Robert Hertzberg

Robert M. Hertzberg
64th Speaker of the California State Assembly
In office April 13, 2000 – February 6, 2002
Preceded by	Antonio Villaraigosa
Succeeded by	Herb J. Wesson, Jr.
Born	November 19, 1954 (1954-11-19) (age 55) Los Angeles, California
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Dr. Cynthia Telles
Profession	Lawyer, Green Entrepreneur

Robert Myles Hertzberg (born November 19, 1954 in Los Angeles, California) is a lawyer, businessman and community activist who served in the California Legislature from 1996-2002. In the State Assembly, he represented more than 400,000 constituents in the San Fernando Valley communities of Los Angeles. Prior to his election, Mr. Hertzberg spent many years as a community activist volunteering to help dozens of successful candidates for public office, from a wide variety of many communities, often serving as treasurer or campaign chair.

He was twice elected unanimously Speaker of the State Assembly, and served two terms.^[1] Since leaving the State Assembly in 2002, Hertzberg has pursued a three-part approach to his career, involving:

a) public service, including a close race for Mayor of Los Angeles in 2005 and assisting numerous community groups and public policy institutions;

b) his successful law practice at the international firm Mayer Brown LLP;^[2]

c) entrepreneurship and innovation in the fields of alternative energy and environmental protection.

Hertzberg has been described by Dean Jack Knott of the University of Southern California as "working feverishly on issues of renewable energy, climate change and the many challenges which are associated with these endeavors."^[3]

Upon retiring from the State Assembly due to term limits in 2002, Hertzberg immediately co-founded Solar Integrated Technology in South Central Los Angeles, with two partners. This would be the first plant producing renewable energy in Los Angeles, located very close to where the 1992 riots started.^[3][4] Solar Integrated became successful and in 2005, was the Wall Street Journal recipient of the "Innovation Award" in the Energy and Power sector.^[5] Solar Integrated was admitted to the Alternative Investment Exchange in May 2004, and remains a publicly traded company today. (GB: SIT))

In 2006, Hertzberg and his longtime friend, Edward J. Stevenson, formed a new renewable venture in the United Kingdom where government policies were much friendlier to the development of renewable energy, founding Renewable Capital LLP, an investment firm in London to help finance alternative energy ventures ('leading-edge entrepreneurs")^[6] Hertzberg told the New York Times: "California does have this great image, but Europe still is much greener than anywhere in the United States, by several orders of magnitude. The financial markets and those who control the big funds understand the importance of renewable energy."^[7] Thereafter Mr. Stevenson and Mr. Hertzberg Co-Founded G24 Innovations Limited, a manufacturing facility of advanced solar technology in Cardiff, Wales.^[8] The BBC praised Hertzberg and G24I for "thinking big" on ways to solve energy and environmental problems.^[9]

In a G24 profile, the International Independent quoted Hertzberg: "These cynics are the same who thought television or the telephone was not going to work. This is a revolution. It's here to stay.... It's the civil rights issue of our generation. It's the biggest thing we can do. It's part of who I am."^[10]

G24i produces a new type of lightweight and flexible solar cell that generates power in low, ambient and even indoor conditions. G24i has won numerous awards in recent years: in January 2008, CNBC European Business chose the company as one of its "Top 100 Low-Carbon Pioneers and The Guardian (UK) named Hertzberg as one of the "50 People Who Could Save the Planet." G24 is also the recipient of the "NESTA Rushlight Award" (for leading British achievement in the environmental field) as well as winning the World Bank's "Award for Lighting Africa."^[11]

Most recently, G24i won the prestigious "Business Commitment to the Environment Leadership Award" and Prince Charles invited G24i Board Chairman Hertzberg to join the "Business Leader's Group on Climate Change." Additional awards include: "Welsh Innovative Company of the Year 2008," and one of 12 "Force for Good Pioneers" Awards worldwide.^[11]

On the CBS Evening News, Katie Couric stated in a news profile that Hertzberg knew "the difference between talking about global warming and actually doing something about it."^[12]

A February, 2009 Fortune Small Business Magazine profile noted that Hertzberg served as Speaker of the California State Assembly when out-of-state power companies extorted huge price increases from California and helped sink the Golden State’s economy: “that debacle left him passionate about the importance of renewable energy.” ^[13] A September close-up in The Economist proclaimed that, “Bob Hertzberg has lost the sunny mien of a seasoned American politician.” ^[14].Fortune called Hertzberg “the most contrarian guy in the renewable energy business” for his dedication to promoting his products in the poorest areas of the world – South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa (including war-torn Rwanda).  Said Hertzberg: “So far, solar power has benefited rich people, governments and corporations.  We’re going to provide it for ordinary folks.”  ^[13]

G24Innovations is also planning to build a “green educational center” for local children.  “He’s a very impressive chap,” Helen Williams, an official with Invest Wales told The Economist.  “He wants results, and because he’s so upfront about it rather than being wishy-washy, people are willing to help.” ^[14]

Hertzberg’s company, G24Innovations, asked for no government subsidies to re-locate in Wales (“we just wanted to be left alone.  Don’t rely on subsidies.  You spend all your time and money filling in forms”).^[13] The Economist quotes Hertzberg as opposing subsidies because they cause alternative energy firms to lose focus: “companies hire lobbyists to chase subsidies rather than hiring scientists to create a better product.” ^[14]  The only assistance G24i received from the Welsh government was building a fence around their plant.  G24i is also building a “green educational center” for local children.  “He’s a very impressive chap,” commented Helen Williams, an official with Invest Wales.  “He wants results, and because he’s so upfront about it rather than being wishy-washy, people are willing to help.” ^[13]

Fortune reports that the G24i solar cells are much more efficient as other solar products and are manufactured in a wind-powered plant.  (“It’s renewable energy making renewable energy!” crows Hertzberg).  Hertzberg argues that the growth of “micro-finance” programs in the Third World will make his product widely affordable for the poor and told his Welsh colleagues: “analysts are missing the bigger picture.  The big companies aren’t coming.  But you can help the little folks come in and make heroes out of them.”^[13]

In the winter of 2009, the new Administration of President Barack Obama announced a fundamental commitment to American “energy independence” based on renewable energy.  (The Obama Administration wants 10% of America’s total energy supply to come from renewable energy sources by 2012 – compared to just 2% in 2009).  G24i has secured new capital investment and is preparing to sharply expand its operations, especially in Silicon Valley in California and worldwide in general.  The first step was hiring as CEO, John Hartnett, formerly of Palm, Inc where he had responsibility for worldwide sales.  Mr. Hartnett has also worked for Metacreations, Claris, ATT&T, Digital Equipment and Wang.  Hertzberg commented on Hartnett’s hiring: “This appointment will propel G24i into the next phase of its rapid evolution. John has the right blend of global experience in portable technology applications and a proven track record in Silicon Valley. He will help our technology have a global impact…”  Hartnett himself added: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead G24i through the next stage of the company’s expansion. This is an exciting time for greentech companies with innovative technology platforms, and G24i is perfectly positioned to become a dominant market force.” ^[15]  Hartnett also sees tremendous potential for G24i: “The solar market is currently worth $20 billion. It is predicted to grow by 30% a year for the next decade. There is no other market in the world that is going to grow like this. It is the opportunity of a lifetime."^[16]

The Los Angeles Times named Hertzberg as "One of the Most Influential People in Southern California." In 2005, Hertzberg ran a strong race for Mayor of Los Angeles, just missing ousting incumbent Mayor James Hahn from the run-off by less than 1%.^[17] Hertzberg subsequently endorsed the eventual winner, Antonio Villaraigosa and served as his Transition Team Chair.

In endorsing both Hertzberg and Villaraigosa for the two-person run-off, the Los Angeles Times said of Hertzberg, "He is a high-velocity wonk; he loves BIG ideas, and will flesh out every one of them for you if you give him the time."^[18] When the Los Angeles Daily News endorsed him, they commented: "Hertzberg has relentless energy and indefatigable energy...he has a reputation for integrity and perseverance."^[19]

The web site "googlism.com" said that "Bob Hertzberg is one of the most talented and respected legislators ever to come out of the California Assembly."^[20]

On March 11, 2009, Hertzberg was unanimously elected co-chair of “California Forward,” a bi-partisan state government “reform” group funded by a group of leading California foundations.  California Forward describes itself as “an ambitious bipartisan effort to remake California state government.”  Hertzberg will be replacing Leon Panetta, the former Congressman and Chief of Staff to President Clinton, who was just appointed Director of the Central Intelligence Agency by President Obama.  “It is a rare honor to serve alongside Bob Hertzberg, a leader who has immersed himself in the effort to improve California’s systematic governance problems for more than 15 years,” said Thomas McKernan, fellow co-chair of California Forward. ^[21]

Contents 1 Early life 2 Legal career and early political work 3 Election to State Assembly 4 Speaker of the Assembly - 2000-2002 4.1 Legislative Accomplishments 4.2 Personal style 4.3 Legacy as Speaker 4.4 Criticism of Bob Hertzberg 5 Private law practice and alternative energy ventures, 2002 to current 6 2005 Campaign for Mayor 7 Political advisory roles 8 Civic affairs/public policy activism 9 Personal life 10 Political vision/ideals 11 External links 12 References

Early life

Robert Myles Hertzberg was born on November 19, 1954 in Los Angeles, California to Harrison W. Hertzberg and Antoinette "Bunny" Taussig Hertzberg. He was a 1972 graduate of Palm Springs High School. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Redlands with a Bachelor's of Art double major in History and English in 1976. While in college, he wrote a 400-page handbook, entitled A Commonsense Approach to English. Three years, later Hertzberg earned his Juris Doctor from Hastings College of the Law at the University of California in San Francisco. He has been an active member of the California State Bar since 1979.^[2]

Legal career and early political work

After graduating law school in 1979, Hertzberg was an associate at the Beverly Hills law firm of Fulop, Rolston, Burns, & McKittrick. In 1983, he co-authored a manual on real estate law, California Lis Pendens Practice, published by the University of California, with a Second Edition eleven years later.^[2] He was then a full partner in several small Los Angeles-area law firms until running for the State Assembly in 1996. In 2007, the Los Angeles Business Journal named Hertzberg in the article "Best of the Bar: Who's Who In L.A. LAW."

Hertzberg's first political job was a driver for Lt. Governor Mervyn Dymally in 1973 and 1974, which ended in Dymally's election as the first African-American Lt. Governor in California history. He then did a part-time stint as an advance man in the White House under President Jimmy Carter in 1977-80. From the 1970s through the 1990s, he worked for numerous California Democrats, including LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina, U.S Representatives Dennis Cardoza (Campaign Chair), Brad Sherman, Julian Dixon, Xavier Becerra (Campaign Co-chair), Lucy Roybal-Allard & Hilda Solis, LA City Council Members Mike Hernandez (Co-chair) & Herb Wesson (Chair), and also State Assembly members Antonio Villaraigosa (Campaign Treasurer), Hersh Rosenthal, and Richard Alatorre,^[22] among many others.

Election to State Assembly

In 1996, Democratic Assemblywoman Barbara Friedman of the 40th Assembly District encompassing North Hollywood, Studio City, Van Nuys and Woodland Hills in the "San Fernando Valley" section of Los Angeles was forced to retire due to term limits. Hertzberg ran for the seat and was opposed in the Democratic primary in March 1996 by Fran Oschin, an aide to Los Angeles Councilman Hal Bernson. According to the California Political Almanac, Hertzberg "racked up a sheaf of endorsements and raised well over $200,000 for the primary." He easily won the primary by 72-28%. In the November general election, Hertzberg rolled to an easy 59-31% victory over Republican Ron Culver. Hertzberg's know-how and connections from over 100 local campaigns gave him the edge over the less-experienced Assembly Members who were coming into the Legislature due to the new "term limits" law.^[1] In 1998 and 2000, Hertzberg was re-elected by successively greater margins, 69% and 70%, respectively.^[23][24]

Speaker of the Assembly - 2000-2002

On April 13, 2000, Robert Hertzberg was unanimously elected by a voice vote as the 64th Speaker of the California State Assembly. In 1996, when Hertzberg was first elected to the Assembly, the Democrats had 38 of 80 seats. By 2000, when Speaker Hertzberg was directing the Assembly Democratic campaigns, his party was up to 50 seats and he was the last Speaker to gain seats.^[24] As Speaker, his principle priorities were

a) passing bills on alternative energy and protecting the environment;

b) public safety as with anti-gang efforts such as the CLEAR program;

c) improving the integrity of the legislative process through new ethics rules;

d) enhancing legislative oversight, which helped lead to the investigation that caused the resignation of Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush on misconduct charges; and

e) establishing the Capitol Institute to better train legislators and their employees.

The non-partisan California Journal rated Hertzberg as the best Member in the Assembly for being a successful coalition-builder, for working the hardest and having "serious brain wattage."^[25]

During his time in the Assembly, Hertzberg helped open up discussion with local business leaders, sponsored legislation to make state government more accessible to the public via the Internet, to make it easier to vote, to create more "Criminal Scene Investigations (CSI) laboratories, to cut $1.5 billion in taxes, and worked with Senate President Pro Tem John Burton & State Senator Deborah Ortiz to increase funds to revamp public education through the "Cal-Grant" Program.^[26][27] The Cal-Grants Program was "hailed by educators as a turning point that will give poor students unprecedented access to California's colleges and universities" and Hertzberg commented upon the bill's passage, "California is back."^[28] (Hertzberg believed deeply in community colleges, seeing them as the key to growth in "New Economy"). Under Hertzberg's Speakership, the state also spent much needed money on fixing public transportation, and Hertzberg co-sponsored the legislation creating CLEAR, an anti-gang program, which Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley called "the most successful gang prevention program in California history."^[19] (More specifics are listed immediately below).

Another success for Hertzberg was the bipartisan 2001 redistricting.^[29] In previous decades like the 1970s and 1990s, the remap process ended up in the California Supreme Court because the two parties could not reach agreement on a plan. Working closely both with the Republicans and Democratic House Leader (and now House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi, Hertzberg was able to craft a redistricting plan that passed the Assembly by 71-8 and the State Senate by 40-0.^[30] The plan maintained Democratic control of the State Legislature and generated less controversy than other plans.

In 2000, Hertzberg and his wife Cynthia Telles addressed the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles with Hertzberg speaking in English and his wife in Spanish. Later on that year, Hertzberg led the California delegation in casting California's 54 electoral votes for Al Gore in the hotly-contested election of 2000.

On the issue of international terrorism, Hertzberg has shown tremendous foresight: A full two years before September 11, 2001, Hertzberg was issuing warnings and sponsoring legislation to thwart terrorism. (See AB140 below). After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Speaker Hertzberg temporarily shut down the State Assembly and created the Bi-partisan Legislative Task Force on Terrorism to combat potential threats to California's food and water supplies.^[31]

His longest-lasting accomplishment was being the architect of a compromise that allowed numerous school bond measures to go forward. His successful negotiations with State Senator Betty Karnette (D-Long Beach) allowed the State Legislature to break a decade-long legislative logjam and place school bonds on the 1998 and 2000 ballots. In 2002, he sponsored another school bond, AB16, to place an additional $25.35 billion worth of school bonds on the ballot in November 2002 and then successfully campaigned to pass the bond.^[32] Using the framework designed by Hertzberg, California was able to pass over $70 billion in school bonds, the largest bond measures anywhere.

Legislative Accomplishments

AB206 - "Citizens' Complaint Act." (1997) Requires state agencies, with web sites, to provide a form on the web site for individuals to register complaints or comments regarding the agency's performance.^[33]

AB513 - Meth Sentence Enhancement (1997) increases criminal penalties for selling methamphetamine.^[34]

AB853 - Gang Prevention Programs (1997) establishes the Community Law Enforcement and Recovery (CLEAR) Demonstration Project to combat gangs in Los Angeles County.^[35]

AB856 - CA Witness Protection Program (1997) creates a state witness protection program run by the Attorney General.^[36]

AB880 - Elder Financial Abuse (1998) expands criminal penalties for financial abuse of the elderly and dependent populations.^[37]

AB2011 - Gun control (1998) requires that a serial number must be on a non-antique modern gun as a condition for transfer of ownership and requires law enforcement tracing of all seized guns.^[38]

AB2351 - Electronic threats (1998) adds threats made by electric communications, such as the Internet, to the list of prohibitions.^[39]

AB39 - Contraceptives (1999) Requires health care plans to pay for contraceptive services.^[40]

AB140 - Anti-Terrorism (1999) makes illegal the possession, use, manufacture, attempt or threat to use weapons of mass destruction.^[41]

AB185 - San Fernando Valley re-organization (1999) allows the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles to request a citywide vote on secession.^[42]

AB187 - Grant Information (1999) allows state agencies to make available on their web sites a list of all grants administered by that agency.^[43]

AB925 - Conservators (1999) creates a Statewide Registry for conservators and guardians.^[44]

AB1094 - Voter Registration (2000) reduces the deadline for registering to vote from 29 to 14 days before the election.^[45]

AB1391 - Forensic Laboratories (1999) authorizes the construction and remodeling of forensic laboratories.^[46]

AB1473 - Infrastructure plans (1999) requires the Governor to submit annual five-year construction spending plans.^[47]

AB1665 - Cal-OSHA Funding (1999) extends the funding for the California Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration inspection program.^[48]

AB1717 - Gun Control (2000) requires the Department of Justice to evaluate ballistic identification systems and report back to the Legislature.^[49]

ACR181 - California History Month (2000) designates September as "California History Month.^[50]

AB16 - Education Bonds (2002) authorized spending of $25.35 billion in education bond funds.^[51]

AB56 - Voting Modernization Bonds (2001) authorizes a $200 million bond to update and repair California's voting equipment.^[52]

AB423 - Farm Labor Contracts (2001) enhances enforcement of farm labor contracts and the payment of back wages owed.^[53]

AB669 - State Non-emergency phone number (2001) authorizes local public agencies to establish a "311" non-emergency phone number.^[54]

AB865 - Credit Cards (2001) requires credit card companies to detail the time and cost of paying off credit card debts by only making the monthly minimum payments.^[55]

AB935 - Public Interest Attorneys (2001) helps lawyers who work in the public interest or indigent defendant field to pay off their student loans.^[56]

AB1657 - LA County Healthcare (2001) requires the State Auditor to evaluate the financial capacity of the LA County Department of Health Services to meet its responsibilities.^[57]

AB1781 - Instructional materials funding (2002) provides funding for school districts to purchase instructional materials.^[58]

AB1838 - Terrorism - W.M.D. (2002) makes use of weapons of mass destruction murder in the first degree and a capital crime.^[59]

AB2321 - Court claims (2002) creates rules for personal injury claims against California State and local courts.^[60]

AB2717 - Water Desalination (2002) requires the Department of Water Resources to report to the Legislature by 2004 on the possibility of seawater desalination in California.^[61]

Personal style

Extremely warm and outgoing, Hertzberg has been given the nicknames "Huggy" and "Hugsberg" for his habit of offering embraces to colleagues, employees, voters and even opponents.^[1][62] Staffers also know to be on call whenever the Speaker would get a new idea. Republican consultant Tony Quinn described Hertzberg as the "Energizer Bunny with a 150 I.Q. -- always willing to discuss policy."^{[citation needed]}

Legacy as Speaker

With Republican Assemblyman Bill Leonard, Hertzberg worked to create the Capitol Institute to train new legislators and employees in state ethics rules and computer systems. After his tenure as Speaker ended, the Legislature under successor Speaker Herb Wesson named the Capitol Institute after Hertzberg.^[63][64] Hertzberg also created the Speaker's Office of International Relations and Protocol, a forward-thinking move in light of the "globalization" economic trends and the fact that if California were a separate nation, it would be among the world's 10 largest economies. ^[65] The non-partisan magazine California Journal, gave Hertzberg high marks for working hard, being intelligent, having high ethical standards and for being a successful coalition-builder.^[25]

Criticism of Bob Hertzberg

Veteran Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton said of Hertzberg’s tenure as Speaker: “Reviews are mixed.  Hertzberg is an intense bundle of energy, an all-night negotiator, an affable, incessant hugger.  But critics contend there’s often more motion than forward movement.”  ^[66]  However, Skelton noted Hertzberg’s string of legislative accomplishments and ended the column with “Hertzberg cared.  He tried.  And he’s leaving the house in better shape than he found it.” ^[66]  In the non-partisan California Journal, Sherry Jeffe criticized what she called Hertzberg’s “micro-management” and giving Republican “porky bribes” to ensure passage of the budget.  She also complained that he was “rolled on redistricting by Senate pro tem John Burton” and commented that “the low point for this speaker – with his penchant for organization, structure and fastidious to detail – came the last night of the 2000 legislative session when, argued one Capitol insider, ‘as a result of disorganization, a great number of bills which would have been enacted fell through the cracks.”^[67]  Conservative Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Walters said Hertzberg’s promise of legislative oversight of the executive branch “faded, particularly when the subjects were the energy crisis and the performance of his fellow Democrat, Governor Gray Davis.”^[68] 

Private law practice and alternative energy ventures, 2002 to current

After retiring from the State Assembly in 2002, Hertzberg joined Mayer Brown LLP, formerly Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, the nation's 6th largest law firm as a full partner. At the firm, Hertzberg has specialized in government affairs, providing strategic advice to companies doing business in California and nationally. He has been particularly interested in the fields of the environment, climate-change, energy, water and Indian related issues, as well as the telecom and real estate industries. ^[2]

Besides his law practice, Hertzberg has also been very active in the alternative energy business, founding Solar Integrated Technology in 2002, Renewable Capital in 2006 and co-founding G24 Innovations Limited in 2006. (See introduction above).

2005 Campaign for Mayor

Assemblyman Hertzberg retired from the Assembly in 2002. At the time, he said he had no plans to run for any other office, expressing a desire to "take care of my kids."^[69]

But a steady series of fundraising scandals where members of Mayor James Hahn's Administration were investigated by a grand jury for allegedly awarding city contracts to campaign contributors^[70] and the general drift of Hahn (some critics called him "Mayor Yawn") created an opening. In a LA Times poll, only 48% of voters considered Hahn honest.^[71]

Antonio Villaraigosa, who lost a tough race to Mayor Hahn in 2001, had been elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2003 while promising not to run for mayor, something he quickly reconsidered when Hahn proved vulnerable. Bernard Parks, the African-American City Councilman who had been dumped as Police Chief by Hahn and State Senator Richard Alarcon also jumped in, as did a number of minor candidates. Hertzberg's allies convinced him to run, and in 2004, he started a web site ChangeLA.Com to promote his candidacy.

Hertzberg advocated a "boroughs" system to make city government smaller, more efficient and more accountable to the grassroots, plus giving the Mayor's office more power, especially over the school system. He also opposed raising taxes, while favoring synchronizing traffic lights to ease congestion. Hertzberg's campaign platform consisted of four main planks:

• Break up the Los Angeles Unified School District to make it smaller, more responsive and more efficient. (Hertzberg called the District's 50% dropout rate the biggest threat to the city's future).
• A "Commuters' Bill of Rights" to help ease traffic woes.
• Using 25% of new revenue to hire at least 500 more police officers.
• Using revenue bond money to build "green" infrastructure immediately.

^[70]

He told the LA Times that it was more than ambition that caused him to run, but a sense of duty as well:

"Could I go out and make a ton of money in my businesses and law firm? Sure. But when I'm 70 years old, I look in the mirror and I watched this place crumble and knew I could have done something about it. I just couldn't let that happen. Believe me, otherwise I wouldn't have done it. The sacrifices to me and to my family are extraordinary."^[22]

Over half of LA city voters did not know much about Bob Hertzberg.^[71] To boost his public standing, Hertzberg launched a TV campaign that featured a giant image of him towering over a city full of problems.^[72] He also unveiled an endorsement from former Mayor Richard Riordan.^[73] The LA Times expressed a preference for a Villaraigosa-Hertzberg run-off^[70], while the Los Angeles Daily News endorsed Hertzberg. ^[19] The African-American newspaper, The Los Angeles Sentinel, also endorsed Hertzberg, the first time they had ever endorsed a white candidate against a serious black candidate. Hertzberg efforts paid off as a second LA Times poll found the primary too close to call.^[74] Meanwhile, Hahn's supporters fought back with a hardball negative campaign through the mail.^[75]

On March 8, 2005, the primary election results^[17] for Mayor for the top six were as follows:

1. Antonio Villaraigosa: 33%
2. James K. Hahn: 23%
3. Bob Hertzberg: 22%
4. Bernard C. Parks: 13%
5. Richard Alarcon: 3%
6. Walter Moore: 2.7%
7. Others: 1.4%

Analysis by the LA Times showed that Hertzberg ran best in the San Fernando Valley and West LA, among white middle class voters and Jews. Hertzberg also won twice as many precincts as Hahn, but fell short when Hahn's negative ads decreased his support in the Valley.^[76] A lead editorial after the election in the LA Times, "Paging Bob Hertzberg," claimed a debate between Hahn and Villaraigosa made them "miss Bob Hertzberg and his outsized ideas."^[77]

After just missing the run-off, Hertzberg strongly endorsed the eventual winner Villaraigosa, helping the first Latino Mayor immensely in the San Fernando Valley, plus the Jewish and business communities where Hertzberg had run particularly strong in the primary.^[78] Villaraigosa ended up winning the run-off by 59-41%.

Dan Weinstein served as finance chair for Hertzberg's mayoral run.^[79] Weinstein's firm, the Wetherly Capital Group, has been implicated in the ongoing placement agent scandal.^[80]

Political advisory roles

Since Arnold Schwarzenegger's election as California Governor in the 2003 recall election, Hertzberg has served as both a formal and informal advisor to the "Governator." In 2003, Schwarzenegger appointed him to his Transition Committee and Hertzberg helped guide the passage of the new Governor's "Economic Recovery Package" through the Legislature that allowed the state to weather the financial crisis of 2003-04. According to The People's Machine by Joe Matthews, Schwarzenegger then offered Hertzberg the position of Chief of Staff, nicknaming him "Hertzie." ^[81] Hertzberg chose to stay in the private sector, but did advise Arnold to "build a thoroughly bipartisan government." Hertzberg wrote in the LA Daily News that his advice was: "Take the initiative to go and meet with members of the Legislature, Democrats and Republicans alike. Sit in their offices, meet with them as human beings, and learn to work with them."^[81]

After finishing a close third in the 2005 Mayoral Election, Hertzberg also served as the Chair of Mayor-elect Villaraigosa's Transition Team.^[19]

Civic affairs/public policy activism

Hertzberg has stayed involved in policy debates and formulation through his service on numerous boards of public policy committees and several universities,^[19] including:

• Board Member, Town Hall Los Angeles^[2]
• Member, USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Board on History and Culture
• Fellow, USC Keston Institute for Infrastructure
• USC School of Public Policy, Board of Counselors^[82]
• Board of Visitors for Pepperdine School of Public Policy, Member^[19]
• Robert M. Hertzberg Library and Learning Center at Los Angeles Valley College, Chairman of the Board
• California Historical Society, Trustee to 2007
• National Speaker's Conference, Honorary Member, Executive Committee
• Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA), Board of Directors to 2007^[19]
• Board Member, Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College^[83]
• Century Housing Corporation, Board of Directors, 2003-2008^[84]
• Member, Executive Committee, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
• Member, Council on Foreign Relations^[85]
• Center for Governmental Studies, Board Member
• Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), Board Member to 2008^[19]
• Southern California Leadership Council, Board Member
• California Center For Regional Leadership, Board Member^[19]
• Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, Chairman 2004, Executive Committee 2005 to date.^[86]
• Los Angeles World Affairs Council, appointed Board Member in 2008.^[87]
• California Forward, Leadership Council co-chair

Personal life

Hertzberg is married to Dr. Cynthia Telles, faculty member at the UCLA School of Medicine and a member of the Board of Directors of Kaiser Permanente. Dr. Telles is the daughter of Raymond Telles, the former Mayor of El Paso, Texas and American Ambassador to Costa Rica under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.^[88] They live in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles with their three children Raymond, David and Daniel. David attends the Juilliard School in New York City.^[19]

Political vision/ideals

Hertzberg calls himself a "New Democrat" in the mold of Bill Clinton, who is both pro-business and pro-labor.^[89] He told the Los Angeles Business Journal that education is the key to the future and "we're trying to pave the way for what's coming next in California; intellectual property, not low-wage jobs."^[64] And Hertzberg told the Speaker's Commission on Regional Government: ""The winners in the New Economy will be the regions that learn to work together to relieve traffic congestion, build affordable housing, preserve open space and promote economic development. If government is going to be effective in this new age, it is going to have to start thinking regionally. This Commission is an important first step."^[86]

When he was running for Mayor, Hertzberg told the LA Weekly: "Get it done or get the heck out of the way is my philosophy. I start out as a holistic thinker. I'm the big picture, holistic thinker... It really boils down to the issue of getting the work done. I am sick and tired of the noise. Sick and tired of the empty promises."^[90]

External links

• Official website
• G24 Innovations

References

Political offices
Preceded by Barbara Friedman	California State Assemblyman, 40th District 1996–2002	Succeeded by Lloyd Levine
Preceded by Antonio Villaraigosa	Speaker of the California State Assembly April 13, 2000-February 6, 2002	Succeeded by Herb Wesson

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