03/31/00

LC000331

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

WARREN>> IT MAY TAKE MORE THAN $2-BUCK-A-GALLON GASOLINE TO GET SOUTHERN CALIFORNIANS IN THE MOOD TO TALK FUEL CONSERVATION.

GAY YEE>> NEARLY HALF THE VEHICLES SOLD IN CALIFORNIA TODAY ARE GAS-GUZZLING VANS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND TRUCKS.

>> I'M FINE WITH WHAT I GOT. I GOT A NICE BIG GAS GUZZLER AT HOME AND IT'S FINE. I FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE, TOW WHATEVER I WANT TO TOW, AND THAT'S IT.

VAL>> AND MADDOX & HEWITT TELL US HOW A NEWSPAPER TOOK A MAYORAL CANDIDATE TO THE WOODSHED.

MADDOX>> REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR, STEVE SOBOROFF, IS SEVERELY CRITICIZED FROM AN UNLIKELY SOURCE.

HEWITT>> IT HURTS WHEN IT COMES FROM YOUR FRIENDS. PLUS WE LOOK AT BELMONT. THE SCHOOL THAT REFUSES TO DIE TRIES TO DRAG ITSELF OUT OF THE GRAVE.

MADDOX>> ALL THAT AND MORE COMING UP ON MADDOX & HEWITT.

WARREN>> ALSO TONIGHT, HE FOUGHT FOR THE POWERLESS, THEN BECAME AN ICON OF LATINO CULTURE AND PRIDE. WE EXAMINE THE LEGACY OF UNITED FARM WORKERS' LEADER, CESAR CHAVEZ.

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2000.

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WARREN>> GOOD EVENING, I'M WARREN OLNEY.

VAL>> AND I'M VAL ZAVALA.

WARREN>> OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT, HOW HIGH WILL THEY GO? CALIFORNIANS ARE GRUMBLING AS GASOLINE PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE, BUT THE QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO DO ABOUT IT?

VAL>> PROPOSED SOLUTIONS RANGE FROM TAX BREAKS TO INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY TO MORE FUEL-EFFICIENT CARS, BUT SOME SAY THE ONLY REAL ANSWER STARTS WITH THE FACE IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR. GAY YEE HAS THIS REPORT.

>> $2.00 A GALLON, IT TAKES 22 GALLONS, THAT'S $50 A TANK. I FILL IT UP ONCE A WEEK, SO IT'S JUST REALLY HORRIBLE.

>> I DIDN'T REALLY NOTICE HOW MUCH IT WAS PER GALLON, BUT WHEN I NOTICE THE TOTAL, I'M NOTICING, WOW, I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH IT IS TO FILL UP MY CAR.

>> IT'S OUTRAGEOUS. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING, CUSTOMER COMPLAINING.

GAY>> AND WHAT DO YOU SAY?

>> IT'S VERY BAD. IT'S VERY BAD.

GAY>> WE'VE SEEN IT, WE'VE PAID IT, THOSE PRICES AT THE PUMP. IN RECENT WEEKS, THEY'VE BEEN ANYWHERE FROM $1.70 TO WELL OVER $2.00. THE INITIAL REACTION MAY HAVE BEEN BEWILDERMENT. IT QUICKLY CHANGED TO BITTERNESS.

>> FORTUNATELY, I CAN AFFORD THE GASOLINE PRICES, BUT I THINK IT'S A SHAME WHAT OPEC'S DOING FOR THE WORLD ECONOMIES, ESPECIALLY AMERICA.

GAY>> SOME MOTORISTS HAVE SWITCHED TO MASS TRANSIT TO SAVE MONEY AND MILEAGE, WHILE BROADCASTERS ARE CASHING IN ON THE PUBLICITY MILEAGE. RADIO STATION, STAR 98.7, SPONSORED A GAS GIVEAWAY, CREATING TRAFFIC TIE-UPS IN GLENDALE. BUT THE WORST MAY BE OVER. THIS WEEK, OPEC AGREED TO BOOST MIDDLE EAST OIL OUTPUT BY ONE AND A HALF MILLION BARRELS.

DOUG HENDERSON>> WHAT PEOPLE DON'T RECALL IS THAT A YEAR AGO WE HAD RECORD LOW PRICES IN CRUDE OIL AND IN GASOLINE AROUND THE WORLD. OPEC AS AN ORGANIZATION SUFFERS WHEN THAT HAPPENS AND THEIR DEFINITION OF STABILITY IS HIGHER PRICES.

GAY>> DOUG HENDERSON OF THE WESTERN STATES PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION SAYS CALIFORNIANS SCREAM THE LOUDEST ABOUT GAS PRICES BECAUSE THEY PAY THE MOST, ABOUT $.21 MORE THAN PEOPLE ACROSS STATE LINES AND ABOUT A $.50 JUMP FROM A YEAR AGO. THERE ARE TWO REASONS TO CLEAN UP OUR SMOGGY AIR. CALIFORNIA CARS ARE REQUIRED TO USE A MORE EXPENSIVE CLEANER-BURNING FUEL, SOMETHING CALLED REFORMULATED GAS, AND THERE ARE ONLY SIX REFINERIES IN THE COUNTRY THAT PRODUCE IT.

DOUG HENDERSON>> WE'VE CREATED AN ISLAND IN TERMS OF THE WAY OUR INDUSTRY IS MANAGED AND IT'S BEEN VERY GOOD FOR OUR CLEAN AIR. IT'S DRAMATICALLY CLEANED UP EMISSIONS IN CALIFORNIA SINCE 1996, BUT WE HAVE TO PAY THAT PRICE FOR IT AND THAT'S THE REASON THERE'S THAT DIFFERENCE.

GAY>> CONSUMER OUTCRY HAS SENT LAWMAKERS SCRAMBLING FOR SOLUTIONS. CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS ARE CALLING FOR A PERMANENT REPEAL OF STATE SALES TAX ON GAS. IT VARIES FROM 7-1/4 TO 8-1/2 PERCENT, DEPENDING ON THE COUNTY.

ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA>> I'VE SAID FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THAT THIS CRISIS IN GAS PRICES BEGAN --

GAY>> ASSEMBLY SPEAKER, ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA, FAVORS A PARTIAL SUSPENSION OF THE TAX DURING THE PEAK TRAVEL PERIOD IN THE SUMMER.

ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA>> TO PERMANENTLY REPEAL THE SALES TAX ON GASOLINE AND DIESEL WOULD HAVE A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. IT WOULD IMPACT THE BUDGET FOR EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE NEEDS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO INVEST IN.

GAY>> BUT SPEAKER-ELECT, ROBERT HERTZBERG, SAYS THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR VILLARAIGOSA'S BILL.

ROBERT HERTZBERG>> YOU CAN'T REQUIRE THE FILLING STATION OWNER TO PASS THAT SAVINGS ON TO EVERY CONSUMER. SO IT'S THE OIL COMPANIES THAT GET THE MONEY OR THE FILLING STATION OWNER THAT GETS THE MONEY, RATHER THAN PAYING FOR ROADS AND THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE USE THESE GAS TAXES FOR.

GAY>> WHILE A CUT IN TAXES MAY PROVIDE RELIEF AT THE GAS PUMP, SOME SAY THAT'S ONLY SHORT-TERM RELIEF. THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION, THEY SAY, IS CURBING AMERICANS' ADDICTION TO GAS-GUZZLING CARS.

BRIAN TAYLOR>> IN INFLATION-ADJUSTED TERMS, FUEL PRICES WERE MUCH HIGHER IN 1980 THAN THEY ARE TODAY. THEY WERE EQUIVALENT OF OVER $2.50 A GALLON.

GAY>> UCLA TRANSPORTATION EXPERT, BRIAN TAYLOR, SAYS CUTTING TAXES IS A KNEE-JERK REACTION, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER GAS PRICES WERE ACTUALLY HIGHER IN 1980. TAYLOR SAYS WE HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT THOSE TIMES.

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PEOPLE RESPONDED TO THE GAS CRISIS BACK THEN BY BUYING FUEL-EFFICIENT CARS, BUT AMERICANS HAVE SHORT MEMORIES.

>> I'M FINE WITH WHAT I GOT. I GOT A NICE BIG GAS GUZZLER AT HOME AND IT'S FINE. I FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE, TOW WHATEVER I WANT TO TOW, AND THAT'S IT.

GAY>> NEARLY HALF THE VEHICLES SOLD IN CALIFORNIA TODAY ARE GAS-GUZZLING VANS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND TRUCKS. CUTTING TAXES TO LOWER THE PRICE OF GAS ONLY ENCOURAGES BEING MORE WASTEFUL.

BRIAN TAYLOR>> THIS PROPOSAL IS TO EXTEND MOTOR FUELS INTO THAT CATEGORY OF A SPECIAL PURPOSE THAT DESERVES TO BE EXEMPT FROM TAXATION TO ENCOURAGE CONSUMPTION.

KEVIN FINNEY>> I THINK, FRANKLY, THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE JIMMY CARTER WAS RIGHT. THAT WE NEEDED TO PUT MORE FOCUS ON FUEL ECONOMY AND CONSERVING RESOURCES AND THAT GOVERNMENT NEEDED TO PLAY A ROLE IN THAT AREA. UNFORTUNATELY, AS THE PRICE OF GAS DROPPED, GOVERNMENT REALLY STEPPED AWAY FROM PLAYING ANY ROLE AND MOVING US FORWARD IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION.

GAY>> KEVIN FINNEY OF THE SIERRA CLUB SAYS POLITICIANS ARE ENABLERS, ENCOURAGING RATHER THAN DISCOURAGING OUR DEPENDENCE ON GAS. HE THINKS POLITICIANS SHOULD PASS LAWS TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF FUEL-EFFICIENT VEHICLES SUCH AS ELECTRIC AND HYBRID CARS. THEY GET AS MUCH AS SEVENTY MILES TO THE GALLON, NOT TO MENTION SAVINGS TO OUR HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

KEVIN FINNEY>> WE'VE JUST SEEN STUDIES RECENTLY OUT OF THE GOVERNMENT SCIENTIFIC AGENCIES WHICH ARE SAYING THAT GLOBAL WARMING MAY BE MUCH MORE SUDDEN AND SEVERE THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. SO IT'S CRITICAL THAT BOTH FOR HEALTH REASONS, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS, AND REALLY TO SAVE CONSUMERS' MONEY OVER THE LONG RUN, THAT WE MOVE TO THESE MORE ADVANCED VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES.

GAY>> ENACTING CHANGE IS DIFFICULT PERHAPS BECAUSE LAWMAKERS HAVE AS MUCH OF A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THEIR BIG CARS AS THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

ROBERT HERTZBERG>> YOU KNOW, I'M CERTAINLY WILLING TO ENTERTAIN IT.

WARREN>> ARE YOU DRIVING A GAS GUZZLER?

ROBERT HERTZBERG>> YEAH, I AM DRIVING A GAS GUZZLER, I MUST ADMIT, AND I'M NOT FEELING VERY GOOD ABOUT IT.

WARREN>> AN HONEST ANSWER FROM A POLITICIAN.

GAY>> AN HONEST ANSWER AND, IN HIS DEFENSE, I HAVE TO SAY BRIAN TAYLOR, AT THE END OF OUR INTERVIEW, TURNED TO ME AND SAID, "WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU DRIVE?" I SAID, "A JEEP CHEROKEE". MY HUSBAND, WHO'S THE SURFER WHO WANTS TO BUY A NEW CAR, WHAT DOES HE WANT BUT A SUBURBAN. SO WE'RE ADDICTED TO THESE BIG CARS.

WARREN>> POLITICIANS ARE TRYING DESPERATELY TO MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF THIS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, OPEC HAS NOW LOWERED THE PRICES. DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE PRICE IS GOING TO GO DOWN AT THE PUMP IN CALIFORNIA BEFORE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO PASS ANY LAWS?

GAY>> AS FAR AS THE EXPERTS SAY, THEY DON'T ANTICIPATE IT GETTING DOWN TO US DURING THAT PEAK SUMMER MONTH TRAVEL PERIOD. THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE IT WHEN WE REALLY NEED IT.

VAL>> SO THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO SIGN THAT SUV SALES AS GAS-GUZZLING VEHICLES ARE BEING SOLD LESS, BOUGHT LESS?

GAY>> APPARENTLY, PEOPLE AREN'T HURTING ENOUGH. PERHAPS THAT'S IT. AND PART OF WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS ARE SAYING, MAYBE WE SHOULD CREATE SOME INCENTIVES. MAYBE WE SHOULD CREATE SOME SORT OF TAX INCENTIVE. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUY THE GAS GUZZLER, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO TAX YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE. IF YOU BUY THE FUEL-EFFICIENT ONE, MAYBE WE'LL TAX YOU A LITTLE BIT LESS. BUT, SO FAR, WE HAVEN'T SEEN SOMETHING COME UP LIKE THAT.

VAL>> GAY YEE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OUR TOP STORY FOR TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES WEEKEND, THE TOP MAN AT LA UNIFIED SAYS THE KEY TO FIXING OUR SCHOOLS IS CHANGE FROM THE TOP DOWN.

RAMON CORTINES>> I THINK ADULTS GET CAUGHT UP IN DOING A JOB. THEY GET CAUGHT UP IN PAPER, DEVELOPING PLANS, HAVING MEETINGS. SOMETIMES I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN SCHOOL?" AND I GOT THE COMMENT, "WELL, I GO TO THIS MEETING AND I GO TO THAT MEETING."

VAL>> THAT'S TOMORROW AT 2:00 P.M. ON LIFE AND TIMES WEEKEND EDITION.

WARREN>> SO YOU THINK THE BELMONT LEARNING CENTER IS A DEAD ISSUE? WELL, YOU'D BETTER LISTEN TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF MADDOX & HEWITT.

HEWITT>> KERMAN, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT BELMONT HIGH SCHOOL. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT PROP BB. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE MAYORAL CANDIDATE, STEVE SOBOROFF, AND WE'RE STARTING OFF -- IT ALL COMES TOGETHER -- WITH THIS HEADLINE FROM YESTERDAY'S DAILY NEWS, "$51 MILLION DOLLARS WASTED". THAT'S PROP BB MONEY. IT SHOULD BE GOING TO IMPROVE SCHOOLS. IT'S LEFT LYING AROUND ON THE GROUND AND MANAGEMENT FEES. YOUR FRIEND, STEVE SOBOROFF, IS IN CHARGE OF THAT. WHAT'S GOING ON?

MADDOX>> WELL, IT'S BEEN A ROUGH WEEK FOR STEVE SOBOROFF. LET ME REMIND PEOPLE WHO STEVE SOBOROFF IS. STEVE SOBOROFF IS THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR, MAYOR RIORDAN'S HAND-PICKED CANDIDATE TO REPLACE HIM. HE WAS A COMMISSIONER ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION. HE'S ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE PROP BB OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE FOR DISBURSING FUNDS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO SCHOOLS. WELL, THE DAILY NEWS CAME OUT WITH A SCATHING EDITORIAL EARLY THIS WEEK THAT BASICALLY SAID STEVE SOBOROFF OUGHT TO RESIGN AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PROP BB OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE BECAUSE HE'S PLAYING POLITICS WITH PUBLIC SERVICE.

THEY ALSO SAID THAT HIS WHOLE EFFORT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE BREAKUP OF LAUSD SMACKS OF POLITICS BECAUSE HE DOESN'T SUPPORT THE VALLEY PLAN TO BREAK UP LAUSD. IN FACT, HUGH, THEY WENT SO FAR AS TO ACCUSE HIM OF BEING AN OBSTRUCTIONIST. NOW LET ME TELL YOU WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT. THE DAILY NEWS IS THE VALLEY PAPER. STEVE SOBOROFF IS RUNNING FOR MAYOR THINKING HE HAS A LARGE BASE OF SUPPORT IN THE VALLEY. HE NEEDS TRACTION IN THE VALLEY. THIS IS THE CONSERVATIVE PAPER. --

HEWITT>> KERMAN, YOU AND I BOTH KNOW --

MADDOX>> -- IF THIS PAPER COMES OUT AND CRITICIZES STEVE SOBOROFF THIS EARLY IN THE CAMPAIGN, AND YOU KNOW VOTERS ARE GOING TO SEE THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THIS IS TOUGH FOR STEVE SOBOROFF.

HEWITT>> KERMAN, THE LAST TIME THAT AN EDITORIAL IN A NEWSPAPER MATTERED WAS WHEN COLONEL -- WHO RAN THE LA TIMES BEFORE CHANDLER? --

MADDOX>> THE LAST TIME IT MATTERED IS WHEN STEVE COOLEY BEAT GIL GARCETTI FOR DA.

HEWITT>> EDITORIALS DON'T MATTER. THEY DON'T CARE. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS. THIS MATTERS. WHEN $51 MILLION IS MISSING, DOES STEVE SOBOROFF HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE AUDIT THAT WAS CONDUCTED OF THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR IN CHARGE OF ALL THE PROP BB REPAIRS? IT SHOWED THAT THEY HAD AN OVERRUN OF 18 TO 20 PERCENT, WAY ABOVE THE INDUSTRY STANDARD. STEVE SOBOROFF IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PROP BB COMMISSION. IS IT HIS FAULT?

MADDOX>> I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S DIRECTLY HIS FAULT, BUT I THINK ANYONE WHO'S INVOLVED IN THIS HAS TO BEAR SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY. I THINK MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT MEMBERS OF THE BB COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS THE CHAIRMAN, MR. SOBOROFF, HAS TO BEAR RESPONSIBILITY. NOT ONLY FOR THIS, BUT THIS RIDICULOUS IDEA OF WITHHOLDING PROP BB MONEY TO THE REFORM-MINDED SCHOOL BOARD UNLESS THEY ENTER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT POSSIBLY REOPENING THAT NIGHTMARE OF A LOCATION, BELMONT LEARNING CENTER.

HEWITT>> WE'LL COME BACK TO BELMONT IN A SECOND. I WANT TO ASK, IF SOBOROFF'S STOCK IS FALLING AS FAST AS THE TECH STOCK ON A BAD THURSDAY, WHO'S STOCK IS RISING IN RESPONSE?

MADDOX>> I THINK WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CANDIDATES WHO ARE RUNNING FOR MAYOR, THE DAILY NEWS IS NOT GOING TO GO WITH JIMMY HAHN. THEY LIKE ANTONIO, BUT I'M NOT SURE THEY'LL GO THAT WAY. I THINK THE PERSON WHO IS THE BIG BENEFICIARY OF THIS WILL BE COUNCILMAN JOEL WACHS. JOEL WACHS IS THE ONLY OTHER VALLEY CANDIDATE IN THIS PARTICULAR RACE, SO I THINK HIS STOCK GOES UP AS SOBOROFF GOES DOWN AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.

HEWITT>> GOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT JOEL WACHS, THOUGH. I CALLED TO TALK TO HIM ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON. YOU KNOW, THEY SHUT HIS OFFICE AT 4:30. HE WAS ALREADY GONE. THEY'D GONE HOME. THEY WERE HAVING DAIQUIRIS, THEY WERE EATING SOME SNACKS --

MADDOX>> JOEL WACHS WORKS TOO HARD. YOU PROBABLY HAD THE WRONG NUMBER.

HEWITT>> NO, IT WAS DEFINITELY JOEL WACHS' OFFICE. --

MADDOX>> THIS IS A 213 AREA CODE. YOU'RE USED TO ORANGE COUNTY. 949 --

HEWITT>> YOU CAN'T BE MAYOR IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE IN THE OFFICE AT 4:30. NOW, THEY HAD A DEBATE ON THURSDAY NIGHT. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT SOME OTHER TIME. WE'RE FULLY BRIEFED ON WHAT WENT ON THERE. ONE PERSON WHO WASN'T AT THE DEBATE, THOUGH, WAS ZEV YAROSLAVSKY. WHAT'S THE WORD? IS HE RUNNING OR NOT?

MADDOX>> WELL, AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT, HE'S NOT RUNNING, SO A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BASICALLY WRITTEN HIM OFF. YOU'RE IN MARCH, HUGH, OF THE YEAR 2000. YOU WOULD THINK THAT, AT THIS POINT, MR. YAROSLAVSKY WOULD HAVE MADE A DECISION TO RUN OR NOT TO RUN. I THINK MOST PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK HE PROBABLY HAS MADE UP HIS MIND NOT TO RUN. --

HEWITT>> ZEV, PHONE HOME. NOW I WANT TO TURN TO BELMONT BECAUSE THE OTHER BIG STORY OF THE WEEK WAS THE FACT THAT A GROUP OF LATINO POLITICIANS WENT DOWN TO THE LA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND DEMANDED THAT A STUDY BE LAUNCHED TO REOPEN BELMONT TO LOOK AT THE EFFICACY OF THE SITE. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T KEEP A BAD PROJECT DOWN IN THIS TOWN. YOU CAN'T KILL ANYTHING WITHOUT A SILVER STAKE. IS IT A GOOD IDEA? AND WHERE ARE THESE WOULD-BE LEADERS? WHERE'S JOEL WACHS ON BELMONT? WHERE'S ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA ON BELMONT? WHERE'S JIMMY "YAWN" ON BELMONT? THEY'RE ALL HIDING IN THE BACK ROOM BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID OF THIS ISSUE. WHAT OUGHT TO BE DONE AND WHO'S DOING IT?

MADDOX>> NO, NO, LET ME CORRECT YOU ON THAT. THEY'RE NOT ALL HIDING. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SPEAKER AND THE CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR, ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA. I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO HIM. THIS IS WHAT HE SAID. THERE WAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY THAT WAS NEVER COMPLETELY CONCLUDED, SO A LOT OF THE PARENTS IN THE AREA SEEM TO THINK THAT THERE'S SOME INFORMATION THAT'S BEING WITHHELD. I ASKED THE SPEAKER ONE SIMPLE QUESTION: "WOULD YOU SEND YOUR CHILD TO BELMONT IF THEY OPENED IT UP?" HE SAID, "ABSOLUTELY NOT. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES AND BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW, I COULD NOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SEND MY CHILD THERE OR RECOMMEND ANYBODY TO GO THERE." THE PROBLEM IS, THAT COMMUNITY'S BEEN OVERLOOKED, THEY'VE BEEN NEGLECTED AND I THINK GLORIA MOLINA, COUNCILMAN MIKE HERNANDEZ AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK RACE IS SOMEHOW AN ISSUE. BUT I THINK WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN IS, YOU GOT TO FIND ALTERNATIVE SITES RIGHT AWAY. THE IDEA OF REOPENING THAT SCHOOL ON A TOXIC DUMP, I THINK, IS RIDICULOUS.

HEWITT>> DO ANY OF THE OTHER MAYORAL CANDIDATES HAVE A POSITION ON THIS? DOES JOEL WACHS HAVE A POSITION? DOES JIMMY HAHN?

MADDOX>> THE ISSUE CAME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR THE STUDIES THAT WERE NEVER COMPLETED TO BE COMPLETED, BUT I THINK MOST OF THEM HAVE AGREED THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD MADE THE RIGHT DECISION NOT TO REOPEN. LET ME SAY, THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THAT SCHOOL BOARD, AS IT'S CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTED, IS NOT GOING TO VOTE TO REOPEN BELMONT.

HEWITT>> THAT BRINGS US TO THE LAST PART OF OUR TRIP TICK OF STORIES. YOU MENTIONED EARLIER STEVE SOBOROFF WOUND UP IN ALL THESE EDITORIALS AS PROP BB --

MADDOX>> BAD WEEK FOR HIM.

HEWITT>> -- SAYING, I'M NOT GIVING THE SCHOOL BOARD ANY MORE MONEY, ANY MORE PROP BB MONEY, UNLESS AND UNTIL THEY REOPEN THE BELMONT THING. WHAT'S THE REACTION TO THAT? IT'S NOT HIS MONEY TO DEAL OUT FOR HIS OWN POLITICAL CAUSES. WHAT DOES THE SCHOOL BOARD SAY? AND IS IT GOING TO STICK?

MADDOX>> WELL, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO STICK. SEE, A LOT OF RUMORS OF THE LAW FIRM, O'MELVENY & MYERS, THAT WAS INVOLVED THAT RECOMMENDED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, ONE, THAT THEY BUY THE LAND AND TWO, THAT THEY BUILD THE SCHOOL ON THAT SITE, ARE SUBJECT TO MAJOR LITIGATION. SO THEY'RE INVOLVED IN A PR CAMPAIGN TO TRY AND GET LATINO-ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE SCHOOL BOARDS AND OTHERS TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC THAT ALL THE INFORMATION IS NOT OUT THERE AND THEREFORE THEY OUGHT TO REOPEN IT UP. SO I THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S NOT GOING TO STICK. BUT STEVE SOBOROFF IS CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT AND THAT'S WHY THE DAILY NEWS CAME OUT AND JUST CRITICIZED HIM.

HEWITT>> LET'S PUT A BOW ON THIS, THEN. WARREN CHRISTOPHER, SENIOR PARTNER OF O'MELVENY & MYERS, LONG-TIME FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, OPERATIVE WITHIN THE DEMOCRAT PARTY. HIS LAW FIRM IS UNDER SIEGE FOR ALL THIS WRONGDOING WITH REGARDS TO BELMONT. OUGHT HE, AS HE HAS BEEN ASKED TO DO ALONG WITH THE PARTNER, BE VETTING THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL CHOICES OF AL GORE?

MADDOX>> WELL, I THINK HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN SOME PARTICULAR --

HEWITT>> OH, HE'S IN. HE'S DOING IT.

MADDOX>> I THINK HE'S GOING TO PLAY A MAJOR ROLE. I THINK THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT. I THINK WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS, YOU AND I ARE GOING TO HAVE MANY MORE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE VP CANDIDATES ON THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN SIDE AND, WHEN I HAVE MORE INFORMATION, I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.

HEWITT>> I JUST THINK A LAW FIRM THAT IS UNDER SIEGE LIKE THAT OUGHT NOT TO BE THE PLACE FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, HIMSELF ETHICALLY CHALLENGED AND IN SERIOUS HOT WATER FROM E-MAIL TO ALL THE OTHER STUFF, --

MADDOX>> YOU CAN'T --

HEWITT>> -- YOU GOT TO BE SQUEAKY CLEAN.

MADDOX>> YOU CAN'T PIN THIS ON AL GORE. THAT'S A STRETCH. AL GORE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH --

HEWITT>> I'M NOT PINNING ANYTHING. I'M JUST SAYING I KNOW WHERE DECISIONS OUGHT TO BE MADE, YOU KNOW?

MADDOX>> YOU'RE NERVOUS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BEAT YOU.

HEWITT>> WELL, I'M NERVOUS BECAUSE WE'RE OVER TIME. BACK TO YOU, VAL AND WARREN.

VAL>> HUGH'S GREAT WITH STRETCHES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GENTLEMEN.

IT'S TIME NOW TO SHARE COMMENTS FROM YOU, OUR VIEWERS, ON OUR RECENT PROGRAMS.

ON WEDNESDAY, USC LAW PROFESSOR, JODY ARMOUR, TALKED ABOUT HIS BOOK, "NEGROPHOBIA". ARMOUR BELIEVES RACISM HAS BECOME AN UNCONSCIOUS HABIT FOR SOME AMERICANS. WELL, LARRY MELBY OF CARPINTERIA, HAS THIS SUGGESTION TO REDUCE INTERRACIAL FEAR: "WHY NOT START WITH TEACHING PEOPLE OF COLOR TO SMILE INSTEAD OF GLARE. I CONTEND IT IS THEIR ANGER THAT KEEPS US SEPARATE."

WARREN>> AND ON MONDAY, WE TALKED ABOUT AN EXPERIMENT TO CAP A DEPOSIT OF THE TOXIC PESTICIDE, DDT, WHICH LIES ON THE OCEAN FLOOR JUST OFF THE PALOS VERDES PENINSULA. PARTEVE SARKISSIAN WRITES THAT: MARINE BIOLOGISTS REFER TO THAT AREA AS THE DEAD ZONE. HE SAYS, "IN OTHER AREAS, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF CRITTERS LIVING AND BURROWING IN THERE. THE DEAD ZONE, THERE'S NOTHING. THE WHITE CROAKERS AND SOLES ARE DEFORMED. IT LOOKS LIKE SOME KIND OF MONSTERS FROM A SCI-FI MOVIE. I HOPE THE CLEANUP METHOD THEY'RE USING WORKS."

VAL>> AND HERE ARE THE WAYS YOU CAN REACH US WITH YOUR THOUGHTS ON ANY OF OUR PROGRAMS OR STORIES. WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

WWW.KCET.ORG.
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
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(323) 664-4159

WARREN>> IF GOVERNOR DAVIS HAD HIS WAY, THIS WOULD BE A STATE HOLIDAY. MARCH 31 IS THE BIRTH DATE OF THE LATE FARM WORKERS UNION LEADER, CESAR CHAVEZ. DAVIS WANTS TO MARK THE CALENDAR IN CHAVEZ'S HONOR.

VAL>> BUT THAT EFFORT IS STALLED FOR THE MOMENT IN THE LEGISLATURE. STILL, CHAVEZ WOULD HAVE BEEN 73 YEARS OLD TODAY, THE PERFECT OCCASION FOR US TO LOOK AT HIS LIFE AND LEGACY IN TONIGHT'S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS.

CHAVEZ ORGANIZED NATIONWIDE BOYCOTTS AGAINST CALIFORNIA GRAPES, WINE AND LETTUCE. HE ALSO LED A STRIKE AGAINST GROWERS THAT FORCED THEM TO SIGN THE FIRST CONTRACTS WITH THE FARM WORKERS UNION. HIS EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF MEXICAN-AMERICANS MADE HIM MORE THAN A LABOR LEADER. THEY ELEVATED HIM TO A CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER.

WARREN>> HERE WITH MORE IS FORMER STATE SENATOR, CHARLES CALDERON. HE IS CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF THE LATINO MUSEUM OF HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE WHERE THE EXHIBIT IS TITLED "AN AMERICAN LEADER, CESAR CHAVEZ". THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

CHARLES CALDERON>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE.

WARREN>> YOU WERE A STATE SENATOR AND YOU WERE INSPIRED, IN PART, AS WERE A LOT OF OTHER POLITICIANS IN CALIFORNIA, BY THIS MAN?

CHARLES CALDERON>> ABSOLUTELY. I WENT TO HIS FUNERAL AND CARRIED HIS CASKET A LONG WALK TO THE CEREMONIES. HE WAS INSPIRATIONAL BECAUSE THE MESSAGE OF HIS STRUGGLE WAS THAT, FOR THE FIRST TIME, LATINOS WERE CLAIMING THEIR DIGNITY AND THEY WERE FIGHTING INJUSTICE AND THEY WERE EMPOWERING THE POOREST AMONGST US. AND IF IT COULD HAPPEN IN THE FIELDS, THEN IT COULD HAPPEN IN THE CITIES AND IT COULD HAPPEN IN THE STATE LEGISLATURES. THAT'S WHAT CAPTURED MY IMAGINATION.

VAL>> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT A VIDEO OF CESAR CHAVEZ. THIS IS HIM SPEAKING TO THE WORKERS BEFORE A STRIKE.

CESAR CHAVEZ [FILM CLIP]>> YOU'VE GOT TO GET OUT THERE WITH A PICKET SIGN AND GET SOME ACTION GOING. WHEN YOU PUT ALL THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, THEN NON-VIOLENCE WORKS.

WE KNOW THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO CAME FROM THE OUTSIDE, FROM DISTANT PLACES, TO BE WITH US HAVE COME HERE AND SACRIFICED YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILIES.

IT DOESN'T MATTER NOW HOW MUCH MONEY THEY'RE OFFERED. THEY WOULDN'T GO BACK BECAUSE WHAT THEY WANT IS A UNION BEFORE THEY GO BACK.

WARREN>> HE TALKED ABOUT NON-VIOLENCE AND THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE FOR HIM. BUT HE WAS ATTACKED VIOLENTLY AND THE FARM WORKERS WERE ATTACKED VIOLENTLY WHEN THEY STRUCK IN THE FIELDS.

CHARLES CALDERON>> WELL, HE USED THAT VIOLENCE TO SHOW AMERICA WHAT OTHER AMERICANS WERE DOING TO THE FARM WORKERS IN THE VALLEY. HE USED THAT VIOLENCE VERY EFFECTIVELY, MUCH THE SAME WAY THAT GANDHI DID AND MUCH IN THE SAME WAY THAT MARTIN LUTHER KING DID.

VAL>> AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK NOW AT A CLIP OF HIM AND THE SUPPORT THAT HE GAINED FROM ROBERT F. KENNEDY, WHICH WAS QUITE FAMOUS. WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. OH, WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. TELL ME SOMETHING. WAS HE AN UNLIKELY LEADER IN SOME WAYS? WHAT WAS HIS BACKGROUND?

CHARLES CALDERON>> IN MANY WAYS. HE NEVER -- I THINK HE GOT AS FAR AS THE EIGHTH GRADE. BY ALL MATERIAL MEASURES, HE WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. HE NEVER MADE MORE THAN $6,000. WHEN HE PASSED AWAY, HE LEFT NOTHING FOR HIS FAMILY. IF YOU WERE IN A ROOM AND DIDN'T KNOW WHO HE WAS, YOU PROBABLY WOULD HAVE WALKED PAST HIM, BUT YET HIS DREAM INSPIRED A NATION AND HIS PASSION WON THEM OVER. THEY CAME FROM ALL OVER AMERICA FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TO WORK FOR ROOM AND BOARD PLUS $5.00 A MONTH SO THAT FARM WORKERS COULD HAVE A DECENT WAGE AND A DECENT STANDARD OF LIVING.

WARREN>> WE JUST SAW A PICTURE OF HIM IN FRONT OF THE STATE CAPITAL WITH A MASS OF PEOPLE AROUND. I THINK THAT WAS IN 1966 WHEN THE FARM WORKERS MARCHED FROM DELANO UP TO SACRAMENTO AND REALLY PUT THEIR ISSUES ON THE AGENDA OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE. THIS WAS BEFORE YOU WERE A LEGISLATOR, BUT, AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT YOU THOUGHT MAYBE SACRAMENTO WAS THE PLACE FOR YOU TO BE.

CHARLES CALDERON>> BUT STILL, I WAS ALWAYS WATCHING, ALWAYS AWARE AND ALWAYS YEARNING TO BECOME PART OF THE MOVEMENT AND BECOME PART OF THE FIGHT. I THINK THAT DID INSPIRE ME IN MANY, MANY WAYS.

VAL>> NOW WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE CLIP WITH CESAR CHAVEZ AND ROBERT KENNEDY. AS YOU SAID, PERHAPS YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS. HE DID ATTRACT NATIONAL ATTENTION AND THAT NATIONAL LEADERSHIP.

CHARLES CALDERON>> WELL, HE INSPIRED EVERYONE FROM [COMPASINOS] TO THE KENNEDYS TO COME AND WORK IN HIS CAUSE. THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT HIM AS AN AMERICAN LEADER BECAUSE HE HAS SET THE EXAMPLE IN TERMS OF WHAT LATINO CULTURE HAS TO OFFER AND OUR FUTURE DEPENDS NOT ON WHETHER OUR NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GROW, BUT WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN MOVE FROM MINORITY TO MAJORITY. THAT IS, WHETHER WE CAN IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL AMERICANS. THAT'S WHAT CESAR CHAVEZ TRIED TO DO.

WARREN>> THAT LAST PICTURE WE SAW OF CHAVEZ AND KENNEDY SURROUNDED BY LIGHT IN THE CLOUDS AND SO ON SUGGESTS THE KIND OF REVERENCE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL FOR BOTH OF THEM.

CHARLES CALDERON>> WELL, IT WAS ALWAYS, IN EVERY HOME -- I KNOW, GROWING UP IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, IT WAS ALWAYS A KENNEDY AND THE VIRGIN MARY AND CESAR CHAVEZ. SO THIS IS JUST MERGING THEM TOGETHER. IT'S A VERY FAMOUS RENDITION AND EVERYONE REMEMBERS THEM.

VAL>> LET'S TAKE ANOTHER LITTLE LOOK AT CESAR CHAVEZ. THIS IS HIM SPEAKING AT THE END OF A STRIKE.

CESAR CHAVEZ [FILM CLIP]>> THE BOYCOTT AND STRIKE HAS BEEN A COSTLY THING NOT ONLY TO US, BUT ALSO TO THE EMPLOYERS. BUT I THINK THAT BECAUSE, EVEN THOUGH HOWEVER UNFORTUNATE THE EXPERIENCE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AND THE STRUGGLE ON BOTH SIDES, BECAUSE OF THAT EXPERIENCE, WE HAVE CREATED THE FOUNDATION TO WHAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE A VERY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GROWER COMMUNITY IN DELANO.

WARREN>> I DON'T KNOW WHICH OF THE STRIKES THAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, BUT THAT WAS CERTAINLY AT THE HIGHLIGHT OF HIS CAREER AND OF THE FARM WORKERS' MOVEMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN TO SOME EXTENT IN DECLINE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE HIS LEGACY AT THIS POINT?

CHARLES CALDERON>> WELL, HIS LEGACY IS PROBABLY BEST DESCRIBED BY WHAT HE SAID MANY TIMES. THAT THE MEASURE OF A PERSON IS NOT HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MAKE OR WHAT MATERIAL GOODS THEY ACCUMULATE, BUT WHAT LEGACY THEY LEAVE FOR THEIR FAMILY, FOR THEIR LOVED ONES AND FOR OTHERS. FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND I MEAN THAT IN THE LARGER SENSE IN LOS ANGELES, HE'S LEFT A MEMORY, HE'S LEFT A CAUSE AND HE'S LEFT A FIGHT FOR US TO CONTINUE.

WARREN>> AND HE'S BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT PERSON TO REPLACE.

CHARLES CALDERON>> ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, THERE HASN'T BEEN A NATIONAL LATINO LEADER SINCE CESAR CHAVEZ.

VAL>> SENATOR CALDERON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING BY, AND THAT LAST BEAUTIFUL PICTURE IS PART OF THE EXHIBIT, SO WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO TAKE A LOOK. CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXHIBITION, "AN AMERICAN LEADER, CESAR CHAVEZ". IT'S ON DISPLAY AT THE LATINO MUSEUM OF HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE THROUGH MID-AUGUST.

[213-626-7600]

WARREN>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.

COMING UP ON MONDAY ON WHICH WAY LA, THE RAMPART INVESTIGATION RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT COPS AND THE LAW. WHY ISN'T PLANTING EVIDENCE A FELONY CRIME? DO LAWS THAT PROTECT POLICE OFFICERS ALSO IMPEDE PROSECUTIONS? WE'LL BE ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS AND OTHERS.

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