10/15/02

LC021015

VAL ZAVALA>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS MARLOW>> SOME HAVE SAID HE’S THE GREAT WHITE HOPE FOR CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS, BUT RICHARD RIORDAN SAYS LET DAVIS AND SIMON FIGHT IT OUT. HE HAS NO INTEREST IN JUMPING BACK INTO THE RACE AND TONIGHT HE TELLS US WHY.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> IF IT DOESN’T WORK, IT WILL TURN OUT TO BE VERY DISRUPTIVE FOR OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM. WE HAVE TWO PARTIES, WE HAVE TWO CANDIDATES, LET’S LET IT PLAY ITSELF OUT.

VAL>> THE TERMINATOR IS PUTTING HIS MUSCLE BEHIND PROP 49, BUT ARE ARNOLD’S ADS TELLING THE WHOLE STORY ABOUT THOSE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS?

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER>> "IT WILL SAVE TAXPAYERS’ MONEY. A STUDY BY THE ROSE INSTITUTE INDICATES THAT FOR EVERY ONE DOLLAR SPENT ON AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, TAXPAYERS SAVE THREE DOLLARS."

JESS>> THEN, STRIVING FOR PERFECTION ON THE SATS. WE’LL MEET SOME LOCAL STUDENTS WHO CLAIM A GOOD SCORE ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH.

YOON UM>> I WANT TO GET A REALLY GOOD SCORE ON MY SATS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT’S A VERY IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THE WHOLE APPLICATION PROCESS.

JESS>> WE’LL SEE WHY SO MANY ASIAN-AMERICAN FAMILIES ARE ENROLLING THEIR KIDS IN SAT BOOT CAMPS WHERE THE ONLY SCORE THAT COUNTS IS 1600.

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES.

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

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 ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I’M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I’M JESS MARLOW. TONIGHT A CANDID CONVERSATION WITH THE FORMER MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES, RICHARD RIORDAN. HE WILL NOT BE RIDING TO THE REPUBLICANS’ RESCUE AFTER ALL, BUT WHAT IS HE WILLING TO DO TO HELP BEAT GRAY DAVIS?

VAL>> POLLS INDICATE RIORDAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE NEXT GOVERNOR IF HE HADN’T GOTTEN HAMMERED BY ALL THOSE NEGATIVE ADS FROM THE DEMOCRATS LAST SPRING. THAT LEFT BILL SIMON AS THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT GRAY DAVIS WAS HOPING FOR. TONIGHT RIORDAN TALKS ABOUT SIMON, DAVIS AND HIS OWN POLITICAL FUTURE.

JESS>> SO YOU’VE MET WITH ADVISORS AND FRIENDS AND YOU’VE DECIDED YOU WOULD NOT BE A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE, BUT WHAT WENT INTO YOUR THINKING ON THAT?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> YOU KNOW, I’VE HAD LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE APPROACHING ME. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, A LOT OF THEM FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO AREA WHICH IS VERY LIBERAL AND THEY CAN’T STAND GRAY DAVIS. THEY SAY, OH, RIORDAN, YOU CAN WIN AND EVERYTHING AND THEN I STARTED TO COME TO MY SENSES. I TALKED TO SOME OF THE REAL PROS AND THEY SAID, YEAH, BUT THEN WHEN PEOPLE GET INTO THE BOOTH, THEY HAVE TO WRITE YOUR NAME DOWN. YOU’D BE LUCKY IF HALF OF THEM WROTE YOUR NAME DOWN. PLUS THE FACT THAT I THOUGHT, WELL, IF IT DOESN’T WORK, IT WILL TURN OUT TO BE VERY DISRUPTIVE TO OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM. WE HAVE TWO PARTIES, WE HAVE TWO CANDIDATES, LET’S LET IT PLAY ITSELF OUT.

VAL>> SO YOU’RE SAYING THAT, AS A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE, YOU’RE NEITHER REPUBLICAN NOR DEMOCRAT? YOU’RE INDEPENDENT?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> I WOULD BE INDEPENDENT, YEAH.

VAL>> AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO GET MORE WRITE-IN VOTES THAN EITHER DAVIS OR SIMON, OBVIOUSLY DAVIS.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> THAN EITHER ONE OF THEM. I WOULDN’T HAVE TO GET MORE THAN BOTH OF THEM COMBINED.

VAL>> RIGHT.

JESS>> WOULD YOU CONCEDE THAT THE SIMON CAMPAIGN IS DEAD?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> NO, I WOULDN’T SAY IT’S TOTALLY DEAD, BUT I THINK BILL SIMON IS REALLY A VERY FINE HUMAN BEING. WE BELONG TO THE SAME CHURCH. HE IS A GREAT FAMILY MAN, HE IS GREAT WITH HIS KIDS. HE HAS ONE KID WHO IS RETARDED WHO THEY TREAT WONDERFULLY. HE LED THE FUNDRAISING WHEN OUR CHURCH WAS NEARLY DESTROYED IN THE NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE. THE MAN HAS GOT A LOT OF TALENT. FOR SOME REASON, HE CAN’T GET THAT MESSAGE OUT TO THE PUBLIC. I DON’T UNDERSTAND IT.

VAL>> WELL, WHEN HE MAKES HUGE STUMBLES LIKE A PHOTOGRAPH THAT HE CLAIMS WAS TAKEN INSIDE A PUBLIC OFFICE BUILDING AND IT WASN’T AT ALL. I MEAN, HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> WELL, I THINK IT’S HIS STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, HE HASN’T BEEN AROUND POLITICS. THAT MAY BE A BLESSING. I MEAN, LOOK WHAT DAVIS HAS DONE TO OUR STATE. I MEAN, WE HAVE THE WORST DEFICIT IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN CALIFORNIA, OVER $30 BILLION DOLLARS, AND HERE HE MAKES A SIMPLE MISTAKE. HE SHOULD HAVE HANDLED IT WITH SOME HUMOR AND SAID, YOU KNOW, I SCREWED UP. NOW LET’S GET ON TO PROBLEMS OF HOUSING, EDUCATION, TRANSPORTATION, BUDGET.

VAL>> NOW THE PHOTO WE’RE TALKING ABOUT WAS SUPPOSEDLY GRAY DAVIS ACCEPTING A CHECK FROM A C.O.P.S. ORGANIZATION IN A PUBLIC OFFICE, WHICH IS AGAINST THE LAW.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> BUT THE SACRAMENTO BEE HAD AN EDITORIAL SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHAT DIFFERENCE DID IT MAKE? I MEAN, WHAT DIFFERENCE WOULD IT MAKE WHETHER IT WAS ACCEPTED IN GRAY DAVIS’S OFFICE OR NOT? EVERYBODY KNOWS GRAY DAVIS IS ACCEPTING MONEY IN RETURN FOR LEGISLATION AND OTHER THINGS.

JESS>> BUT IF IT’S ACCEPTED IN HIS OFFICE, IT’S AGAINST THE LAW.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> IT IS, BUT THE IMPORTANT ISSUE IS WHAT HE DOES FOR PEOPLE WHO GIVE HIM MONEY, NOT WHETHER HE ACCEPTED IT IN HIS OFFICE. THAT MAY BE A CRIME, BUT IT’S A FAR LOWER CRIME THAN WHAT HE DOES IN RETURN FOR MONEY.

JESS>> IT WOULD APPEAR THAT MR. SIMON ALSO GAVE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE C.O.P.S. ORGANIZATION AND BOUGHT, LITERALLY BOUGHT, THE ENDORSEMENT ON THAT --

RICHARD RIORDAN>> -- I DON’T KNOW ALL THE FACTS ON THAT, BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS POLITICS ON SLATES AND EVERYTHING. AS FAR AS GETTING AN ORGANIZATION ON YOUR SIDE WHEN YOU’RE RUNNING FOR OFFICE IS ONE THING, BUT IF YOU’RE GIVING LEGISLATION TO PEOPLE IN RETURN FOR MONEY, I MEAN, THAT IS A MORTAL SIN.

JESS>> AND YOU THINK GRAY DAVIS IS GUILTY OF THAT MORTAL SIN?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> OH, CONSISTENTLY. IF YOU LOOK AT THE LEGISLATION, IT’S CONSISTENT.

VAL>> ARE YOU SURE YOU’RE NOT STILL RUNNING? (LAUGHTER)

RICHARD RIORDAN>> NO, I’M NOT. BUT I WISH THAT BILL SIMON WOULD GET OUT THERE AND SHOW SOME VERVE, SOME TOUGHNESS AND SHOW THAT HE’S A LEADER.

JESS>> AND IT’S NOT TOO LATE?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> I DON’T THINK IT’S TOO LATE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NEGATIVITY TOWARDS GRAY DAVIS, I DON’T THINK IT’S EVER TOO LATE.

JESS>> NOW THERE’S A PIECE IN THE LOS ANGELES TIMES THIS MORNING, THE FIRST OF A SERIES ON SIMON, THAT SHOWS HIM AS BEING A WARM, COMPASSIONATE HUMAN BEING. ACTUALLY, IT WAS VERY FLATTERING TO HIM. THAT WILL HELP.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> IT HELPS, BUT, YOU KNOW, L.A. TIMES GETS TO ABOUT ONE PERCENT OF THE VOTERS. YOU’VE GOT TO GET IT ON TELEVISION --

JESS>> -- IT’S THE FIRST IN A SERIES, SO HIS TROUBLES WILL UNDOUBTEDLY COME UP IN SUBSEQUENT REPORTS (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> IF SIMON HAD DROPPED OUT -- I KNOW IT’S TOO LATE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN NOW -- BUT IF HE HAD ACTUALLY OFFICIALLY DROPPED OUT, THEN WOULD YOU HAVE SAID YES, I’LL GO FOR BEING A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE?

JESS>> A NEW JERSEY SITUATION?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> YEAH, I WOULD HAVE WRITTEN RIORDAN-TORTECELLI (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) BUT UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS, YOU WOULD HAVE SERIOUSLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> I WOULD HAVE MUCH MORE SERIOUSLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE REALISTIC THEN.

JESS>> IN YOUR PRIMARY CAMPAIGN WITH BILL SIMON, YOU BROUGHT UP SEVERAL ISSUES INCLUDING HIS CLOSENESS TO THE FAR RIGHT OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WHERE YOU WERE MUCH MORE THE CENTRIST. THE POLLS WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU WERE RIGHT, THAT THAT IS PART OF HIS PROBLEM.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> I THINK IT’S SOMETHING HE HAS TO GET OVER. HE ISN’T REALLY THAT WAY, BUT HE CERTAINLY INHERITED THAT FROM THE PRIMARY AND HE’S GOT TO GET OVER THAT. HE HAS, TO SOME EXTENT, SHOWN THAT, YOU KNOW, HIS COMPASSION FOR THE HEALTHCARE OF EVERYBODY IN THE STATE, FOR QUALITY EDUCATION FOR EVERYBODY. I THINK HE’S SOMEBODY WHO’S VERY SYMPATHETIC. HIS FOUNDATION HAS GIVEN MANY THINGS TO THE POOR PEOPLE OF THE STATE. I MEAN, IT’S POLITICS TO GO FROM THE RIGHT TO THE MIDDLE WHICH IS WHAT GRAY DAVIS DID WHEN HE WENT FROM THE LEFT TO THE MIDDLE.

JESS>> COULD WE TALK ABOUT SOME ISSUES TOO FROM YOUR PREVIOUS OCCUPATION? (LAUGHTER)

RICHARD RIORDAN>> (LAUGHTER) I’M GOING TO BLAME MAYOR HAHN.

JESS>> WHAT IS YOUR ASSESSMENT OF JIMMY HAHN? THE TWO OF YOU SERVE AS CO-CHAIRS OF THE ANTI-SECESSION MOVEMENT. DO YOU HAVE A CLOSE PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP THERE?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> NO, WE’RE NOT CLOSE. JIMMY IS A VERY PRIVATE PERSON. I THINK, IN PICKING THE CHIEF OF POLICE, HE DID A GREAT JOB. I THINK HE’S GOT TO GET MORE OUTSIDE OF HIMSELF AND MIX MORE WITH PEOPLE AND THE PUBLIC TO SATISFY ME.

JESS>> YOU’RE PLEASED WITH BILL BRATTON, THEN, AS CHIEF OF POLICE?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> I AM VERY PLEASED AND I THINK MAYOR HAHN DID A GREAT JOB IN PICKING BILL BRATTON.

VAL>> YOU MAY KNOW THAT MAYOR HAHN SAID TODAY THAT IF THE SECESSION MOVEMENT SHOULD FAIL, AND IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IT WILL COME NOVEMBER 5, THAT HE, MAYOR HAHN, WILL INTRODUCE ON THE STATE LEVEL A LAW THAT WOULD PREVENT ANY FUTURE SECESSION MOVEMENTS FROM EVEN GETTING OFF THE GROUND. DO YOU THINK THAT’S A SMART THING TO DO?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> IT MAY BE SMART, BUT HE SHOULDN’T HAVE SAID IT. YOU WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION BEFORE YOU SAY THINGS LIKE THAT (LAUGHTER). NO, IT’S REALLY BEEN VERY DISRUPTIVE, THIS LEGISLATION BY SACRAMENTO, AND SO MUCH OF WHAT COMES OUT OF SACRAMENTO IS VERY DISRUPTIVE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.

JESS>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS INTRODUCING A NEW NEWSPAPER TO LOS ANGELES. NEW TIMES HAS NOW FOLDED. DOES THAT AFFORD YOU AN OPPORTUNITY?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> NEW TIMES HAS SOME OF THE MOST ABLE WRITERS. RICK BARRS WAS A GREAT EDITOR. JANE COHN WAS A GREAT PUBLISHER. SO, YOU KNOW, IT’S REALLY A GREAT TEAM AND I’D LOVE TO HAVE SOME OR ALL OF THEM JOIN ME.

JESS>> SO THERE WILL BE A RIORDAN DAILY?

RICHARD RIORDAN>> NO, IT WON’T BE A DAILY BECAUSE MY POCKETS AREN’T QUITE THAT DEEP (LAUGHTER), BUT I’M THINKING OF A WEEKEND PAPER, SOMETHING THAT WILL TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY CAN DO AND HAVE FUN ON THE WEEKEND IN A SIMPLY WAY WHERE THEY DON’T HAVE TO GO THROUGH TWO HUNDRED PAGES TO FIGURE IT OUT.

VAL>> MAYOR RIORDAN -- WE STILL CALL YOU MAYOR, SORRY -- BUT TECHNICALLY FORMER MAYOR RIORDAN, ALWAYS NICE TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

RICHARD RIORDAN>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VAL AND JESS, FOR HAVING ME. I’VE REALLY ENJOYED IT.

JESS>> A NEW POLL JUST RELEASED BY CHANNEL 7 HERE IN LOS ANGELES SHOWS GRAY DAVIS MAY BE WIDENING THE GAP BETWEEN HIMSELF AND BILL SIMON. THE SURVEY INDICATES THAT DAVIS IS LEADING SIMON BY FIFTEEN POINTS AND THE MARGIN HAS WIDENED SINCE LAST WEEK’S DEBATE.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, IT’S AN OLD MENTAL HOSPITAL THAT’S BEEN CONVERTED INTO CALIFORNIA’S NEWEST UNIVERSITY. JUST DON’T LOOK FOR THE BEACH AT CAL STATE CHANNEL ISLANDS.

>> IF YOU START SOMETHING NEW, YOU GET TO DO IT RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING. YOU DON’T HAVE TO TRY AND CHANGE WAYS IN EXISTENCE. YOU GET TO CREATE IT THE WAY YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE CREATED.

JESS>> HE HAS STAR POWER, MONEY AND POLITICAL AMBITION AND ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER IS THROWING ALL OF THEM BEHIND PROPOSITION 49. THAT'S THE BALLOT INITIATIVE THAT WOULD LOCK IN STATE MONEY FOR AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

VAL>> YOU'VE SEEN THE COMMERCIALS FEATURING SCHWARZENEGGER, BUT CAN THOSE ADS SWAY THE VOTERS AND ARE WE GETTING THE WHOLE STORY ABOUT THOSE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS? TONIGHT CINNY KENNARD RUNS ARNOLD'S ADS THROUGH THE "REALITY CHECK".

>> "THE HOURS BETWEEN THREE AND SIX..."

CINNY KENNARD>> THIS SLICK AD WITH A TOUCH OF HOLLYWOOD TERROR PROMOTES A NEW INITIATIVE ENGINEERED BY THE TERMINATOR HIMSELF.

>> "PROP 49 IS THE AFTER-SCHOOL INITIATIVE. IT'S THE IDEA OF ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER."

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER>> "THE GOAL IS TO TAKE KIDS OFF THE STREETS AFTER SCHOOL AND INTO A SAFE, SUPERVISED, EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT."

CINNY KENNARD>> BUT THE PITCH NEEDS CLARIFICATION. THE STATE ALREADY HAS SEVERAL AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS. PROP 49 WOULD EXPAND ONE OF THEM, BOOSTING THE CURRENT COST FROM $117 MILLION TO AS MUCH AS $550 MILLION DOLLARS. THE WAY PROP 49 IS DESIGNED, EITHER THE EDUCATION BUDGET OR THE GENERAL FUND WOULD HAVE TO PICK UP THE TAB AND, WITH THE STATE BUDGET CRISIS, THAT COULD MEAN TAKING MONEY FROM EDUCATION OR HEALTHCARE.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER>> "PROP 49 IS FINANCED THROUGH GROWTH AND REVENUE AND WON'T REQUIRE NEW TAXES. INSTEAD, IT WILL SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY."

CINNY KENNARD>> TRUE, BUT PROP 49 IGNORES THE HUGE STATE BUDGET DEFICIT AND THE FACT THAT THERE MAY BE NO ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR YEARS TO COME. PLUS, THE AD DOESN'T MENTION THAT, FOR EVERY DOLLAR IT SPENDS, SCHOOLS MUST FIND AT LEAST FIFTY CENTS IN MATCHING FUNDS.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER>> "A STUDY BY THE ROSE INSTITUTE INDICATES THAT, FOR EVERY ONE DOLLAR SPENT ON AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, TAXPAYERS SAVE THREE DOLLARS."

CINNY KENNARD>> TRUE, BUT THE AD DOESN'T CLARIFY THE CHALLENGES OF FUNDING MASSIVE PROGRAM EXPANSION AT A TIME WHEN THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE DISCRETIONARY MONEY TO PASS AROUND.

JESS>> CINNY JOINS US NOW, ALONG WITH MARC HAEFELE, POLITICAL WRITER FOR L.A. WEEKLY. THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

MARC HAEFELE>> A PLEASURE.

JESS>> CINNY, IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY HARD TO VOTE AGAINST PROP 49, JUST GIVEN THE TITLE AND THE GOALS.

CINNY KENNARD>> AND, OF COURSE, THE MONEY BEHIND IT FOR THOSE TELEVISION ADS. BUT THE FACT IS, JESS, THE CHALLENGES -- IF PROP 49 PASSES, THE STATE MUST PAY FOR IT. IT'S MANDATED FUNDING THAT HAS TO TAKE EFFECT. SO IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS, IT COULD COME OUT OF THE EDUCATION BUDGET, BUT THAT COULD MEAN CUTS IN EXISTING ITEMS IN THAT BUDGET, TEXTBOOKS, TEACHER'S SALARIES, CLASS SIZE. IF IT DOESN'T COME OUT OF THAT BUDGET, IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS -- FOLLOW ME, I KNOW IT'S CONFUSING -- IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, IT WILL COME OUT OF THE GENERAL REVENUE BUDGET WHERE THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE CUTTING THERE AS WELL. IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA, BUT IT'S PROBABLY THE WRONG TIME. THE CRITICS SAY THIS MANDATED FUNDING, THIS IDEA OF MANDATED FUNDING IN A TIME OF BUDGET CRISIS, IS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE VOTERS.

VAL>> MARC, DO YOU THINK IT WILL PASS JUST BECAUSE IT'S GOT SUCH A GOOD, SORT OF FEEL-GOOD, TITLE ON IT?

MARC HAEFELE>> WELL, THE AIMS ARE IMPECCABLE, OBVIOUSLY. IT'S ABOUT KIDS, IT'S ABOUT KEEPING KIDS FROM SHOOTING EACH OTHER. YOU JUST SAW THAT. IT'S ABOUT KEEPING KIDS IN SCHOOL. THE AIMS ARE GREAT. THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO GIVE UP TO GET IT TO HAPPEN? AS CINNY SAID, THERE ARE OTHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT ARE PRETTY WORTHY ALSO, THAT KIDS BENEFIT FROM PERHAPS JUST AS MUCH OR MORE RIGHT IN THIS CURRICULUM.

VAL>> WELL, LOOK AT ALL THE KIDS WHO DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY HEALTH INSURANCE. THAT'S PRETTY BASIC.

MARC HAEFELE>> RIGHT. AND THEN YOU LOOK AT -- SUPPOSE THEY START DIGGING INTO THE GENERAL FUND. YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THE MONEY'S GOT TO COME OUT FOR THINGS LIKE ROADS, WATER SUPPLY, SEWER SYSTEMS, ALL THIS SORT OF INFRASTRUCTURAL STUFF THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED. THIS WILL GIVE THIS PROGRAM A PRIORITY OVER EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE STATE, AND PICK YOUR FAVORITES.

JESS>> I DARE SAY WE WILL NOT SEE ANY ADS OPPOSING PROP 49.

CINNY KENNARD>> WELL, AT THE CURRENT TIME, ON THE SIDE OF THE OPPOSITION IS THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, THE CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, CALIFORNIA TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. THEY HAVE ENDORSED THIS. BUT THE SIDE THAT YOU MENTION, THE OPPOSITION, NO, THEY ARE QUICK TO ADMIT AND QUICK TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY TO DO TELEVISION ADS. SO THEY'RE TRYING TO RUN A CAMPAIGN WITH A WEBSITE, STOP 49, BUT THE EFFORT IS NOT AS NEARLY AS AMBITIOUS AND WELL-FUNDED AS THOSE IN FAVOR.

VAL>> NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE PERSONAL MOTIVE WITH ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER? HE'S MADE MANY VIOLENT MOVIES WHICH MANY PEOPLE SAY COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE REASON WHY WE HAVE A LOT OF VIOLENT YOUTH, AND NOW HE'S JUMPING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE AND SAYING, OH, WE NEED THESE PROGRAMS TO KEEP OUR KIDS OUT OF TROUBLE. WHAT'S GOING ON THERE? WHAT'S HIS REAL MOTIVATION?

MARC HAEFELE>> BOTH CINNY AND I WERE AT THE RECENT CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN CONVENTION DOWN IN GARDEN GROVE. I THINK WE REACHED THE SAME CONCLUSION. THE REPUBLICANS ARE DESPERATE FOR A CANDIDATE NEXT TIME AROUND ALREADY. IF ARNOLD MANAGES TO GET THIS THING THROUGH, HE'S CERTAINLY IN THE HOPPER, ISN'T HE?

JESS>> HE'S AVAILABLE?

MARC HAEFELE>> THAT'S WHAT THEY SEEM TO THINK. THAT RESTAURANT DOESN'T SEEM TO KEEP HIM THAT BUSY (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> SO WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PROP 49'S FUNDING AND GROWTH IN THE BUDGET OR THE ECONOMY? I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT.

CINNY KENNARD>> I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE AS SUCCINCT AS POSSIBLE WITH A VERY CONFUSING, OFTEN CONFUSING AT LEAST TO TRY TO EXPLAIN. THE FIRST FORMULA TAKES THE MONEY OUT OF THE EDUCATION BUDGET IN THE FIRST YEAR. IF THERE IS NOT THE MONEY OUT OF THE $46 BILLION DOLLARS IN STATE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION -- LET'S PRESUME THE MONEY IS NOT THERE. THEY HAVE TO CUT TEACHERS' SALARIES, THEY HAVE TO CUT BACK TEXTBOOKS -- SO WE SAY, OKAY, LET'S PUT FORMULA ONE TO THE SIDE.

LET'S PUT IT AWAY FOR TWO YEARS AND LET'S WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT TWO YEARS WHERE IT WOULD COME OUT OF GENERAL REVENUE. ALL THE ONE-THIRD, THAT SMALL PART OF THE BUDGET, THE ONE-THIRD THAT CURRENTLY ISN'T MANDATED FOR ANYTHING ELSE, WOULD COME OUT OF THAT SECTION OF THE STATE BUDGET. BUT, AGAIN, WE'RE GOING INTO TOUGH TIMES, SO THE QUESTION BECOMES GOOD IDEA, BUT WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT IN TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES?

JESS>> MARC, THE POISON PILL, THEN, IS IN THE WORD "MANDATE"?

MARC HAEFELE>> YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING HOW LONG GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN CLAIMING HOW HARD IT IS TO MEET THESE MANDATES THAT KEEP COMING DOWN, YOU'RE KIND OF AMAZED TO SEE THAT SOMETHING THAT BRINGS IN A NEW MANDATE ON A WHOLE STATEWIDE RATHER THAN ON A LOCAL LEVEL COULD BE GETTING SO MUCH SUPPORT. IT HAS TO HAPPEN EVEN IF THE REVENUES AREN'T COMING IN. HE SAYS WE'RE BUILDING IT ON GROWTH OF REVENUES, BUT YOU'RE CRAZY TO COUNT ON THAT ANY MORE THAN YOU'RE COUNTING ON THE RISING STOCK MARKET. REVENUES GO UP AND THEY GO DOWN.

VAL>> MIGHT THIS PASS SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S TOO COMPLICATED TO TRULY UNDERSTAND AND PEOPLE JUST SAY MORE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, GOOD, FINE? COULD WE GET A BAD LAW BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS?

MARC HAEFELE>> IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE, HASN'T IT? (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) MARC HAEFELE FROM THE L.A. WEEKLY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. CINNY KENNARD, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING US THE TRUTH BEHIND THESE ADS.

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JESS>> IT'S OFTEN EASY TO CRITICIZE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH IN SCHOOL, BUT TONIGHT YOU'RE ABOUT TO MEET SOME LOCAL STUDENTS WHO MAY BE WORKING TOO HARD. THEY ARE ABOUT TO TAKE THAT ALL-IMPORTANT SAT EXAM AND, FOR THEM, A GOOD SCORE ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH. THEY ARE STRIVING FOR PERFECTION.

VAL>> AND ON THE SATS, THAT MEANS A SCORE OF 1600 AND, AS YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE, THAT'S A MAGIC NUMBER FOR MANY ASIAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS WHO FEEL THEIR LANGUAGE SKILLS LEAVE THEM WITH A BIG DISADVANTAGE. TONIGHT JINNY OH REPORTS ON ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION: SAT BOOT CAMP.

JINNY OH>> YOON UM IS A YOUNG LADY WITH BIG DREAMS AND SHE'S WORKED HARD TO MAKE THEM COME TRUE. NOW, AS SHE'S ABOUT TO FINISH HIGH SCHOOL, YOON IS ALREADY LOOKING AHEAD TO HER NEXT GOAL.

YOON UM>> I'D LIKE TO GO INTO THE FIELD OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. I WOULD BECOME MAYBE THE FIRST FEMALE FOUR-STAR GENERAL. THAT WOULD BE NICE, OBVIOUSLY. EVER SINCE THE FOURTH GRADE, I'VE WANTED TO GO TO THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT. SO I WANT TO GET A REALLY GOOD SCORE ON MY SATS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THE WHOLE APPLICATION PROCESS.

JINNY OH>> BUT FOR YOON, GETTING A GOOD GRADE HAS NEVER BEEN GOOD ENOUGH. OUT OF 3,200 JUNIOR ROTC CADETS IN LOS ANGELES, SHE'S RANKED NUMBER ONE. SHE ALSO PLAYS FLUTE FOR THE LOS ANGELES JUNIOR PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA AND SHE'S A BLACK BELT IN TAI KWAN DO.

YOON UM>> THIS IS MY BLACK BELT.

JINNY OH>> BUT EVEN WITH ALL HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS, YOON BELIEVES HER DREAMS MAY DEPEND ON THAT ALL-IMPORTANT SAT SCORE. ONCE AGAIN, SHE'S NOT CONTENT TO GET A GOOD SCORE. YOON IS STRIVING FOR PERFECTION. SHE'S AMONG THE SCORES OF MINORITY STUDENTS WHO WILL BE TAKING THE SAT, A GROUP DOMINATED BY ASIAN-AMERICANS. MORE THAN A THIRD OF THESE YOUNGSTERS WILL BE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILIES TO GO TO COLLEGE. THE RESPONSIBILITY THEY FACE AND THE PRESSURE THEY FEEL ARE GREAT.

YOON UM>> I'VE TAKEN THE SATS TWO TIMES BEFORE. I TOOK IT TWO TIMES IN MY JUNIOR YEAR AND BOTH TIMES I DID FAIRLY -- I GUESS IT'S AN OKAY SCORE.

JAE HEE UM>> SHE THINKING IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR HER, SO SHE SAY, MOM, PLEASE LET ME GO TO THE SAT, SOME CLASS.

JINNY OH>> ASIAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS TEND TO OUTPERFORM ALL OTHER GROUPS ON THE MATH SECTION OF THE SAT, BUT THEY AND OTHER STUDENTS WHOSE FIRST LANGUAGE ISN'T ENGLISH OFTEN WRESTLE WITH THE VERBAL PORTION OF THE SAT. THAT'S WHY YOON ENROLLED IN AN SAT PREP CLASS, A CRASH COURSE THAT MAY INCREASE HER CHANCES OF GETTING A PERFECT SCORE. THESE SAT CLASSES ARE A BOOMING BUSINESS IN LOS ANGELES AND MOST OF THE STUDENTS WHO ENROLL COME FROM ETHNIC FAMILIES WHERE ENGLISH ISN'T THE LANGUAGE THEY SPEAK AT HOME.

YOON UM>> I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THE VERBAL IS HARDER FOR ME ONLY BECAUSE OUR MAIN LANGUAGE HERE IN THE HOME, AND MY FIRST LANGUAGE, IS KOREAN. SO I HAVE TROUBLE, YOU KNOW, WITH GRAMMAR, WITH VOCABULARY, BECAUSE IT'S NOT USED BY MY PARENTS. EVEN THOUGH MY PARENTS ARE EDUCATED, THEY DON'T SPEAK THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

JAE HEE UM>> WHEN SHE COME BACK HOME, SHE HAD TO USE THE OTHER LANGUAGE, THIS KOREAN LANGUAGE, BECAUSE IT IS THE PARENTS' FAULT BECAUSE WE CANNOT SPEAK ENGLISH WELL.

JINNY OH>> IN CALIFORNIA, THIRTY-EIGHT PERCENT OF ALL THE STATE'S PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS SPEAK A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH IN THE HOME. ONLY ONE IN THREE ATTENDS A SCHOOL WHERE WHITE NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS ARE IN THE MAJORITY AMONG THE SCHOOLS' STUDENT POPULATION. NOW ROUGHLY, 180,000 STUDENTS TOOK THE SAT THIS YEAR IN CALIFORNIA WHEN THE AVERAGE VERBAL SCORE FELL TWO POINTS FROM 498 POINTS TO 496 POINTS. FOR DECADES, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES HAVE LEANED HEAVILY ON THE SAT TO FIND THE MOST QUALIFIED STUDENTS FROM THE THOUSANDS OF APPLICANTS. STEVE KWON, WHO SCORED A PERFECT 1600 ON THE EXAM, NOW TEACHES STUDENTS HOW TO DO THE SAME.

STEVE KWON>> SAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EIGHTY OR NINETY YEARS. THEY'VE BEEN USING THIS SAT SCORE AS AN INDICATION OF WHAT KIND OF STUDENTS THEY WANT TO GET FROM THE VARIETY OF TOP-RANKING SCHOOLS. FOR EXAMPLE, HARVARD UNIVERSITY COMES TO MY MIND. THEY ARE NOTORIOUS FOR NOT SELECTING ANYBODY WHO GETS BELOW A CERTAIN LEVEL.

JINNY OH>> CRITICS ARGUE THAT THE SAT TEST ISN'T A FAIR MEASURE OF HOW A STUDENT WILL PERFORM IN COLLEGE. THEY SAY THAT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE OF MINORITY STUDENTS WHO MAY FALL VICTIM TO DIFFERENCES IN LANGUAGE OR TO TEST QUESTIONS THAT REFLECT A CULTURAL BIAS. WITH THAT IN MIND, THE COLLEGE BOARD IS MAKING A SERIES OF SWEEPING CHANGES IN THE SAT ONE TEST, WHICH MOST COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES REQUIRE.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, A RECORD NUMBER OF MINORITY STUDENTS SUCH AS THOSE IN L.A.'S ASIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY ARE FLOCKING TO AFTER-SCHOOL SAT BOOT CAMPS WHERE THEY WILL DRILL LONG HOURS TO GET READY FOR THE CRUCIAL EXAM. IF YOU LOOK AT THIS LOCAL KOREAN NEWSPAPER, THIS IS DATED JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, THE FRONT PAGE IS "SAT". IT OBVIOUSLY TELLS YOU THERE'S A BIG INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY. THERE'S ABOUT FIVE OR SIX SAT PREP PLACES. WHAT'S ALL THE INTEREST?

STEVE KWON>> THE TEST TIME IS COMING NEARER AND THE SENIORS ARE PANICKING AND PARENTS ARE PANICKING. THIS IS THEIR LAST CHANCE TO DO WELL ON THE SAT OR ELSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET INTO THEIR FIRST CHOICE COLLEGE.

JINNY OH>> IS THIS JUST A BIG ISSUE IN THE ASIAN COMMUNITY OR DO YOU SEE THIS ACROSS THE BOARD?

STEVE KWON>> I THINK IT'S AN ISSUE FOR ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. HOWEVER, THERE TENDS TO BE A LITTLE MORE EMPHASIS ON THE ASIAN COMMUNITY.

JINNY OH>> SO VERBAL IS OBVIOUSLY A BIG CONCERN FOR A LOT.

STEVE KWON>> VERBAL IS A LOT OF CONCERN FOR A LOT OF THE ASIAN COMMUNITY.

STEPHANIE SHIH>> I THINK I DEFINITELY WANT TO GO TO THE TOP SCHOOLS AND THIS IS WHY I'M TAKING THE SAT PREP COURSE SIMPLY SO THAT I CAN CHOOSE THE COLLEGE I WANT TO GO TO.

JOHNNY SHIH>> WE DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH THAT FREQUENTLY, THAT OFTEN, AT HOME, SO USUALLY WHEN WE TALK TO HER, WE'LL FIRST OF ALL USE OUR OWN LANGUAGE. IF SHE HAS DIFFICULTY TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THEN WE'LL USE ENGLISH.

JINNY OH>> THESE STUDENTS ARE PART OF SOMETHING CALLED THE 1600 CLUB. THEY'RE ALL HERE TO WORK TOWARD THAT PERFECT 1600 SAT SCORE AND THEY HOPE THESE EXERCISES WILL GIVE THEM AN EDGE.

STEPHANIE SHIH>> I REALLY WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND THE FORMAT. I REALLY WOULDN'T HAVE THE MOTIVE TO TAKE THE TEST. MR. KWON IS VERY, VERY DEDICATED. HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT AND HE MAKES IT A LOT OF FUN, WHICH I THINK IS BETTER FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE TAKING HIS CLASS BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE WE UNDERSTAND. WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE TEST.

JINNY OH>> AND NO ONE HAS TO CONVINCE THESE STUDENTS THAT IT MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT TEST THEY'LL EVER TAKE. IN LOS ANGELES, THIS IS JINNY OH FOR LIFE AND TIMES.

JESS>> DESIGNERS OF THE SAT EXAM ARE AWARE THAT MANY CRITICS FEEL THE TEST CONTAINS A CULTURAL BIAS. THEY'VE REDESIGNED IT SOMEWHAT, BUT WRITING AND LANGUAGE SKILLS ARE STILL CRUCIAL TO GETTING A TOP SCORE.

VAL>> THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. YOU CAN GO TO KCET.ORG AND CLICK ON "SPECIALS". GO TO "LIFE AND TIMES", THEN CLICK ON "SPECIALS" AND YOU CAN KEEP TRACK OF "REALITY CHECK" SO YOU CAN LOOK BACK AT ALL THE POLITICAL ADS THAT WE HAVE PUT TO OUR TRUTH TEST.

JESS>> NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

VAL>> THANKS FOR WATCHING.

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