Termed-Out Politicians Head Straight for Lobby

Politicians forced out of office by term limits in Los Angeles don’t fade away -- they come back as lobbyists.

Hal Bernson is the latest retired member of the City Council to register as a City Hall lobbyist, raising eyebrows by reporting that he is representing clients that include Porter Ranch Development Co.

As a councilman until he termed out in June 2003, Bernson voted several times in favor of the company’s 1,300-acre development, which was approved to include 3,300 homes and 3 million square feet of commercial buildings, in his northwest San Fernando Valley district.

Word that he had become a lobbyist for the firm had opponents of the development shaking their heads last week.

“It’s terrible,” said Walter Prince, a Northridge business owner who headed a group called Porter Ranch Is Developed Enough. “Here’s a guy making $72,000 from a city pension and, on top of that, he’s going to get paid to represent a developer talking to the city.”

Bernson downplayed his new role, saying he has not yet done anything, and registered with the Ethics Commission only in case he eventually does any work for his clients that involves city government. “I just wanted to cover myself and make sure I am on the right side of the line,” Bernson said. “But I don’t plan to do a lot of lobbying.”

The revolving-door law generally prohibits former council members from lobbying for pay at City Hall on matters in which they had “personally and substantially participated” as a city official. But the Ethics Commission has interpreted the law narrowly to mean a councilman who acts on the first phase of a development is not prohibited from lobbying, a year after leaving office, on the second phase.

Given that interpretation, former Councilman Rudy Svorinich Jr. has successfully lobbied City Hall on behalf of a client opposed to the continued operation of the Los Angeles Export Terminal at the harbor, even though Svorinich voted several times as a councilman on the terminal lease.

Other politicians who are now lobbyists at City Hall include former Councilman David Cunningham, former county Supervisor Ed Edelman and former state Assemblyman Roderick Wright.

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New School Names: Everyone Chimes In

The names of former Reps. Augustus Hawkins and Edward R. Roybal have been thrown into the hopper. So have the names of former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, Robert F. Kennedy, labor leader Cesar Chavez and state Sen. Martha Escutia (D-Whittier).

As the Los Angeles school district begins coming up with names for 150 schools to be built in the next five years, everyone has a suggestion. And although the district has set up a system to make sure students, teachers and parents play a role in naming schools, political considerations already are sneaking into the process.

The Los Angeles City Council voted last week to ask that schools be named after Hawkins and Roybal. A day later, Councilman Tom LaBonge called for one of the high schools to be named after Bradley, who died in 1998.

“Anything that happens here can become political,” said one high-level school district official keeping track of the naming proposals.

Kennedy’s name has been suggested for a high school proposed for the site of the Ambassador Hotel, where he was assassinated in 1968 after winning the California Democratic primary for president. East Los Angeles community leaders and parents have begun discussing the naming of a new high school after Chavez, who co-founded the United Farm Workers union. Escutia, who has been instrumental in securing state funding for schools, has been suggested by activists in southeast Los Angeles County for a new campus in that area.

And some district officials already are talking about the possibility of naming a school after district Supt. Roy Romer, although nothing official has been proposed.

“Of course it is fair and reasonable, but I wonder what community will agree to do that,” the high-level school official said.

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L.A. River? Can You Hum a Few Bars?

From the city that brought you the Emmys and Grammys, here come the “Rivies.”

The third annual Los Angeles River awards were presented last week by the Friends of the Los Angeles River. Yes, we have a river in L.A. and, yes, it has some friends.

The event honored Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh (D-Los Angeles), California EPA Secretary Terry Tamminen and other public officials for work they have done to help convert the concrete-lined flood-control channel into a living, vital waterway.

Tamminen received his Rivie from Tom Soto, president of PS Enterprises and the son of state Sen. Nell Soto (D-Pomona).

Perhaps an equally big hit of the evening, on this 125th anniversary of the ukulele, was the rendition of “L.A. River,” a river anthem, music by Kelly Bass, lyrics by Kelly Bass and George Willis, played by Willis.

It goes like this:

“All the coolest cities have a river running through the middle.

But of them all the L.A. River’s the most beautiful

As the brown water trickles past graffiti murals, through downtown and pollutes the bay.

It may be disgusting and stinky and vile but ... what the hey ...

L.A. River, L.A. River, you’re L.A.’s soul giver.

L.A. River, L.A. River, you make me quiver now ...

May not be very long or wide, famous, fast or zippy.

But no movie ever had a car chase on the mighty Mississippi.

Some people like the Amazon, the Nile or the Thames.

But if you can’t ride your skateboard on it, your river’s [expletive] lame.”

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Points Taken

* They may be card-carrying members of different parties, but outgoing Senate President Pro Tem John Burton (D-San Francisco) had some kind words to say about Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger during a speech to the Sacramento Press Club last week. Burton said Schwarzenegger was “infinitely more fun” than the three other governors he has served with, including the last one, fellow Democrat Gray Davis, according to Capitol Morning Report.

* Political theater is revving up in Los Angeles as the election draws near. Sally Field and Mimi Kennedy portray First Lady Laura Bush in a rare staging of Tony Kushner’s antiwar play, “Only We Who Guard the Mystery Shall Be Unhappy.” The Oct. 18 show at the Ricardo Montalban Theater in Hollywood could spark controversy, as past productions have. The play has Laura Bush reading the novel “The Brothers Karamazov” to three Iraqi children killed by American bombs.

* Attempting to overcome apathy in getting young people to vote, one group is offering entertainment as an incentive. MustVote.com has set a goal of registering 100,000 new voters under age 35 by offering free music downloads to MustVote members who register friends, family and neighbors to vote. In turn, MustVote is giving away songs by Pearl Jam, Radiohead and other acts.

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You Can Quote Me

“This is a special facilitated meeting to look for ways to make the meetings more meaningful.”

Jan Vandersloot, announcing a San Diego Creek-Newport Bay Watershed Committee “special brainstorming” meeting in Irvine.

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This week’s contributors include Times staff writers Patt Morrison and Jean O. Pasco.