11/4/02

LC021104

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> CLOSING SOON, A MAJOR TRAUMA CENTER NEAR YOU. JUST HOPE IT’S STILL THERE WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST.

DR. ROBERT HOCKBERGER>> AT HARBOR, WE SEE 1,750 TRAUMA PATIENTS A YEAR. THAT’S ABOUT ONE EVERY FOUR AND A HALF HOURS, ONE CHILD EVERY DAY, AND OF THOSE, AT LEAST ONE EVERY DAY OR TWO WOULD HAVE DIED IF WE’D NOT BEEN HERE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.

VAL>> SOME OF CALIFORNIA’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE IN PRETTY SAD SHAPE PHYSICALLY AND ACADEMICALLY, SO WHAT CAN THE NEXT GOVERNOR DO TO FIX THEM?

BONNIE TAYLOR>> I’VE REALLY LOST HOPE THAT EITHER DAVIS OR SIMON CAN DO MUCH FOR ME AS A TEACHER.

JESS>> WE’LL MEET AN ARTIST WHO PLASTERS HIS POLITICAL OPINIONS ALL OVER LOS ANGELES, BUT WHY DOES HE DO IT?

ROBBIE CONAL>> THESE GUYS IRRITATE ME SO MUCH AND ABUSE THEIR POWER SO MUCH THAT JUST GOING NA-NA-NA HELPS. IT HELPS ME (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> PATT MORRISON GOES ON A MIDNIGHT RAMBLE WITH GUERRILLA ARTIST, ROBBIE CONAL.

VAL>> IT’S ALL NEXT ON TONIGHT’S 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. IMAGINE BEING INJURED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT AND THE NEAREST HOSPITAL HAS BEEN CLOSED. THAT SCENARIO WOULD COME TRUE IF THE COUNTY FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH THE PLAN TO CLOSE TWO MAJOR TRAUMA CENTERS.

VAL>> THE HOSPITALS ARE TARGETS AS THE COUNTY TRIES TO CLOSE A $700 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET DEFICIT. TONIGHT TONI GUINYARD TAKES US TO ONE OF THE PLACES THAT COULD FALL VICTIM TO THE BUDGET AX, HARBOR-UCLA MEDICAL CENTER.

TONI GUINYARD>> IT’S A SCENE REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES ON ANY GIVEN DAY AT ANY COUNTY HOSPITAL. ON THIS DAY AT HARBOR-UCLA MEDICAL CENTER, AN INJURED PERSON ARRIVES AND IS IMMEDIATELY RUSHED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR TREATMENT. HARBOR-UCLA IS A TRAUMA CENTER. IF YOU GET SERIOUSLY INJURED WHILE IN THE SOUTH BAY AREA FROM LAX TO THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, THIS IS WHERE YOU WOULD GO. THE DOCTORS AND NURSES HERE CAN’T IMAGINE THIS FACILITY BEING FORCED TO CLOSE ITS DOORS, BUT IT COULD HAPPEN. IT AND OLIVE VIEW-UCLA MEDICAL CENTER IN SYLMAR COULD BE SHUT DOWN AS A DRASTIC MONEY-SAVING MEASURE BY THE COUNTY.

DR. ROBERT HOCKBERGER>> AT HARBOR, WE SEE 1,750 TRAUMA PATIENTS A YEAR. THAT’S ABOUT ONE EVERY FOUR AND A HALF HOURS, ONE CHILD EVERY DAY, AND OF THOSE, AT LEAST ONE EVERY DAY OR TWO WOULD HAVE DIED IF WE’D NOT BEEN HERE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.

TONI GUINYARD>> THERE IS LITTLE ARGUMENT ABOUT THE POTENTIAL RISK, BUT ACCORDING TO THE HEAD OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES, SINCE FORTY-FOUR PERCENT OF ALL PATIENTS WHO COME TO A COUNTY MEDICAL FACILITY HAVE NO HEALTH INSURANCE, THE COUNTY SIMPLY DOES NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP ALL THE HOSPITALS AND TRAUMA CENTERS OPEN.

DR. THOMAS GARTHWAITE>> IF YOU RUN AN EMERGENCY ROOM, YOU’RE BASICALLY OPENING YOUR DOOR AND INVITING PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO HEALTH INSURANCE, NO WAY OF PAYING THEIR BILLS, TO COME IN AND GET A WHOLE LOT OF EXPENSIVE CARE. I THINK THAT’S REALLY AT THE HEART OF THE ISSUE. THERE ARE SO MANY UNINSURED IN L.A. COUNTY. THERE ARE SO MANY NEEDS FOR EMERGENCY CARE. THERE IS SO MUCH THAT WE HAVE TO DO AND THE FUNDING STREAMS, THE MONEY THAT COMES IN, ESPECIALLY FOR THE UNINSURED IN L.A. COUNTY, IS EITHER CAPPED OR DECREASING OVER TIME. MEDICAL CARE INFLATION IS BACK IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS AND THAT’S JUST A RECIPE FOR DISASTER.

TONI GUINYARD>> NO MATTER WHAT THE COUNTY DECIDES TO DO, IT WILL IMPACT THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

DR. ROBERT HOCKBERGER>> ALL THE PRIVATE HOSPITALS CURRENTLY HAVE ER’S THAT ARE VERY BUSY AND SOMETIMES BACKED UP A COUPLE OF HOURS. PEOPLE COULD LITERALLY BE STANDING IN A LINE OUTSIDE OF THEIR OWN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AT A PRIVATE HOSPITAL WITH ALL THE INSURANCE IN THE WORLD AND HAVE TO WAIT THREE, FOUR OR FIVE HOURS TO BE SEEN FOR THEIR HEART ATTACK OR THEIR BABY’S INFECTION.

TONI GUINYARD>> ARE WE EXAGGERATING THIS POTENTIAL ISSUE AT ALL?

DR. ROBERT HOCKBERGER>> NOT ONE BIT, NOT ONE BIT.

TONI GUINYARD>> IF HARBOR-UCLA WAS CLOSED, THIS PATIENT WOULD BE TAKEN TO KING DREW MEDICAL CENTER.

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TONI GUINYARD>> AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT TO TEN-MINUTE RIDE AWAY.

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DR. ROBERT HOCKBERGER>> IF YOU GO THROUGH OUR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND SEE HOW BUSY WE ARE, HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE, HOW SICK THOSE PEOPLE ARE AND HOW MANY STAFF WE HAVE HERE, NURSES, TECHNICIANS, ALL THESE DOCTORS IN TRAINING --

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DR. ROBERT HOCKBERGER>> -- IF YOU SIMPLY TAKE ALL THOSE PEOPLE AWAY, WHO’S GOING TO PROVIDE ALL OF THAT CARE? IT’S GOING TO HAVE TO BE THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR THESE DAYS IS NOT CAPABLE OF ASSUMING THAT LOAD, PARTICULARLY THAT LOAD OF UNCOMPENSATED CARE.

TONI GUINYARD>> AND AT THAT POINT, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE WILL BE THE RESULT?

DR. ROBERT HOCKBERGER>> I THINK THAT MANY PEOPLE WILL SUFFER AND SOME WILL DIE.

TONI GUINYARD>> THE POTENTIAL RISKS AND A COUNTY MEDICAL CARE SYSTEM FACING A BUDGET DEFICIT OF MORE THAN $700 MILLION DOLLARS, AN ESTIMATED $350 MILLION COULD BE SAVED BY CONSOLIDATING, CUTTING OR CLOSING FACILITIES, A DRASTIC MEASURE UNDER CONSIDERATION. I’M TONI GUINYARD FOR LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

JESS>> LAST WEEK, L.A. COUNTY’S BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DELAYED THE CLOSING OF TWO TRAUMA CENTERS, INCLUDING THE ONE YOU JUST SAW. THE COUNTY’S WAITING ON THE OUTCOME OF TOMORROW’S ELECTION WHEN VOTERS WILL DECIDE THE FATE OF MEASURE B WHICH COULD GENERATE MILLIONS OF NEW DOLLARS FOR TRAUMA CENTERS AND EMERGENCY CARE.

VAL>> AND JOINING US NOW IS A SUPPORTER OF MEASURE B, LOS ANGELES COUNTY SUPERVISOR, ZEV YAROSLAVSKY. WE SHOULD MENTION THAT WE TRIED TO BOOK A SPOKESMAN FOR THE OTHER SIDE OPPOSING MEASURE B, BUT THEY WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY>> THERE HARDLY IS ANOTHER SIDE THESE DAYS, THOUGH, FORTUNATELY.

JESS>> YOU’VE WON ALL THE ENDORSEMENTS, YOU’RE GETTING A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM NEWSPAPERS?

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY>> IT’S AN UNPRECEDENTED COALITION. THE L.A. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, ALONG WITH ORGANIZED LABOR. DICK RIORDAN AND DIANNE FEINSTEIN. THE L.A. TIMES AND THE DAILY NEWS, THE DAILY BREEZE, THE ANTELOPE VALLEY NEWS, THE LONG BEACH INDEPENDENT PRESS-TELEGRAM. IT’S BEEN A REMARKABLE SURGE OF SUPPORT FOR THIS.

JUST LAST FRIDAY, MRS. CHICK HEARN DECIDED SHE WANTED TO SEND A LETTER COUNTYWIDE TO ADVISE PEOPLE THAT SHE SUPPORTS THIS BECAUSE EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE ADVANTAGE THAT SHE HAD WHEN CHICK FELL ON THEIR PATIO AND HAD TO GO TO A TRAUMA CENTER IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, ONE OF THE ONLY TWO IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. SO I THINK WE’RE ALL VERY OPTIMISTIC.

WHEN WE STARTED THIS ENTERPRISE, WE DIDN’T THINK WE HAD A CHANCE. BUT MEASURE B IS THE ONLY THING THAT CAN SAVE US FROM HAVING TO CLOSE HOSPITALS AND TRAUMA CENTERS AND EMERGENCY ROOMS. THIS EFFECTS EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD IN THIS COUNTY. THIS ISN’T JUST ABOUT THE POOR OR THE UNINSURED. ANY ONE OF US IS A GUNSHOT AWAY OR AN ACCIDENT AWAY FROM NEEDING A TRAUMA CENTER OR A HEART ATTACK AWAY FROM NEEDING AN EMERGENCY ROOM AND WE WANT THAT SYSTEM TO BE THERE FOR US IF AND WHEN WE NEED IT.

JESS>> YOU’RE SUPREMELY OPTIMISTIC, BUT YOU WERE NOT THAT WAY WHEN YOU ORIGINATED THIS PLAN AND THERE IS STILL THE GHOST OF HOWARD JARVIS HOVERING OVER THIS. YOU’VE GOT TO GET A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY VOTE IN ORDER TO DO IT. THERE IS SIGNIFICANT OPPOSITION FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY, LOOK, WE’RE PAYING ALL THE PROPERTY TAXES WE CAN AFFORD TO PAY, YOU’RE ASKING US TO PAY ANOTHER $350 A YEAR.

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY>> OH, NO. OH, NO, NO. JESS, PLEASE, NO. WE’RE ASKING PEOPLE TO PAY $42 A YEAR, $3.50 A MONTH. THAT IS THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY PARCEL TAX THAT WILL BE --

VAL>> -- BASED ON SQUARE FEET. IF YOU HAVE A REALLY BIG HOUSE, YOU’LL PAY MORE.

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY>> WELL, YOU’D HAVE TO HAVE A 50,000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE TO PAY $350. THERE’S NO ONE GOING TO PAY $350 A YEAR. IN ANY CASE, HOWARD JARVIS WAS A FRIEND OF MINE. HOWARD JARVIS WAS A CONSTITUENT OF MINE AND LIVED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I BELIEVE HOWARD JARVIS WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR THIS MEASURE BECAUSE HE UNDERSTOOD, AS MANY OF HIS SUPPORTERS UNDERSTAND, THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS YOU JUST CAN’T NOT PAY FOR AND ONE OF THEM IS FOR THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM. WHEN HOWARD NEEDED A PARAMEDIC, IT WAS THERE FOR HIM. WHEN I NEED A PARAMEDIC, I HOPE IT WILL BE THERE FOR ME. IF MY KID GETS HIT IN A TRUCK ACCIDENT, I WANT TO BE SURE THE TRAUMA CENTER IS THERE FOR THEM. WE CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO HAVE THIS.

VAL>> AND I UNDERSTAND THOSE ARE ALL VERY COMPELLING EMOTIONAL ARGUMENTS, BUT BECAUSE THE OPPONENTS AREN’T HERE, I REALLY WANT TO POINT OUT SOME OF THE THINGS THEY’VE SAID. THEY’VE SAID THERE IS NO CAP ON THIS TAX, THAT IT IS AT A CERTAIN AMOUNT NOW, FAIRLY REASONABLE, BUT IT COULD GO UP AND UP AND UP. THERE’S NO END TO IT, IT’S AN ESCALATOR --

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY>> -- THAT’S NOT TRUE. IT IS CAPPED AND THE ONLY ESCALATOR IS INFLATION, IS THE COST OF LIVING, WHICH IS IN EVERY --

VAL>> -- WHAT IS THE CAP?

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY>> THE CAP IS THE CPI. IT’S THE COST OF LIVING, AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WOULD HAVE TO VOTE TO EVEN ADJUST IT BY THE COST OF LIVING AND THEY COULDN’T ADJUST IT BY MORE.

VAL>> IS THERE A TIME CAP? A NUMBER OF YEARS?

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY>> NO, BECAUSE THERE IS NO TIME CAP ON OUR NEED FOR AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SYSTEM. WE DON'T SAY THAT, IN FIVE YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO SUNSET THIS TAX BECAUSE, IN FIVE YEARS, WE'RE STILL GOING TO NEED THE TRAUMA SYSTEM. HERE'S THE SITUATION. FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, WE HAD TWENTY-TWO TRAUMA CENTERS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. TODAY WE HAVE THIRTEEN AND MORE ARE THREATENED WITH CLOSURE. THIS SYSTEM IS STRETCHED TO THE BREAKING POINT. IT'S FRAYING AT THE SEAMS.

IF WE CLOSE ONE TRAUMA CENTER, HARBOR-UCLA, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WILL SET OFF A CHAIN REACTION THAT WILL CAUSE OTHERS TO CLOSE AS WELL AS OTHER EMERGENCY ROOMS TO CLOSE AND YOU'LL HAVE THE SPECTER OF AMBULANCES CRISS-CROSSING THE COUNTY WITH NO PLACE TO TAKE PATIENTS. PEOPLE TELL ME THAT, IF YOU HAVE INSURANCE, THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM. WRONG AGAIN. IF YOU HAVE AN INSURANCE CARD, A HEALTH INSURANCE CARD, IT WILL BE WORTH AS MUCH AS A THOUSAND SHARES OF ENRON STOCK IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TRAUMA CENTER OR AN EMERGENCY ROOM TO TAKE YOU WHEN YOU NEED IT.

JESS>> AGAIN, THE OPPOSITION IS SAYING, LOOK, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO VOTE FOR -- THAT'S WHERE THAT $350 A YEAR FIGURE COMES IN -- WE'RE BEING ASKED TO VOTE FOR SEVERAL MEASURES. BOND ISSUES FOR SCHOOLS, A, B, AND K WOULD BE --

VAL>> -- YOU ADD THEM ALL TOGETHER?

JESS>> YEAH, THAT'S THE $350 A YEAR. YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL VOTE FOR THAT?

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY>> I THINK PEOPLE WILL DO WHAT WE ALL DO IN OUR OWN HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS. THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ALL THE MEASURES AND THEY'RE GOING TO PRIORITIZE. I DON'T WANT TO KNOCK ANY OF THE OTHER MEASURES, BUT I WILL SAY THIS. THERE IS NO MORE IMPORTANT MEASURE ON THE BALLOT THAN MEASURE B. I THINK ALL OF THE POLLING THAT'S BEEN DONE NOW ON ALL OF THE MEASURES SUGGESTS THAT MEASURE B IS DOING BETTER THAN ANY OF THE OTHER MEASURES. IT'S RIGHT AT THE TWO-THIRDS NOW AND I THINK, DEPENDING ON WHO COMES OUT TO VOTE TOMORROW AND MAKING SURE THE PEOPLE WHO DO COME OUT TO VOTE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON AND HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS, I THINK WE CAN BREAK THE TWO-THIRDS REQUIREMENT AND GET THIS PASSED. THIS IS IN THE INTEREST OF EVERY ONE OF US.

VAL>> WELL, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE CRITICS WHO SAY, LOOK, WE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM NOW FOR ALMOST A DECADE. WE HAVE NOT FIXED IT, THIS IS JUST GOING TO BE POURING MORE MONEY INTO A PROBLEM THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE ON AND WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ANOTHER CRISIS THREE OR FOUR YEARS FROM NOW, THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE IT?

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY>> WE HAVE TWO PROBLEMS. ONE IS THAT WE NEED TO RESTRUCTURE THE HEALTH SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE AND WE'RE DOING THAT. PART OF THAT IS WHAT'S CONTROVERSIAL. WHEN WE DECIDED TO CLOSE RANCHO LOS AMIGOS HOSPITAL IN DOWNEY, A PHYSICAL REHABILITATION HOSPITAL, IT'S CONTROVERSIAL. BUT THAT'S PART OF OUR RESTRUCTURING. THE OTHER THING WE NEED IS CASH TO KEEP THE MOST CRITICAL THINGS WE PROVIDE, TRAUMA AND EMERGENCY CARE. WE NEED MONEY TO KEEP THAT ALIVE. IF WE DON'T GET THE MONEY, WE'LL RESTRUCTURE FURTHER AND RESTRUCTURING MEANS CLOSING HARBOR AND OLIVE VIEW IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, WHICH IS CRAZY.

JESS>> IT'S A HARD FACT.

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY>> IT'S A HARD FACT. WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. IT'S NOT A THREAT. IT'S A NECESSITY BECAUSE, IF WE DON'T DO THAT, THE COUNTY GOES BANKRUPT AND OUR WHOLE HEALTH SYSTEM GOES INTO MELTDOWN. WE HAVE NO CHOICE AND I THINK THE INTELLIGENT THING FOR ALL OF US TO DO -- YOU KNOW, MOST OF US WHO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE PAY $300, $400, $500 A MONTH FOR HEALTH INSURANCE. THIS ADDS ANOTHER $3. IT'S NOT A TAX. IT'S SUPPLEMENTARY HEALTH INSURANCE AND THAT'S THE WAY WE ALL OUGHT TO LOOK AT IT.

JESS>> ALL RIGHT. OUR THANKS TO ZEV YAROSLAVSKY.

ZEV YAROSLAVSKY>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

VAL>> WE'LL SEE WHAT THE VOTERS DECIDE. TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION DAY COVERAGE. WE'LL BE TAKING ONE LAST LOOK AT THE HOT RACES AND ALL THE BIG ISSUES ON THE STATE AND LOCAL BALLOT. THAT'S ELECTION DAY ON LIFE AND TIMES TUESDAY AT 7:00.

JESS>> WHEN GRAY DAVIS BECAME GOVERNOR FOUR YEARS AGO, HE TOLD CALIFORNIANS HIS TOP THREE PRIORITIES WERE EDUCATION, EDUCATION AND EDUCATION. BUT THEN CAME A FEW DISTRACTIONS SUCH AS THE POWER CRISIS, THE TERRORIST ATTACKS AND A HUGE BUDGET DEFICIT.

VAL>> BUT EDUCATION IS STILL A TOP PRIORITY AMONG CALIFORNIA VOTERS, SO TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING GRAY DAVIS AND BILL SIMON HOW THEY WOULD FIX WHAT'S WRONG WITH OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE REPORTER IS RANDY SHANDOBIL OF KTVU IN OAKLAND.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> SINCE GOVERNOR DAVIS TOOK OFFICE FOUR YEARS AGO, STATE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS JUMPED AND TEST SCORES HAVE AT LEAST TRICKLED UP, BUT PARENTS AND TEACHERS SAY CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS ARE STILL IN BAD SHAPE.

BONNIE TAYLOR>> THE CIVIL WAR STARTS IN 1861.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> SOME STANDARDIZED TESTS SHOW CALIFORNIA STUDENTS AT ABOUT THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. OTHER TESTS SHOW CALIFORNIA NEAR THE BOTTOM.

BONNIE TAYLOR>> WELL, THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT. WHO WAS JOHN BROWN?

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> WE THOUGHT, BETTER THAN PRESENTING GRAY DAVIS AND BILL SIMON WITH OUR QUESTIONS, WE'D BRING QUESTIONS FROM A VETERAN TEACHER.

BONNIE TAYLOR>> MY NAME IS BONNIE TAYLOR. THIS IS MY 32ND YEAR AT EL CERRITO HIGH SCHOOL.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> EL CERRITO HIGH IS PART OF THE WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. IT'S NOT A GREAT SCHOOL NOR A TERRIBLE SCHOOL. BY STATE STANDARDS, IT SCORES RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. UNDER GOVERNOR DAVIS, FUNDING BONUSES ARE AWARDED TO SCHOOLS THAT SHOW YEAR-TO-YEAR IMPROVEMENT IN TEST SCORES.

BONNIE TAYLOR>> RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN THE AGE OF TESTING AND EVERYBODY HAS GOT A NEW TEST AND EVERYBODY THINKS THEIR TEST IS BETTER THAN SOMEBODY ELSE'S TEST. BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT ASSESSMENT HAS TO BE DONE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. KIDS ARE DIFFERENT. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE THE STAR TEST. STAR TEST WAS WRITTEN IN MINNESOTA. WE'RE IN CALIFORNIA. HOW DO THEY KNOW WHAT WE TEACH? ELIMINATE THEM. I MEAN, ELIMINATE STATE STANDARDIZED TESTS.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> NO WAY, SAYS THE GOVERNOR.

GRAY DAVIS>> WHEN YOU GO TO GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE DRIVER'S LICENSE. WHEN YOU GO TO TAKE THE SATS, THERE'S ONE SAT. I MEAN, STANDARDIZED TESTS ARE A WAY OF LIFE IN AMERICA AND, IMPERFECT AS THEY ARE, WE DO USE THEM AS A YARDSTICK.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> SIMON SAYS HE'D GO FARTHER THAN DAVIS, STIFFER SANCTIONS FOR SCHOOLS THAT UNDER-PERFORM. SIMON COMPLAINS THAT THE TESTS HAVE BECOME SO PREDICTABLE THAT TEACHERS CAN ARTIFICIALLY BOOST THE SCORES. ROTATE THE QUESTIONS, SIMON SAYS.

BILL SIMON>> IT'S THE SAME TEST EVERY YEAR, SO THE TEACHER IN FOURTH GRADE CAN TEACH TO THE TEST. THAT DOESN'T ENSURE THAT THE KIDS ARE LEARNING FUNDAMENTALS, READING, WRITING AND MATH.

BONNIE TAYLOR>> KENNY, WHAT DO YOU NEED? TO GO TO THE BATHROOM?

KENNY>> YES.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> BUT KENNY COULD HAVE TROUBLE FINDING ONE.

BONNIE TAYLOR>> AND MOST OF THE BATHROOMS ARE LOCKED. WANT TO SEE LOCKED DOORS? I THINK IT'S LOCKED BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO MAINTAIN ALL OF THE BATHROOMS. ANY PAPER SUPPLIES IN THE BATHROOMS?

KENNY>> SOMETIMES NOT, HARDLY EVER.

BONNIE TAYLOR>> I DON'T KNOW HOW THE STATE COULD EVEN STAND IT. IT'S THE RICHEST STATE IN THE NATION. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS STATE LIVES WITH ITS OWN EMBARRASSMENT AT BEING THAT LOW AND THEN SPENDING BILLIONS AND BILLIONS AND BILLIONS FOR PRISONS.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> WINDOWS THAT DON'T OPEN, BROKEN GLASS, TRASHED LOCKERS, CLASSROOMS WHERE MOST OF THE LIGHTS DON'T WORK.

BONNIE TAYLOR>> FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR LIGHTS. THE PARENTS ARE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, COULD WE BUY YOU LIGHTS? I BET THE PRISONS ARE LIGHTED.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> TO FIX OLD SCHOOLS AND BUILD NEW ONES, BOTH DAVIS AND SIMON SAY THEY SUPPORT PROPOSITION 47, A $13 BILLION DOLLAR BOND MEASURE. NOT ENOUGH, THEY SAY, BUT A START. BUT WHAT ABOUT SUPPLIES?

BONNIE TAYLOR>> THESE ARE THE COURSE SYLLABUSES THAT WE USE AND, AGAIN, THEY'RE IN PRETTY DARN RAGGEDY SHAPE, BUT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE MONEY TO JUST GO TO KINKO'S AND HAVE THEM COPIED.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> TEXTBOOKS ARE FALLING APART AND ARE OFTEN OUT OF DATE. MANY TEACHERS END UP SPENDING A LOT OF THEIR OWN MONEY ON BASIC SUPPLIES FOR THEIR STUDENTS.

BONNIE TAYLOR>> DICTIONARIES, PAPER PRODUCTS, PAPER SUPPLIES, CLEANING SUPPLIES, EXTENSION CORDS. ALL OF THOSE ARE MY PERSONAL PURCHASES. I BUY THEM BECAUSE, IF I WERE TO WAIT FOR THE DISTRICT TO SUPPLY THEM, I WOULD BE WAITING FOREVER.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> BONNIE TAYLOR LAYS OUT ABOUT EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS A YEAR ON SUPPLIES. ON A TEACHER'S SALARY, THAT'S A BIG CHUNK OF CHANGE. THE GOVERNOR SAYS NEW TEACHERS STATEWIDE EARN ABOUT $34,000 A YEAR, VETERAN TEACHERS TOP OUT AT ABOUT $60,000.

BONNIE TAYLOR>> I'VE REALLY LOST HOPE THAT EITHER DAVIS OR SIMON CAN DO MUCH FOR ME AS A TEACHER.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> DAVIS SAYS HE'S TRIED TO HELP TEACHERS WITH SPECIAL TAX CUTS.

GRAY DAVIS>> I WANTED THEM ALL TO ACTUALLY PAY NO TAXES, BUT WE SETTLED FOR A FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR TEACHER TAX CREDIT. THAT HAD TO BE JUNKED THIS BUDGET YEAR. IT WAS IN EFFECT THE LAST TWO YEARS, BUT I HOPE TO REINSTATE THAT BECAUSE ONE OF ITS PURPOSES WAS TO REWARD TEACHERS WHO HAVE TO REACH IN THEIR POCKET, PAY FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND ARE NEVER COMPENSATED FOR THAT COST.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> SIMON SAYS NO TAX CUT IS NEEDED. TEACHERS WOULDN'T HAVE TO SPEND THEIR OWN MONEY IF THE STATE'S MONEY SENT TO SCHOOLS WAS MORE WISELY SPENT.

BILL SIMON>> I THINK RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT UPWARDS OF $8,000 PER CHILD, THAT'S PLENTY OF MONEY. IT'S A MATTER OF HOW IS THAT $8,000 SPENT? UNFORTUNATELY, A GREAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT MONEY, RANDY, GOES OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. IT GOES TO BUREAUCRATS, SOCIAL EXPERIMENTS. WE NEED TO PUT AS MUCH MONEY AS WE CAN INTO THE CLASSROOMS.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> SIMON SAYS ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO TRIM THE BUREAUCRACY AT THE STATE LEVEL AND HAVE LEANER ADMINISTRATIONS AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVEL. SIMON SAYS GIVE DECISION-MAKING POWER TO INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS, TO TEACHERS AND TO PARENTS.

VAL>> WE'D LIKE TO THANK REPORTER, RANDY SHANDOBIL, IN KTVU IN OAKLAND FOR ADDING SO MUCH TO OUR POLITICAL COVERAGE OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS. KTVU IS A BEST PRACTICES IN JOURNALISM STATION. IT'S PARTNERED WITH KCET TO PROVIDE BETTER COVERAGE OF STATEWIDE ISSUES.

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

VAL>> YOU MAY NOT KNOW ROBBIE CONAL'S NAME, BUT YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN HIS WORK. IT'S PLASTERED ALL OVER LOS ANGELES.

JESS>> CONAL'S POSTERS AREN'T FLATTERING. IN FACT, HE REFERS TO THEM AS ADVERSARIAL ARTWORKS. TONIGHT PATT MORRISON BRINGS US THE RESULT OF HER JOURNEY WITH CONAL AS HE DISPLAYED HIS WORK FOR THE WORLD TO SEE.

PATT MORRISON>> YOU MAY NOT THINK MUCH OF HIS ART. YOU MAY THINK EVEN LESS OF HIS POLITICS, BUT AT LEAST YOU'RE THINKING. AND THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT ROBBIE CONAL CAN ASK, CONSIDERING THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY SEEING BOTH HIS ART AND HIS POLITICS AT TWENTY-FIVE OR THIRTY MILES AN HOUR FROM BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL OF YOUR CAR.

ON THE NIGHTS WHEN CONAL WHEELS ACROSS THE THOMAS BROS. TERRAIN OF LOS ANGELES, SLAPPING UP HIS VISUAL ONE-LINERS, HE IS A STEALTH ARTIST COMMITTING STREET THEATER IN A CITY NOTORIOUSLY SHORT ON STREET LIGHTS. HIS POSTERS FOLLOW IN THE BRUSH STROKES OF A TRADITION OF CLASSIC POLITICAL PROPAGANDA ART, IMAGERY MORE POWERFUL THAN A HUNDRED SPEECHES.

FOR A DOZEN YEARS IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT, HE HAS BEEN COMMITTING WHAT HE CALLS MINOR CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, PLASTERING HIS DEADPAN ZINGERS AND HIS DEAD-ON CARICATURES ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE RENDERING THE HIGH AND MIGHTY IN BLACK AND WHITE. ON THIS NIGHT, HIS DARING-DO CREW OF VOLUNTEERS HUDDLES AT CANTERS DELI FOR ITS PLAY-BY-PLAY INSTRUCTIONS AND THE FIRST LOOK AT THE LATEST FACE IN ROBBIE CONAL'S ROGUES GALLERY.

ROBBIE CONAL>> WE'RE GOING TO DO BILL GATES FROM MICROSOFT. HIS COMPANY CONTROLS NINETY PERCENT OF THE OPERATING SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD. THAT MIGHT BE TOO MUCH FOR ONE MAN AND $50 MILLION DOLLARS OF OUR MONEY HAS GONE TO THIS MAN TO INVESTIGATE BILL CLINTON'S SEX LIFE AND MAYBE IT WOULD BETTER SPENT MAYBE ON, OH, I DON'T KNOW, ARTS EDUCATION FOR THE SCHOOLS, MONEY FOR THE SCHOOLS, SOMETHING ELSE.

[FILM CLIP]

ROBBIE CONAL>> YOU MIGHT RUN INTO LIKE, SAY, VERY LARGE MEN IN BLUE SUITS WITH SHINY ACCESSORIES (LAUGHTER), AND THEY ARE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING. IT WILL NOT DO TO SAY LIKE, "WELL, YOU PIG OF THE STATE, IT'S MY RIGHT TO DO THIS, AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT...". THEY DON'T REALLY PLAY THAT SO WELL. YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO BE POLITE TO THEM AND TELL THEM IT'S AN ART PROJECT. YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT THEM ON MERCHANTS WINDOWS, YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT THEM ON POLICE STATION WINDOWS, YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT THEM ON CHURCHES. NOT A GOOD IDEA.

(FILM CLIP)

PATT MORRISON>> THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME WITH ROBBIE?

>> YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO GO ON AN EXCURSION. I DON'T KNOW.

PATT MORRISON>> WHY? WHY DID YOU WANT TO DO THIS?

>> I THINK IT'S REALLY FUNNY FOR LIKE ALL THE RIGHT-WING REPUBLICANS TO LOOK AT AND LIKE BE TOTALLY OBLIVIOUS.

ROBBIE CONAL>> WE'RE TRYING TO REIN IN THE BIG BOYS THAT ARE GOING ASTRAY. IT'S ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT THE COMMON MAN CAN REALLY HAVE A CHANCE TO GET THEIR WORD OUT LITERALLY ONTO THE STREETS.

[FILM CLIP]

PATT MORRISON>> SO WHAT'S THE GRATIFICATION?

ROBBIE CONAL>> I THINK IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, PART OF IT IS CATHARTIC LIKE. THESE GUY IRRITATE ME SO MUCH AND ABUSE THEIR POWER SO MUCH THAT JUST GOING NA NA NA HELPS. IT JUST HELPS ME (LAUGHTER). OUR MINOR FORM OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE JUSTIFIED BY THE HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS OF PEOPLE LIKE THIS.

[FILM CLIP]

ROBBIE CONAL>> I'VE HAD TAGGERS COME UP TO ME AND SAY, "YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING OVER OUR SHIT."

PATT MORRISON>> SO WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE, YOUR FOLLOWERS? ARE YOU A CULT LEADER? (LAUGHTER)

ROBBIE CONAL>> I ALWAYS WONDERED WHO THE HELL THEY ARE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOME COMBINATION OF MY FAVORITE CLUB SLIME, GRUNGE PUPPIES, WE HAD A COUPLE OF LAWYERS IN THE CROWD. OF COURSE, THERE ARE ALWAYS ACTORS.

PATT MORRISON>> COUPLE OF SHERIFF DEPUTIES.

ROBBIE CONAL>> (LAUGHTER) A COUPLE OF SHERIFF DEPUTIES.

[FILM CLIP]

PATT MORRISON>> NOW AT ONE POINT THE CITY CALLED YOU TO A HALT.

ROBBIE CONAL>> YEAH, I'VE HAD AN UNEASY, UP-AND-DOWN RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, I THINK STARTING IN 1988, FOR SOME REASON, WHEN WE WERE PUTTING UP "IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE" IT WAS A GEORGE BUSH POSTER WITH "HERE" PLANTED FIRMLY IN HIS INOPERATIVE ORGAN IN HIS FOREHEAD. AND THEN ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH DARYL GATES "CASUAL DRUG USERS OUGHT TO BE TAKEN OUT AND SHOT."

PATT MORRISON>> HOW MANY TIMES A YEAR DO YOU DO THIS?

ROBBIE CONAL>> WHENEVER I GET REALLY PISSED OFF OR THE SPIRIT MOVES ME (LAUGHTER).

(FILM CLIP)

PATT MORRISON>> HOLLYWOOD AND VERMONT, TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, THE GLUE STILL NOT DRY. FORGET FOR A MOMENT THE URBAN SYMBIOTICS OF THIS, THE GRAD STUDENT GRILL FOR SOME FUTURE ACADEMIC MILL. THIS IS ABOUT THE THRILL OF THE MIDNIGHT RAMBLE, THE SCAVENGER HUNT AND THE POTATO CHIP ADDICTION OF ROBBIE CONAL'S SLOGANEERING. LET'S SEE. WHAT CAN I THINK OF? O.J. SIMPSON, "CRIME SEEN", S-E-E-N. LINDA TRIPP, "PHONE FREAK". RUPERT MURDOCH, "ARTFUL DODGER" AND ROBBIE CONAL, WHAT ELSE? "POSTER BOY".

JESS>> YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ROBBIE CONAL'S WORK ON HIS WEBSITE. THE ADDRESS IS WWW.ROBBIECONAL.COM. IT INCLUDES POSTERS AND UPDATES ON UPCOMING ART ATTACKS.

VAL>> HE'S STILL AT IT. WE INVITE YOU TO LOG ONTO KCET.ORG FOR THE LATEST CALIFORNIA ELECTION NEWS. JUST CLICK ON THE "REALITY CHECKS" BUTTON.

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

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