VALLEY'S VOICE; HERTZBERG ELECTED SPEAKER.Byline: Terri Hardy Sacramento Bureau SACRAMENTO - In a historic show of bipartisanship, state Assembly members Monday unanimously elected Democrat Robert M. Hertzberg as their new speaker, the first 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. lawmaker to capture the prestigious post since 1974. Democrats and Republicans declared the uncontested voice vote ``unprecedented'' for a first-time speaker, especially in an era of term limits, where the transfer of power has been frequent and bitter. Hertzberg will take over April 13 from Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa Antonio Ramon Villaraigosa (born Antonio (Tony) Ramon Villar, Jr. on January 23, 1953) is the mayor of Los Angeles, California. He is the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles since Cristobal Aguilar in 1872. , who is stepping down to run for 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. mayor. Hertzberg was praised by members of both parties for his integrity, leadership and willingness to compromise. ``I know as each of you know that our system can work if we treat our system humbly and with respect,'' said Hertzberg. ``I will look to each of you for your wisdom and support. ``It's up to each of us to give every Californian a government that works as hard as they do. I will do everything in my power to live up to that challenge. . . . Now let's go Let's Go may refer to: Television
At the end of his remarks, Hertzberg put his legendary bearhug around many Democratic and Republican legislators - a gesture that has come to personify per·son·i·fy tr.v. per·son·i·fied, per·son·i·fy·ing, per·son·i·fies 1. To think of or represent (an inanimate object or abstraction) as having personality or the qualities, thoughts, or movements of a living being: the 45-year-old lawyer and businessman who lives in Sherman Oaks. Scott Baugh Scott Randall Baugh (born July 4 1962) is a Republican U.S. politician, who served in the California State Assembly from 1995-2000, representing the 67th District in coastal Orange County, which included Huntington Beach, Cypress, Fountain Valley, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal , R-Huntington Beach, the Assembly minority leader even made the unusual move of seconding the motion to elect Hertzberg, saying the Valley politician had ``earned this.'' Baugh said he looked forward to the same ``gentlemen's agreement'' that he had with Villaraigosa that dissent on the floor would be about policy, not personality, and added: ``May your speakership be very successful but brief.'' 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. , a conservative Republican from Granada Hills, has worked together with Hertzberg on many Valley issues, and on Monday stood to laud his colleague's ``exemplary qualities of leadership and statesmanship.'' McClintock said he has often told Hertzberg that on the day he became speaker ``I'll grieve as a Republican but rejoice as a Californian.'' Baugh conceded that some members of the Republican caucus wanted to vote for a Republican for speaker, but he persuaded them not to take such action. Hertzberg now assumes the title ``speaker elect'' and will be sworn in April 13. The idea for a slow transition was engineered by Hertzberg and Villaraigosa. The deal allows Villaraigosa more time in the spotlight while running for mayor, and keeps Democratic Assembly members happy because their interests are being looked after full time. Tony Quinn, a Republican consultant, said bucking Hertzberg at this point would not be productive for the GOP members. ``The general feeling is pretty positive about Hertzberg because he's seen as much less of an ideologue i·de·o·logue n. An advocate of a particular ideology, especially an official exponent of that ideology. [French idéologue, back-formation from idéologie, ideology; see - there's nothing to suggest he would be involved in Willie Brown-type partisanship.'' Speakership changes have rocked the Assembly over the past few years - Hertzberg will be the seventh speaker since 1995. Members remembered some of the bitter in-fighting, and Villaraigosa that he believes Hertzberg is a member who can continue his push for unity. ``The public wants the Legislature to work together, to move beyond partisanship and get things done for them,'' Villaraigosa said. Assembly Chief Clerk The Chief Clerk in the United States The Chief Clerk, between 1789 and 1853, was the second-ranking official within the United States Department of State, known as the Department of Foreign Affairs before September 5, 1789. E. Dotson Wilson said he researched the past 50 years of votes for speaker, and it is true that there has never been a unanimous voice vote for the position. Hertzberg said he'll use the coming months before he is sworn in to formulate policy, build his staff and focus on Democratic state campaigns. He said his areas of interest include mental health, community colleges, and planning for California's long-term infrastructure needs - including easing gridlock Gridlock A government, business or institution's inability to function at a normal level due either to complex or conflicting procedures within the administrative framework or to impending change in the business. on California's congested con·gest·ed adj. Affected with or characterized by congestion. congested ENT adjective Referring to a boggy blood-filled tissue. See Nasal congestion. roadways. The speaker-elect has promised to relocate his Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, office, which has been in Los Angeles, to Van Nuys. Villaraigosa had already turned over $1 million to Hertzberg's coffers - a powerful tool to be used for donations to candidates. Now that Hertzberg has been elected, Villaraigosa has pledged to turn over another $500,000. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Assemblyman Robert M. Hertzberg, right, gets a hug from Minority Leader Scott Baugh at the Capitol. Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press |
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