrons and support commands. List of Functioning US Naval Air Stations
Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena $290,000 to expand the Sunland/Tujunga Youth Center. In Senate budget. $400,000 to help pay for installation of sound insulation in homes near Burbank Airport. In Senate budget. Cathie Wright, R-Simi Valley $150,000 to continue funding a citizens panel to oversee health studies near the Santa Susana Field Laboratory. In Senate budget. Source: Daily News research CAPTION(S): 2 Boxes BOX: (1) TAPPING THE PORK BARREL: ASSEMBLY (see text) (2) TAPPING THE PORK BARREL: SENATE (see text) |
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