9/04/01

LC010904

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> HAS THE CRACKDOWN ON CROOKED RAMPART COPS BACKFIRED? A PUBLISHED REPORT MAINTAINS GANG VIOLENCE IS ON THE RISE ACROSS LOS ANGELES. IS IT, AS THE WRITER CLAIMS, IN PART BECAUSE L.A.'S COPS ARE DEMORALIZED? TONIGHT WE'LL ASK THE MAN WHO OUGHT TO KNOW: L.A.'S POLICE CHIEF, BERNARD PARKS. HE'S LIVE IN OUR STUDIO.

VAL>> WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE LATEST FROM SACRAMENTO WHERE LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING A PLAN TO BAIL OUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON. WE'LL TALK WITH ONE OF THE KEY LAWMAKERS INVOLVED IN THAT EFFORT.

JESS>> ALSO, PATT MORRISON HAS A FEW CHOICE WORDS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SHIRKING YOUR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY.

PATT>> PAY UP, SHUT UP, CLEAN UP AND CUE IT UP. MOVIE ETIQUETTE IN BRIEF ON TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

VAL>> AND HOW CAN WE HAVE GOOD SCHOOLS WITHOUT GOOD TEACHERS? WELL, TONIGHT WE'LL PREVIEW THE UPCOMING PBS DOCUMENTARY, "THE FIRST YEAR". IT FOLLOWS FIVE NEW TEACHERS GRAPPLING WITH PROBLEMS IN L.A. CLASSROOMS. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO KEEP THEM THERE?

JESS>> THESE STORIES STRAIGHT AHEAD ON LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH THE LATEST ON THE SO-CALLED BAILOUT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON.

VAL>> THE UTILITY FACES ALMOST CERTAIN BANKRUPTCY UNLESS THE LEGISLATURE COMES UP WITH SOME KIND OF RESCUE PLAN. GOVERNOR GRAY DAVIS, FOR ONE, SAYS THE STATE CAN'T AFFORD TO LET EDISON GO UNDER.

JESS>> BUT HOW MANY LAWMAKERS AGREE WITH THE GOVERNOR? LATELY THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP OF THE STATE ASSEMBLY HAS BACKED A PLAN THAT WOULD ALLOW EDISON TO RAISE MONEY BY SELLING BONDS. BUT CRITICS HAVE VOWED TO OVERTURN ANY BAILOUT WITHOUT A PUBLIC REFERENDUM, GIVING VOTERS THE FINAL SAY ON EDISON'S FATE. SO WHAT LIES AHEAD? PETER NAVARRO, AN ECONOMIST AT UC IRVINE MAY HAVE SOME OF THE ANSWERS FOR US.

PETER, WHAT WOULD YOU EXPECT TO HAPPEN?

PETER NAVARRO>> WELL, IT'S A LOW-PROBABILITY EVENT THAT THE EDISON BAILOUT PASSES BY ITSELF, BUT THERE IS A DEAL THAT'S EMERGING THAT MAY BREAK THE DEADLOCK HERE. IT'S SIMPLY THIS: THE TWO KEY PEOPLE ARE JOHN BURTON, THE HEAD OF THE SENATE, AND GRAY DAVIS, OF COURSE, IS THE GOVERNOR. THE GOVERNOR WANTS THE BAILOUT. WHAT BURTON WANTS IS PASSAGE OF INCREASED BENEFITS FOR WORKER'S COMPENSATION. NOW INTERESTINGLY, DAVIS --

VAL>> -- WAIT. ISN'T THAT --

JESS>> -- THOSE ARE UNRELATED. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> ISN'T THAT APPLES AND ORANGES?

PETER NAVARRO>> THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY APPLES AND ORANGES, BUT WE ARE IN AMERICA AND POLITICAL SCIENCE 101 IS HORSE TRADING AND POLITICAL LOGROLLING. AND BURTON DOESN'T -- YEAH, NOBODY WANTS THIS BAILOUT IN THE LEGISLATURE, TO BE QUITE FRANK. THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS. BUT THE DANGER HERE IS THAT, IF THEY PASS AN EDISON BAILOUT, THERE'LL BE A BALLOT INITIATIVE ON THE NOVEMBER 2002 BALLOT AND THE DEMOCRATS WILL BE VERY, VERY VULNERABLE IN THE ELECTION.

VAL>> HOLD ON, EXPLAIN WHAT THE INITIATIVE WOULD DO.

PETER NAVARRO>> THE INITIATIVE WOULD REPEAL THE BAILOUT.

VAL>> AND THAT'S BEING PUT FORWARD BY THESE CONSUMER WATCHDOGS?

PETER NAVARRO>> YEAH, CONSUMER ADVOCATES ARE GOING TO COME FORWARD WITH THAT. SO THE LEGISLATURE'S -- ANY DEMOCRAT-- THE REPUBLICANS AREN'T GOING TO VOTE FOR THE BAILOUT, PERIOD.

VAL>> BECAUSE IT'S DAVIS'S PLAN?

PETER NAVARRO>> BECAUSE IT'S A BAILOUT AND BECAUSE THEY WANT SOMETHING TO RUN ON. IT'S NOT POPULAR WITH THE VOTERS.

VAL>> OKAY.

JESS>> NOT POPULAR WITH YOU EITHER, AS I RECALL.

PETER NAVARRO>> NOT POPULAR WITH ME EITHER. BUT IF THE DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO PASS IT, THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AND SAY, WOW, THIS IS REALLY DANGEROUS POLITICALLY. THAT MEANS THAT IT PROBABLY WON'T PASS, BUT JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, THE UNIONS HAVE BEEN PUSHING BURTON, WHO'S THE HEAD OF THE SENATE, HE'S A LIBERAL DEMOCRAT FROM SAN FRANCISCO, HE'S PRO UNION, HE'S TRIED TO GET WORKERS' COMPENSATION BENEFITS INCREASED THE LAST TWO YEARS. GUESS WHAT HAPPENED? GOVERNOR DAVIS VETOED THOSE BILLS TWICE, IN 1999 AND IN 2000.

SEE, THIS WOULD BE ACTUALLY A VERY HISTORIC EVENT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY A SEISMIC SHIFT IN THE POLITICS OF CALIFORNIA BECAUSE DAVIS HAS BEEN RUNNING STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. HE'S A CENTRIST MODERATE OR CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRAT AND, IF HE'S FORCED BASICALLY TO TRADE THE BAILOUT FOR THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BILL, IT'S GOING TO PUSH HIM WAY TO THE LEFT. BIG BUSINESS HAS CALLED THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BILL ONE OF THE TOP TEN JOB KILLERS, SO THEY'RE VERY UPSET WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING. BUT THAT'S THE ONLY WAY IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU WON'T SEE JUST A BAILOUT. YOU'LL SEE WORKERS' COMPENSATION AND THE BAILOUT. IT'LL BE A PACKAGE.

VAL>> THAT'S INTERESTING. BUT YOU'RE PREDICTING THAT NEITHER WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE THE BAILOUT WON'T GO?

PETER NAVARRO>> I'M PREDICTING THAT THE BAILOUT HAS BEEN -- IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE LONGEST-RUNNING SOAP OPERAS. I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR LIKE SIX MONTHS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT PG&E WENT BANKRUPT, EVERYBODY EXPECTED THE SKY TO FALL AND IT DIDN'T. IT'S NO BIG DEAL. SO IT'S LIKE --

VAL>> -- WELL, IT'S STILL GOING ON.

PETER NAVARRO>> YEAH, WELL, BUT IT'S LIKE IF EDISON GOES BANKRUPT, IT'S NO BIG DEAL EITHER. SO THE QUESTION IS, DO THEY GET RESCUED? AS I SAY, THE POLITICS OF THIS DICTATE NO BAILOUT BECAUSE IT'S TOO DANGEROUS FOR THE DEMOCRATS, PARTICULARLY ONES WHO ARE FACING TOUGH RACES IN NOVEMBER 2002, TO VOTE FOR THAT. SO THE ONLY WAY IT WORKS IS IF BURTON COMES IN WITH THIS PLAN AND GETS THE UNIONS BEHIND IT AND SAYS WORKERS' COMPENSATION EXCHANGE FOR A BAILOUT.

WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THE COSTS OF THIS ELECTRICITY CRISIS KEEP MOUNTING. INSTEAD OF BEING A $2.5 BILLION DOLLAR BAILOUT FOR EDISON, IT'LL BE A $5 BILLION COST BECAUSE IT'S $2.5 BILLION DOLLARS ALSO FOR THE INCREASED BENEFITS FOR WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

VAL>> OH, REALLY.

PETER NAVARRO>> YEAH, BILLION HERE, BILLION THERE, PRETTY SOON -- 

JESS>> -- REAL MONEY. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) REAL MONEY.

JESS>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS FROM A POLITICAL STANDPOINT, BUT FROM YOUR ECONOMIST STANDPOINT, WHAT MAKES SENSE?

PETER NAVARRO>> HERE'S WHAT -- THERE'S ONLY ONE REASON TO BAIL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON OUT. IT'S BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS HAD TO ADOPT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR BUYING ELECTRICITY AND, TO PUT IT BLUNTLY, THEY DON'T DO IT VERY WELL OR VERY SMARTLY. IT'S COSTING US MONEY. SO GETTING BOTH PG&E AND EDISON BACK ON THEIR FEET WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAXPAYERS OF THE STATE. THE PROBLEM IS, AT WHAT COST? AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE GOVERNOR WANTS TOO SWEET A DEAL.

VAL>> I SEE. EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHAT A BAILOUT IS COMPOSED OF. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF HANDING EDISON A BUNCH OF MONEY FOR THEM TO PAY OFF THEIR DEBTS. IT'S MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT, YES?

PETER NAVARRO>> GREAT QUESTION. BASICALLY, BACK WHEN WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF THIS ELECTRICITY CRISIS, WE HAD FROZEN RETAIL RATES AT EDISON AND WHOLESALE RATES THAT GOT ABOVE THAT. SO EVERY TIME THAT EDISON SOLD A UNIT OF ELECTRICITY, THEY LOST MONEY ON THAT.

VAL>> LOST MONEY AND THEY GOT IN DEBT.

PETER NAVARRO>> THEY GOT IN DEBT AND --

JESS>> -- AND THEY WERE NOT, BY LAW, ALLOWED TO RAISE RETAIL RATES?

PETER NAVARRO>> THAT'S RIGHT. AND THEY WERE CARRYING, THEY SAY, $3.5 BILLION DOLLARS, $3.6 BILLION DOLLARS THAT THEY OWE TO CREDITORS. A LOT OF THEM ARE SMALL CREDITORS, A LOT OF IT'S TO THE BIG WHOLESALE GENERATORS WHO RIPPED US OFF.

VAL>> OKAY.

PETER NAVARRO>> NOW WHAT THE LEGISLATURE SAYS, THE ASSEMBLY HAS PASSED A BILL THAT SAYS, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE $2.5 BILLION DOLLARS ROUGHLY, FLOAT BONDS TO GET THAT MONEY, GIVE IT TO EDISON TO PAY OFF SOME OF ITS CREDITORS, OKAY? AND THEN IN ORDER TO PAY THE COST OF THOSE BONDS, IT'S LIKE A MORTGAGE, RIGHT? THEY'RE GOING TO RAISE RATES ON APPROXIMATELY 180,000 BUSINESS CUSTOMERS, SO THE BURDEN --

VAL>> -- NOT RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS?

PETER NAVARRO>> IT'LL BE SOME, BUT THE BIGGEST BURDEN WILL FALL ON BUSINESSES. SO THAT'S VERY UNPOPULAR WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, FOR ONE THING, AND IT ADDS YET ANOTHER LAYER OF ECONOMIC PROBLEMS ON OUR ECONOMY, WHICH WE DON'T NEED RIGHT NOW, SO THAT'S HOW IT WOULD WORK.

VAL>> HOW ABOUT THE REST OF THAT -- THERE'S STILL A BILLION IN DEBT.

PETER NAVARRO>> WELL, HERE'S THE THING. THERE'S A BILLION THAT'S LEFT AND BURTON CALLED IT "THE BILLION DOLLAR HAIRCUT". BUT, YOU SEE, THE PROBLEM IS THAT, DURING THIS WHOLE CRISIS, EDISON MOVED MONEY FROM ITS REGULATED SUBSIDIARY OVER TO ITS --

VAL>> -- SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON.

PETER NAVARRO>> THAT'S RIGHT -- OVER TO ITS UNREGULATED SUBSIDIARY --

JESS>> -- EDISON INTERNATIONAL.

PETER NAVARRO>> EDISON INTERNATIONAL. SO THE THINKING IS, WELL, THEY'VE ACTUALLY GOT A BUNCH OF MONEY SQUIRRELED AWAY AND THEY REALLY SHOULDN'T GET A DOLLAR FOR A DOLLAR, MAYBE THEY GET SIXTY CENTS ON A DOLLAR.

JESS>> WELL, IN FACT, THE DAVIS PLAN DOES CALL FOR EDISON INTERNATIONAL TO PONY UP THAT EXTRA BILLION?

PETER NAVARRO>> THAT'S RIGHT AND THAT'S POLITICALLY POPULAR, BUT HERE'S THE SCOOP. I MEAN, IF THERE IS NO BAILOUT, IF THEY DON'T DO THE LOGROLLING, WORKERS' COMP AND THE BAILOUT PACKAGE TOGETHER, WHAT I PREDICT IS THE NEXT THING LIKELY TO HAPPEN IS THE MIRANT COMPANY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BIG EIGHT WHOLESALE GENERATORS WITH ENRON, RELIANT, DYNERGY, MIRANT IS LIKELY TO BE THE ONE TO PUSH EDISON INTO BANKRUPTCY.

VAL>> TO TAKE IT TO COURT?

PETER NAVARRO>> TO TAKE IT TO COURT. AND ONCE THAT HAPPENS, YOU SET IN MOTION A CHAIN OF EVENTS WHICH IS JUST COSTLY. I MEAN, ALL THE LAWYERS HAVE TO BE COSTLY. AND YOU RAISE THE UNCERTAINTY -- AND THIS IS THE OTHER THING THE LEGISLATURE SAYS -- OF WHETHER THE JUDGE WOULD ORDER RATE INCREASES IN ORDER TO PAY OFF SOME OF THOSE DEBTS AND THAT WOULD BE A VERY UNHAPPY OCCURRENCE.

VAL>> I SEE.

JESS>> THE MAN WHO IS AT LEAST NEAR THE CENTER, IF NOT AT THE CENTER, OF THIS IS STATE ASSEMBLY FRED KEELEY. HE'S BEEN SPEAKER PRO TEM, HE'S BEEN ONE OF THE KEY PLAYERS IN THESE EDISON NEGOTIATIONS. HE'S NOW ABOUT TO JOIN US FROM SACRAMENTO LIVE, WHENEVER HE IS READY TO TALK WITH US.

PETER NAVARRO>> WAITING WITH BAITED BREATH HERE.

JESS>> HE'S READY TO TALK WITH US NOW. MR. KEELEY, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE BAILOUT LEGISLATION RIGHT NOW?

FRED KEELEY>> WELL, THE EDISON WORKOUT BILL HAS JUST CLEARED THE ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. IT WILL NOW BE SENT TO THE ASSEMBLY FLOOR WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE PUT IN IT TODAY. I THINK THAT THE EARLIEST THE BILL COULD COME UP FOR A VOTE ON THE ASSEMBLY FLOOR WOULD PROBABLY BE ON THURSDAY.

VAL>> MR. KEELEY, WE JUST HEARD FROM PETER NAVARRO THAT THE ONLY WAY, HE SAYS, THAT THE BAILOUT WILL PASS IS IF THE GOVERNOR ALSO SIGNS A BIG INCREASE IN WORKERS' COMPENSATION. DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

FRED KEELEY>> I MET WITH THE GOVERNOR EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON AFTER WE HAD BEEN ABLE TO GET THE BILL MOVED FROM THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE TO THE ASSEMBLY FLOOR. I THINK THAT THIS BILL IS BECOMING A MUCH BETTER PUBLIC POLICY BILL. I THOUGHT THAT, EARLIER THIS SUMMER, IT WAS ACTUALLY NOT A VERY GOOD BILL. IT DID NOT HAVE IN IT A NUMBER OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT FOR IT TO BE A GOOD, SOLID BUSINESS DEAL THAT'S GOOD FOR CONSUMERS IN CALIFORNIA. I THINK IT HAS BECOME A GOOD BILL NOW AND I THINK THAT THIS BILL CAN RISE OR FALL ON ITS MERITS. I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE LINKED TO ANYTHING ELSE.

PETER NAVARRO>> WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, MR. KEELEY, YOU DODGED THE QUESTION THERE. THE WORD IS THAT BURTON WANTS WORKERS' COMPENSATION AND HE WON'T REALLY PASS THE BILL IN THE SENATE UNLESS HE GETS IT. TRUE OR FALSE?

FRED KEELEY>> WELL, YOU SHOULD ASK SENATOR BURTON THAT IF YOU THINK HE'S MADE THAT DEAL WITH THE GOVERNOR. I'M THE SPEAKER PRO TEM OF THE ASSEMBLY. I'M NOT THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF THE SENATE.

JESS>> BUT YOU'VE ONLY RECENTLY BEEN SPEAKING WITH THE GOVERNOR AND NO INDICATION OF THAT FROM THE GOVERNOR?

FRED KEELEY>> I MET WITH THE GOVERNOR FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES THIS AFTERNOON AND THAT SUBJECT DIDN'T COME UP AT ALL.

JESS>> AND IT'S A WORKOUT BILL, IT'S NOT A BAILOUT BILL, RIGHT?

FRED KEELEY>> WELL, LET ME TELL YOU WHY I SAY THAT. I THINK IT WOULD BE A BAILOUT BILL IF WHAT YOU DID IS TO USE TAXPAYER MONEY, WHICH WE ARE NOT. I THINK IT WOULD BE A BAILOUT BILL IF THERE WAS NO VALUE OR NO PROTECTIONS FOR CONSUMERS, WHICH THERE ARE PLENTY OF VALUES AND PLENTY OF PROTECTIONS FOR CONSUMERS. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS $3.9 BILLION DOLLARS IN SIZE. WE ARE SAYING THAT THE STATE WILL SERVE AS A BANKER TO ALLOW EDISON TO BANK $2.9 BILLION DOLLARS OF THAT DEBT AND BE ABLE TO RECOVER THAT THROUGH A DEDICATED RATE COMPONENT --

JESS>> -- MR. KEELEY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INTERRUPT BECAUSE OUR TIME IS UP. BUT THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.

FRED KEELEY>> THANK YOU.

VAL>> ALSO, THANKS TO PETER NAVARRO AS WELL, ECONOMIST FROM UC IRVINE, THANKS SO MUCH.

PETER NAVARRO>> PLEASURE. WE'LL BE WATCHING THIS ONE.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, WE'LL LOOK AT THE CHANGING FACE OF LOS ANGELES POLITICS. IT'S CAUSING A MAJOR TURF BATTLE AT CITY HALL WHERE TWO GROUPS ARE TRYING TO GAIN GROUND.

GAY YEE>> AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE OUTNUMBERED BY LATINOS FOUR TO ONE. CAN THEY STILL HANG ONTO THE POLITICAL POWER BASE THEY CARVED OUT IN L.A. A GENERATION AGO?

MARK RIDLEY-THOMAS>> ULTIMATELY, IT IS GOING TO BE MEASURED BY THOSE WHO ARE REGISTERED -- FIRST OF ALL, THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE, THOSE WHO THEN ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND THEN THOSE WHO ACTUALLY GET OUT TO VOTE.

VAL>> THAT'S WEDNESDAY ON LIFE AND TIMES AT 7:00 P.M.

JESS>> THE LATEST ISSUE OF TIME MAGAZINE PAINTS A DISTURBING PICTURE OF LOS ANGELES. IT SAYS GANG VIOLENCE IS ON THE RISE, THAT MURDERS ARE UP 23 PERCENT IN THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR, THAT 30,000 VETERAN GANG MEMBERS ARE ABOUT TO BE RELEASED BACK ONTO THE STREETS OF LOS ANGELES.

VAL>> THOSE NUMBERS, IT SAYS, ADD UP TO BIG PROBLEMS FOR THE POLICE. LOS ANGELES POLICE CHIEF, BERNARD PARKS, IS WITH US NOW AND HE HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THAT TIME MAGAZINE ARTICLE.

BERNARD PARKS>> HELLO, THERE. HOW YOU DOING?

VAL>> GOOD.

JESS>> YOU THINK THEIR FIGURES ARE WRONG?

BERNARD PARKS>> I THINK THEY'RE NOT ONLY WRONG, THEY'RE WAY OFF. I THINK THE TWO THINGS THAT WE AGREE WITH IN THE ARTICLE IS THAT, IN DEALING WITH GANGS, THERE ARE SOCIETAL ISSUES THAT ARE WAY BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE POLICE AND YOU NEED A LOT MORE OF THE COMMUNITY-BASED AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES TO HELP OUT. 

WE ALSO AGREE THAT THERE'S A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE RETURNING TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN IN PRISON. NOT NECESSARILY ALL OF THEM ARE GANG MEMBERS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE ARTICLE ITSELF AND WE SEE THE FIGURES THAT IT REPORTED, I THINK WHAT THE AUTHOR HAS DONE IS CONFUSED COUNTYWIDE AND CITYWIDE FIGURES AND MERGED THEM TOGETHER.

VAL>> SO, FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAYS 23 PERCENT RISE IN MURDERS IN THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR IN THE CITY. IS THAT CORRECT?

BERNARD PARKS>> THAT'S WHAT HE SAYS, BUT OUR FIGURES REFLECT THERE'S ROUGHLY ABOUT A .6 PERCENT INCREASE IN GANG-RELATED MURDERS AND, UP UNTIL A WEEK AGO, WE WERE ABOUT EVEN IN MURDERS OVERALL. WHAT HE'S CONFUSING IS THAT, BETWEEN THE YEAR 2000 AND THE YEAR 1999, WE JUMPED FROM 420 MURDERS TO 540. THAT MAY BE THE FIGURE THAT HE'S REFERENCING, BUT CERTAINLY NOT IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR 2000 VERSUS THE YEAR 2001.

JESS>> A SHOCKING FIGURE, ALSO, WAS 100,000 GANG MEMBERS IN CALIFORNIA'S PRISONS.

BERNARD PARKS>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S AN ERROR ALSO BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 130,000 TO 140,000 PEOPLE IN STATE PRISON OVERALL AND 100,000 CANNOT BE GANG MEMBERS. SO I THINK HE, AGAIN, MISQUOTED SOME FIGURES AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE GOT THOSE, BUT I THINK THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN PRISON ARE NOT ALL GANG MEMBERS AND YOU WOULD NOT HAVE THAT PERCENTAGE OF GANG MEMBERS IN PRISON. WHAT WE KNOW IN THE CITY OF L.A. IS THAT WE HAVE ROUGHLY ABOUT 400 GANGS. HE RELATES ABOUT 1,300, NOT 400 GANGS.

VAL>> YOU SAY NOT NEARLY THAT MANY?

BERNARD PARKS>> NO, WE DON'T HAVE NEARLY -- 1,300 MIGHT BE A COUNTYWIDE FIGURE.

VAL>> NOW THIS IS TIME MAGAZINE. THIS SHOULD BE A RELIABLE SOURCE.

BERNARD PARKS>> IT SHOULD BE, BUT I THINK THE ISSUE IS THAT, IF PEOPLE OFTEN GET FIGURES AND IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY RELATE TO, THEY OFTEN CAN REPORT THEM AS BEING IN THE CITY WHEN THEY REFERENCE THE COUNTY OR THE STATE. AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE NUMBERS AND WHERE YOU GOT THEM FROM, YOU CAN OFTEN REPORT THEM IN ERROR.

JESS>> MY GUESS IS THAT THE ISSUE THAT RANKLES YOU MOST IN THIS ARTICLE IS THE SUGGESTION THAT THE POLICE HAVE BACKED OFF IN GANG AREAS.

BERNARD PARKS>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S UNFORTUNATE ALSO. WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT OFFICERS HAVE DONE, CERTAINLY WE, AS A DEPARTMENT DECISION, CHANGED THE WAY WE DEAL WITH GANG ACTIVITY. WE'RE FORCED TO DO THAT BY OUR EVALUATION OF WHAT WAS GOING ON IN RAMPART.

IT WAS MY BELIEF THAT WE COULD NOT CONTINUE ON WITH CRASH PROGRAMS WHEN PEOPLE LOST A GREAT DEAL OF FAITH IN THEM, WHEN IT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSPAPER DAILY ABOUT THE INDISCRETIONS THAT WERE GOING ON IN RAMPART. SO WE CHANGED THE WAY WE OPERATED IN DEALING WITH GANGS AND WE CORRECTED MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WERE FOUND IN RAMPART.

JESS>> YOU ELIMINATED CRASH ALTOGETHER, BUT DID YOU PUT RESTRICTIONS ON THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTROLLING GANG ACTIVITY NOW?

BERNARD PARKS>> WE REVAMPED, RENAMED IT FROM A SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT UNIT. WE ALSO FOUND THE DOWNFALL OF RAMPART CRASH WAS THE YOUNG OFFICERS' INEXPERIENCE DEALING IN NARCOTICS WHEN THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH INFORMANTS AND TRYING TO INVESTIGATE NARCOTIC CASES. WE HAVE MADE THAT NOW TOTALLY WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF OUR NARCOTICS DIVISION. WE ALSO HAVE MADE SOME STRICT GUIDELINES ON HOW TO DEAL WITH INFORMANTS.

WE MAY HAVE HAD A LULL OF ACTIVITY WHEN WE BASICALLY ELIMINATED THE CRASH UNITS, BUT WE CAME RIGHT BACK WITHIN A THIRTY-DAY PERIOD WITH SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE UNITS. WE ALSO CREATED SOME GUIDELINES ON HOW TO GET IN THOSE UNITS. ALL THE THINGS THAT WE FOUND WERE WRONG IN RAMPART, WE CORRECTED CITYWIDE BY THE NEW APPROACH THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH.

VAL>> ANOTHER KEY PART OF THE ARTICLE TALKS ABOUT 3,000 GANG MEMBERS BEING RELEASED PER MONTH BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITIES TO STIR UP TROUBLE AGAIN. IS THAT CORRECT?

BERNARD PARKS>> I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S AN ACCURATE NUMBER, BUT WE DO KNOW, ON A NATIONAL BASIS, THE UNIVERSITY OF IRVINE JUST DID A STUDY THAT SHOWED 600,000 CONVICTS RETURNED TO THE STREETS OF THE UNITED STATES JUST IN 1999. WE KNOW THERE'S A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING OUT OF PRISON BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, DURING THE 90'S, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED, LAWS WERE CHANGED, THREE STRIKES PEOPLE WENT TO JAIL FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME, SO THEY HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING BACK.

AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE ALL GANG MEMBERS, BUT WE DO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING BACK FROM STATE PRISON BACK IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE BELIEVE, TO SOME DEGREE, THAT THAT CONFLICT, AS IT RELATES TO CONVICTS COMING BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY AND THESE GANG MEMBERS ON THE STREET, MIGHT BE THE CAUSE OF SOME OF OUR VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY. BUT, AGAIN, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S THAT LEVEL OF 3,000 A WEEK, AS HE REPORTED IT.

JESS>> HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT POLICE BEING DEMORALIZED AND, AS A RESULT OF THAT, NOT ENFORCING THE LAW THE WAY THEY MIGHT ONCE HAVE. I MIGHT NOTE, ALSO, THE BLACK RIBBON ACROSS YOUR BADGE. THAT'S GOT TO BE RATHER DEMORALIZING TOO. I KNOW YOU'VE JUST COME FROM THE FUNERAL OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTY THAT WAS SHOT ON FRIDAY.

BERNARD PARKS>> YOU KNOW, IT WAS A VERY SAD EVENT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FAMILY MEMBERS THERE AND YOU SEE THIS YOUNG MAN THAT WAS KILLED FOR DOING HIS JOB. THAT'S A UNIQUE PART OF BEING A POLICE OFFICER, THAT YOU CAN BE KILLED FOR ACTUALLY JUST DOING YOUR JOB. AGAIN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT COMMUNITY AND SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE, CERTAINLY THE PEOPLE THERE WERE UNDER A GREAT DEAL OF DURESS.

BUT I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT WHOLE ISSUE OF PEOPLE BEING DEMORALIZED, THE FIGURES THAT WE REPORT ALL THE TIME AND YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY OF L.A., IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, CRIME HAS BEEN CUT IN HALF. THE CALL LOAD HAS BEEN CUT IN HALF. THE DEPARTMENT HAS GROWN 1,500 PEOPLE, CURRENTLY TODAY 1,500 MORE PEOPLE TODAY THAN THERE WERE IN 1993.

YOU LOOK AT ALL THE REDUCTION AND ALL THE POSITIVES AS RELATES TO DEALING WITH LITIGATION AND ALL THOSE OTHER ISSUES, HOW CAN THE DEPARTMENT PERFORM ALL OF THOSE ISSUES AND BE DEMORALIZED? I THINK THAT'S AN EASY WAY OUT FOR SOME OF THE REPORTERS TO LATCH ONTO A THEME WITHOUT A GREAT DEAL OF INFORMATION OR JUSTIFICATION OR DOCUMENTATION.

VAL>> CHIEF PARKS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ON AND GIVING US A FULLER PICTURE.

BERNARD PARKS>> MY PLEASURE.

VAL>> WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? HERE ARE THE WAYS YOU CAN REACH US:

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

JESS>> WE'VE LET HER DOWN AGAIN. PATT MORRISON'S RECENT FORAYS TO THE VIDEO STORE LEFT HER SLIGHTLY DISILLUSIONED WITH DEVOTEES OF THE ART FILM, AS SHE EXPLAINS IN TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT>> I KNOW THE SUMMER MOVIES WERE PRETTY ABYSMAL AND, IF YOU WERE DISAPPOINTED, JUST THINK OF THOSE STUDIO MOGULS WHO STAKED THEIR NEW 700 SERIES BMWS ON BLOCKBUSTER PROFITS. BUT WHY DO MOVIEGOERS HAVE TO PUNISH ONE ANOTHER FOR IT WITH THEIR CONDUCT IN MOVIE HOUSES? ALREADY WE REQUIRE A CARTOON TO WARN US NOT TO TALK DURING THE MOVIE, AS IF WE'D SOMEHOW GOTTEN CONFUSED AND THOUGHT WE PAID $8.00 EACH TO CONVERSE IN THE DARK OVER A RECORDED SOUNDTRACK. MUST WE HAVE ANOTHER ETIQUETTE CARTOON TO TELL US THE OBVIOUS AGAIN?

THE CREDITS ROLL AND PEOPLE FILE OUT PASSING OPEN TRASH BARRELS WAITING TO BE FILLED. YET IT MIGHT AS WELL BE A BLIND MAN'S CUP BECAUSE HARDLY ANYONE DROPS ANYTHING INTO IT. IT'S TRUE THE WEIGHT OF AN EMPTY POPCORN BUCKET CAN BE STAGGERING, BUT DON'T THINK OF IT AS CLEANUP. THINK OF IT AS AN EXERCISE.

NOW THIS IS SCARCELY BETTER THAN THROWING TRASH OUT CAR WINDOWS SO AS NOT TO SULLY THE INTERIOR. I ONCE SAW A MAN DUMP A BAG OF JUNK FOOD TRASH OUT HIS CAR WINDOW. I SNATCHED IT UP AND FOLLOWED HIM HOME AND THREW IT IN HIS FRONT YARD. THOUGHT ABOUT DOING THAT IN THE THEATERS, BUT, ALAS, GASOLINE HAS GOTTEN TOO EXPENSIVE FOR THAT AND EVERYONE IS SO TOUCHY NOWADAYS THAT I'D PROBABLY BE ARRESTED AS A TRASH STALKER.

EVEN IF YOU DON'T GO TO THE MOVIES AND YOU OPT FOR WHAT THEY CALL HOME ENTERTAINMENT, YOU STILL ENCOUNTER INTRUSIVE RUDENESS. AT LEAST FIVE OF THE LAST TEN VIDEOTAPES I'VE RENTED HAVE NOT BEEN REWOUND. IT'S SHOCKING. NOW I TEND TO RENT SILENT OR FOREIGN FILMS WITH SUBTITLES OFTEN INVOLVING COMPLICATED FRENCH AMOURS OR MOROSE AND SATIRICAL CONTEMPLATIONS OF DEATH AND POLITICS. I WOULD TRULY HATE TO BE FORCED TO CONCLUDE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WATCH "THE SOUND OF MUSIC" AND ITS ILK MAY BE BETTER VIRTUAL NEIGHBORS WHO'D BE MORE CONSCIENTIOUS IN REWINDING THEIR TAPES THAN THOSE WHO SHARE MY TAPES IN DARKER, EDGIER CINEMA.

SO NEXT TIME, IF YOU WON'T PRESS THE REWIND BUTTON FOR ME, DO IT FOR TRUFEAU, FRITZ LANG AND KUR0SAWA. DO IT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SAY "FILM" INSTEAD OF "MOVIES". DO IT FOR THE HONOR OF CINEMA.

JESS>> IT'S SEPTEMBER AND SCHOOLS ARE OPEN. HALF OF ALL TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY IN URBAN SCHOOLS, DO NOT LAST BEYOND FIVE YEARS. THE EXPERIENCES OF FIVE NEW TEACHERS ARE CAPTURED IN A NEW DOCUMENTARY CALLED "THE FIRST YEAR". HERE'S A CLIP OF A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER TRYING VALIANTLY TO GET SPEECH THERAPY FOR ONE OF HIS STUDENTS.

>> I HAVE A PARTICULAR STUDENT THAT I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT. HIS NAME IS TYQUAN PRICE. HE STUTTERS AND I'VE HAD HIM REFERRED TO THE SPEECH THERAPIST. SHE CAME IN, SHE ASSESSED HIM AND A FEW OTHER STUDENTS AND HASN'T GOTTEN BACK TO ME WITH THE RESULTS OF THE ASSESSMENT.

>> SHE HASN'T CONTACTED YOU AT ALL?

>> NOT CONTACTED ME AT ALL.

>> THERE'S NO REASON A CHILD SHOULDN'T BE GETTING SOME KIND OF SERVICE.

>> ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THE DISTRICT HAS IS THAT THEY'RE SHORT 40,000 SPEECH THERAPISTS. SO, I MEAN, IN ESSENCE, WE'RE KIND OF FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE ONE. UNFORTUNATELY, SHE'S NOT HERE BECAUSE SHE'S ILL.

>> HE'S GUARANTEED THE SERVICE BY THE STATE, SO WOULD HE NEED AN ASSESSMENT TO COME TO THIS CLINIC OR -- YES, I KNOW THAT HE HAS, LIKE, MEDI-CAL, AND WITH THE MEDI-CAL, HE'D PROBABLY ONLY GET LIKE TWO HOURS A WEEK. A MONTH? TWO HOURS A MONTH? OH, MAN.

VAL>> AND WITH US NOW ARE TWO EDUCATION EXPERTS. JEANNIE OAKES IS A PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION AT UCLA, AND SUSAN WAY-SMITH WITH THE REFORM GROUP, LOS ANGELES EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP. BOTH HAVE SEEN THE DOCUMENTARY. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT?

JEANNIE OAKES>> WELL, IT'S HEART-WRENCHING AND I THINK IT GIVES A WONDERFUL PORTRAYAL OF WHAT MOST TEACHERS EXPERIENCE IN THEIR FIRST YEAR IN URBAN SCHOOLS.

JESS>> HAVING SEEN IT, I ARGUED THAT IT WOULD NEVER BE USED AS A RECRUITMENT DEVICE FOR NEW TEACHERS BECAUSE IT SHOWS HOW DIFFICULT THAT FIRST YEAR CAN BE.

SUSAN WAY-SMITH>> OH, JESS, I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL RECRUITMENT DEVICE BECAUSE IT TRULY PORTRAYS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE A TEACHER AND CERTAINLY PRESENTS THE CHALLENGES IN A VERY REALISTIC WAY. AND YOU WANT PEOPLE GOING INTO THE CLASSROOM THAT REALLY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

VAL>> NOW BOTH OF YOU HAVE WORKED WITH TEACHER RETENTION. WHAT IS THE KEY TO KEEPING TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM DESPITE THESE PROBLEMS?

JEANNIE OAKES>> WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE DOCUMENTARY, THESE PEOPLE ARE VERY HEROIC AND THAT'S FABULOUS, BUT TO SUSTAIN HEROISM OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME REQUIRES A LOT. I MEAN, FIRST OF ALL, WE SHOULD PAY THEM WELL AND WE SHOULD GIVE THEM GOOD CONDITIONS TO WORK IN. BOTH OF THOSE THINGS, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE DOCUMENTARY, AREN'T THE CASE.

BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THEM HEROES, THEN WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM ALL KINDS OF SUPPORT. WE HAVE TO HELP THEM REALLY LEARN HOW TO TEACH WELL, TO CONNECT WITH FAMILIES, TO BE CHANGE-AGENTS IN SETTINGS THAT DESPERATELY NEED CHANGE, AND GIVE THEM A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THEM.

VAL>> NOW THERE ARE PROGRAMS THAT DO THAT, YES?

SUSAN WAY-SMITH>> OH, ABSOLUTELY. LOS ANGELES EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP OFFERS SOCIAL PROGRAMS TO COME IN TO THE SCHOOLS AND SUPPORT THE TEACHERS. AND I THINK THAT YOU CAN'T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THE PRINCIPAL IN HELPING A NEW TEACHER AND MAKING AN IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

JESS>> I GATHER, IN THIS DOCUMENTARY, WE WERE WATCHING FULLY CREDENTIALED TEACHERS?

SUSAN WAY-SMITH>> I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT YOU SAW IN THAT, BUT ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR TEACHERS IN L.A. COUNTY IS UNCREDENTIALED. IF YOU LOOK AT THE CREDENTIALS AS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR A TEACHER, THEN YOU HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT ARE NOT FULLY QUALIFIED THAT ARE IN FRONT OF THE CLASSROOM.

VAL>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT ANOTHER CLIP FROM THE DOCUMENTARY. THE TEACHER THAT WE FIRST SAW FINALLY SUCCEEDED IN GETTING AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE YOUNG STUDENT WHO DESPERATELY NEEDS SPEECH THERAPY. HERE'S A SCENE FROM THAT MEETING.

TYQUAN>> [SNOWMAN]

THERAPIST>> I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND YOU. NO --

TYQUAN>> -- [SNOWMAN]

THERAPIST>> -- MA'AM?

TYQUAN>> [SNOWMAN]

THERAPIST>> OKAY. I'M STILL NOT UNDERSTANDING. CAN YOU POINT TO SOMETHING? ARE YOU TELLING ME ABOUT THE PICTURE?

TYQUAN>> [SNOWMAN]

THERAPIST>> SNOWMAN. OH, THAT'S A HARD SOUND FOR YOU, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS, AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE SNOW IN CALIFORNIA. GOOD BOY. SNOWMAN.

TYQUAN>> [SNOWMAN]

THERAPIST>> YOU'VE DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB FOR ME. I WANT TO SEE IF YOU NEED TO COME AND WORK WITH ME SO WE CAN LEARN HOW TO TALK BETTER.

VAL>> THE SAD THING ABOUT THAT IS THAT BOY NEVER GOT REGULAR THERAPY AND HE'S ONLY IN KINDERGARTEN. WHAT DOES IT TAKE? WHAT'S THE KEY TO KEEPING TEACHERS IN OUR CLASSROOMS?

JEANNIE OAKES>> WELL, I THINK -- AT UCLA, WE FOUND THAT WE HAVE AN ASTONISHING 94 PERCENT OF ALL THE GRADUATES WE'VE TRAINED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, ARE STILL IN EDUCATION. MOST OF THEM IN CLASSROOMS, MOST OF THEM IN URBAN SCHOOLS. BUT FRANKLY, I THINK WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT WHAT WE DO IS WE HELP THEM SEE WHAT THE SITUATION IS GOING TO BE LIKE AND WE SUPPORT THEM. THEY ARE CHANGE-AGENTS. THEY'RE THERE, AS ONE OF OUR GRADUATES SAID, BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO ANGRY TO LEAVE.

JESS>> (LAUGHTER) THEY HAVE TO HAVE SOCIAL COMMITMENT. NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

JEANNIE OAKES>> ABSOLUTELY, NO QUESTION, ABSOLUTELY.

VAL>> JEANNIE OAKES, PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION FROM UCLA, THANK YOU SO MUCH. SUSAN WAY-SMITH FROM THE LOS ANGELES EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

SUSAN WAY-SMITH>> THANK YOU.

VAL>> AND, BY THE WAY, BOTH THE L.A. TIMES AND THE NEW YORK TIMES HAD GREAT PRAISE FOR THE DOCUMENTARY "THE FIRST YEAR". IT AIRS THIS THURSDAY ON KCET AT 9:00 P.M.

JESS>> THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT'S PROGRAM. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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