Reapportionment Leaves a Trail of Bewilderment

TWO VOICES: The state senator who represents parts of Pasadena and Altadena lives in Tehachapi. His replacement will probably live in Bakersfield. Or Hanford. But don’t worry. The area also has a spare senator living in nearby Glendale.

If you’re bewildered by all this, blame reapportionment. Every 10 years, that process leaves some areas of the state without a senator and others with two.

Parts of Pasadena and Altadena are going to get double representation, although one of their senators may have trouble focusing on the problems of urban renewal in northwest Pasadena when most of his constituents are farmers and small-town folk. Blame that on a long-ago gerrymandering effort to help a politically endangered Democrat based in Bakersfield.

The quirk that gives some areas double representation and others no representation occurs because senators are elected to four-year terms, with half the seats in the 40-member Senate standing for election every two years.

Thus, 20 senators were elected from reapportioned districts this year, while 20 others are at the midpoint of their terms. Odd-numbered districts had elections this year; evenly numbered districts will vote in 1994.

The half of Altadena that lies west of Lake Avenue and a chunk of Pasadena, mostly north of the 210 Freeway and west of Hill Avenue, are currently in the 16th Senate District represented by Sen. Don Rogers (R-Tehachapi). Redistricting put the area in the new 21st Senate District, which just reelected Sen. Newton R. Russell (R-Glendale).

Now, if this weren’t confusing enough, Rogers is giving up his seat because he was elected Nov. 3 to represent another district, the 17th, which reaches from Santa Clarita to Inyo County. Rogers plans to resign the first week of December so he can be sworn into his new office Dec. 7.

UPCOMING VOTE: As soon as Rogers quits, Gov. Pete Wilson will call a special election, probably in February, with a runoff probably to follow in April. The winner will finish the two years remaining on the old 16th District term.

Centered in Bakersfield, the district was extended to the San Gabriel Valley in the 1982 reapportionment to give a little help to veteran Democratic Sen. Walter Stiern of Bakersfield, who needed more Democrats in his district. The move helped Stiern win in 1982, but when he retired in 1986, Rogers captured the seat.

Candidates are already lining up. Early contenders include Assemblyman Phillip D. Wyman (R-Tehachapi), who made an unsuccessful run for Congress this year, and former GOP Assemblyman Joe Shell, who settled in Bakersfield after representing Long Beach in the 1950s. Assemblyman Jim Costa (D-Hanford), who has been in the lower house 14 years although he is just 40, is considering the race.

Registration is 48% Democratic, 40% Republican and 12% divided among independents and minor parties. Because Republicans are more loyal voters than Democrats, that kind of registration split means the election could go to either party.

But in 1994, the redrawn district will strongly favor the Democrats. Its registration is 62% Democratic.

The new 16th will take in part of the city of Fresno and western Fresno County, western Kern County, Kings County, the western tip of Madera County and northern Tulare County. It is ideal for Costa, who just won reelection in a district that overlaps half that area. But the current 16th, whose boundaries extend from Bakersfield to Barstow to Pasadena, presents a much tougher challenge. Costa aide Bryn Batrich said her boss will announce his plans in early December.

NO HOME: While part of Pasadena and Altadena will have two senators, Hacienda Heights will soon have none. The area has been in the 31st Senate District represented by Sen. Frank Hill (R-Whittier) but was excluded from the redrawn 31st, which reelected Hill.

Reapportionment put Hacienda Heights in the 24th Senate District, effective with the 1994 election. Until then, it will be in limbo.

Residents can either turn to Hill for help or try Sen. Charles M. Calderon (D-Whittier), who has promised to serve the area and could run for reelection in 1994, either in the 24th, which stretches from Monterey Park to Azusa, or the 30th, which runs from Huntington Park to Santa Fe Springs.

Hacienda Heights residents could also try Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles), whose 1994 political options include running for reelection in the 24th, or in the 22nd in Los Angeles.

Hill said he intends to serve Hacienda Heights at least until Calderon or Torres decides to run in the 24th, “and then I’ll get out of the way.”

The Senate Rules Committee is developing a plan to resolve the confusion. Clifford Berg, the committee’s executive officer, said reapportionment has left 3.9 million Californians without a state senator and 7.9 million with two senators. A plan designating one senator for each of the affected areas is being devised for action by the Rules Committee.

Meanwhile, another candidate has already emerged in the 24th for 1994. Azusa Mayor Eugene Moses, the self-proclaimed “people’s mayor,” said he is in the race to stay, no matter who else runs.

An indefatigable campaigner who has won nine Azusa elections, Moses said he is already speaking to groups and lining up endorsements and will start his door-to-door campaign before long.