The Mayor’s on TV, but the Secession Players May Steal the Show

Notes and quotes from Secessionland: Mayor Richard Riordan agreed to tape “Bob Navarro’s Journal” this morning, a KCBS show that airs Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

But Riordan would not appear in the segment with Assemblywoman Paula Boland (R-Granada Hills), producer Linda Burns confirmed.

“It’s true,” Burns said. “The mayor will not go on with anyone else. . . . He’d only do a one-on-one with Navarro.”

A spokesman for Riordan said the mayor learned only Thursday that he was to appear on a panel with Boland, and his earlier agreement to be on the show involved an appearance with just a single interviewer.

So, Riordan will be on the first half of the show and Boland the second. She may be joined by potential mayoral candidate state Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica), a tentative guest.

Speaking of Hayden, he issued a statement Wednesday, reporting on his “informative, productive” session with Boland this week discussing their differences on the secession bill.

“I still prefer to reform Los Angeles, rather than create new cities with many of the same problems of centralized bureaucracy,” Hayden said.

He proposed neighborhood councils, empowered to make some decisions on issues that affect them. “Neighborhood democracy is an idea whose time has come,” Hayden said.

The senator called upon Riordan, whom he may challenge in next year’s election, and the City Council to reform the city’s outdated charter. That would respond to the “growing vote of no-confidence from the Valley, one that echoes in many other neighborhoods,” Hayden said.

Boland agreed that the meeting was “informative,” but said neither she nor Hayden budged on their disagreement over the legislation. He wants the bill amended to add neighborhood authority, but Boland refuses, saying she wants to keep it simple.

“Neither one of us convinced the other,” Boland said. She described Hayden as noncommittal on whether he’ll vote for the secession bill as she wrote it.

“I don’t think I heard an ‘absolute never’ from him,” she said.

Meanwhile, back in the 21st State Senate District, where Boland is seeking election, her opponent accused her of having a double standard when it comes to the right of local self-determination.

Democrat Adam Schiff said that while Boland is pushing her bill to give Valley residents decision-making power over seceding from Los Angeles, in 1994 she voted for a measure that took away the right of South Pasadena residents to vote on a controversial local issue.

The topic, a hot one in South Pasadena, is whether the Long Beach Freeway should extend through the town.

“Paula Boland has voted three times to exclude the people of South Pasadena from having a voice about plans for a freeway right through their own neighborhood,” Schiff said.

He went on to challenge Boland to state her position on a new bill by Assemblyman Bill Hoge (R-Pasadena). That bill would give the right to vote on the freeway back to the people.

Been there. Done that, Boland said.

“I’m sorry to bust his balloon, but I signed a letter a week ago in support of Hoge’s bill,” Boland said.

Why the change of heart?

Boland claims she missed much of the debate in 1994 and did not think a case for a vote was made. “I’ve been talking to people in the district and they’ve made the case,” she said.

Net Loss

The Los Angeles Ethics Commission took the first step to delete cyber-campaigning from the Internet this week.

In response to a proposal by Councilman Mike Feuer, the panel drafted an ordinance that would take politics out of the city’s Internet site by prohibiting officials from using it for campaign-related purposes.

For example, the proposal would ban statements in support of or opposition to any candidate, requests for contributions and references to campaign schedules or candidates’ activities.

The proposal would also ban city officials from including an Internet link from a city page to a private Web page serving a campaign.

To encourage political participation, the ethics proposal also suggests that the city clerk’s office create a page on the World Wide Web where all candidates for city office may display platform statements and biographical information.

Feuer proposed that the commission draft guidelines in response to a story in The Times about Mayor Riordan’s Internet page, a glowing tribute to hizzoner that included a photo gallery, a complimentary biography and several news releases.

Riordan’s staff has since eliminated the photo gallery and biography at the mayor’s site, which still includes copies of his news releases.

Although the panel recommended that the City Council approve the ethics guidelines, not everyone on the commission was entirely clear on what a Web site is in the first place.

“I’ve never seen a Web site,” said Commissioner Eve R. Fisher. “Is it like those bridal registries at the store?”

Payback Time

After years of asking others for money, the San Fernando Valley’s two retiring congressmen have been switching gears lately and giving some of those contributions back.

Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills) has refunded $6,000 to nine contributors, according to his latest campaign-finance report. And Rep. Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale) has refunded $1,500 to three political action committees, his Federal Election Commission report shows.

Such refunds are not required by law. Once someone sends a check, a politician is under no obligation to return it--whether the officeholder decides to run again or not.

But some contributors request refunds after learning that the member of Congress they supported is calling it quits. In other cases, the officeholder decides that it would not be right to hang on to money that came in just before the big announcement.

Even with the refunds, Beilenson and Moorhead have some cash remaining in their campaign funds, although not much by congressional standards. Moorhead’s year-end report showed about $67,000 in his campaign chest. Beilenson had less than $100, if his $50,000 in campaign debts are factored in.

Sorry, but leftover money cannot pay for an extended vacation. The retirees can, however, use it to support the next generation of officeholders.

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QUOTABLE: “Is it a conflict of interest when politicians are talking about hot air?”

--Councilman Richard Alarcon, speaking before he voted to ban leaf blowers in residential areas of the city

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Hill-Holtzman and Martin reported from Los Angeles, Lacey from Washington, D.C.