Ernani Bernardi
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Ernani Bernardi — also known as Noni Bernardi and Nani Bernardi — (October 29, 1911 – January 4, 2006) was a
big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...
musician and politician. Bernardi served on the
Los Angeles City Council The Los Angeles City Council is the legislative body of the City of Los Angeles in California. The council is composed of 15 members elected from single-member districts for four-year terms. The president of the council and the president pro tem ...
from 1961 to 1993, representing 7th district and becoming the second longest-serving council member in the history of the city. Prior to entering politics, Bernardi was the musical arranger for two of the mid-20th century's most popular dance melodies.


Early and personal life

Bernardi was born on October 29, 1911Los Angeles Public Library reference file
/ref> above a grocery store his family owned in Standard, Illinois, the son of musician Alfonso Bernardi and Nerina Biagini. His parents were immigrants who came to America by way of
Ellis Island Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, that was the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 mil ...
, from a small town in the province of Modena in the
Emilia Romagna Emilia-Romagna (, , both also ; ; egl, Emégglia-Rumâgna or ''Emîlia-Rumâgna''; rgn, Emélia-Rumâgna) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy, administrative regions of Italy, situated in the north of the country, comprising the historical regions ...
. His mother died in childbirth, and he was raised by his father, two grandmothers, an aunt and an uncle. When he was eleven, he was moved to the nearby town of Toluca, Illinois, where he later played varsity basketball.Richard Simon, "Bernardi's Iconoclasm Brings Acclaim, Enmity," ''Los Angeles Times,'' San Fernando Valley edition, April 3, 1989
/ref>Rick Orlov, "Valley's Ardent Fighter, 94, Dies," ''Los Angeles Daily News"
Political-Graveyard; accessed February 15, 2018.
Bernardi attended the
University of Detroit The University of Detroit Mercy is a private Roman Catholic university in Detroit, Michigan. It is sponsored by both the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy. The university was founded in 1877 and is the largest Catholic univers ...
, where he planned to study journalism and become a sportscaster. He was playing
saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...
in a dance band at Detroit's
Graystone Ballroom The Graystone Ballroom was a dance hall located at 4237 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Billed as "Detroit's Million Dollar Ballroom", it opened its doors on March 7, 1922 with a floorplan designed to hold 3,000 people, making ...
when he met Lucille May Sawasky of
Port Arthur, Ontario Port Arthur was a city in Northern Ontario, Canada, located on Lake Superior. In January 1970, it amalgamated with Fort William and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay. Port Arthur had been the district seat o ...
. They were married in 1933 and lived in Detroit briefly before moving to New York. The couple had four children, Joanne Marie Roots, Judith Ann, John Paul and (Ernani) James. They settled in Los Angeles in 1939 or 1940, and Bernardi began his second career as a contractor, building custom homes. After their children were grown, Lucille Bernardi went to work in the county probation department as a records clerk. When older, she suffered from Alzheimer's disease, and Bernardi, by then a City Council member, would bring her to work with him from their home in Van Nuys to watch television in his office.Jack Cheevers, "Lucille Bernardi Dies"
''Los Angeles Times'', October 13, 1993.
She died in 1993. Ernani Bernardi remarried in November 2001 to Eve Troutman. Bernardi was described at age 74 in 1985 as "crusty, . . . short, bald and bespectacled," and four years later he was said to have "a puckish sense of humor." As he aged, his hearing deteriorated, and he wore special headphones at council meetings so he could hear what was going on.Richard Simon, "Bernardi Continues His Long Solo in City Politics," ''Los Angeles Times,'' March 22, 1993
/ref> Even at age 86, he had "a booming voice and aggressive style." He died of heart failure at the age of 94 on January 4, 2006.


Musical career

Bernardi's father, Alfonso, was a music teacher who taught his son how to play the saxophone. Ernani went on to become a musician, performing under the pseudonym Noni Bernardi as lead alto sax for several of big bands of the era such as those of Benny Goodman,
Tommy Dorsey Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombo ...
and
Kay Kyser James Kern Kyser (June 18, 1905 – July 23, 1985), known as Kay Kyser, was an American bandleader and radio personality of the 1930s and 1940s. Early years James Kern Kyser was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, the son of pharmacists Emily ...
. He was known for his arrangements of Goodman's "
And the Angels Sing ''And the Angels Sing'' is a 1944 musical film directed by George Marshall and starring Dorothy Lamour, Fred MacMurray, and Betty Hutton. Released by Paramount Pictures, it is a classic example of a film written to capitalize on the title of a p ...
" and Dorsey's "
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" is a song recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra. The words were written by Ned Washington and the music was written by George Bassman. It was first performed in 1932. The original copyright is dated 1933 ...
."Richard Simon, "Bernardi Feted for 25 Years as City 'Naysayer,' " ''Los Angeles Times,'' May 31, 1986, page 6
/ref> Bernardi moved to California in 1940 to perform with ''
Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge ''Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge'' is an American old-time radio musical quiz program starring Kay Kyser. It was broadcast on Mutual, NBC, and ABC beginning on February 1, 1938, and ending on July 29, 1949. Background In the latter h ...
''. His musical prowess was acknowledged in 1994, when at age 82 he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ironically, as the ''Los Angeles Times'' pointed out, his star—and those of 29 other musicians and actors—was funded by the city's Community
Redevelopment Redevelopment is any new construction on a site that has pre-existing uses. It represents a process of land development uses to revitalize the physical, economic and social fabric of urban space. Description Variations on redevelopment include: ...
Agency, an organization that Bernardi had been fighting with for years. The tribute is in the 7000 block of Hollywood Boulevard. The ex-councilman continued playing the sax well into his eighties. In 2000 he was a regular at age 88 with his band booked, among other places, at a retro
big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...
restaurant called Leon's Steak House in
North Hollywood North Hollywood is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, located in the San Fernando Valley. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, the El Portal Theatre, several art galleries, and the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The North ...
. The ''Times'' reported:
When this guy takes his spot in front of a 16-piece ensemble of blaring trumpets and gleaming saxes—The Way It Was Orchestra, as he calls it—his frail arms start pumping, his toes tap and his body begins to radiate a vigor that energizes the old musicians like swigs from a fountain of youth. . . . nothing stirs the diminutive Bernardi—he's about 5 foot 3, a little over 100 pounds—like his music.Jeffrey Gettleman, "In This Joint, House Special Is Yesteryear," ''Los Angeles Times,'' February 19, 2000
/ref>


Los Angeles City Council (1961–1993)


Elections

''See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns, 1957 and after.'' By 1957 a contractor in the San Fernando Valley, Bernardi ran for the
Los Angeles City Council District 7 Los Angeles City Council District 7 is one of the 15 districts of the Los Angeles City Council. It covers much of the northeastern San Fernando Valley. On May 16, 2017, Monica Rodriguez was elected to fill the open seat following the resignation ...
seat that year but finished third in the primary election, after
James C. Corman James Charles Corman (October 20, 1920 – December 30, 2000) was an American politician who served as a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1957 to 1961 and as a member of the United States House of Representatives between 1961 and 1981. ...
, the eventual victor, and Kay Bogendorfer. When Corman was elected to Congress, Bernardi ran again in 1961 and was elected. He served eight terms until retiring in 1993. In 1961, District 7 covered Van Nuys, Sepulveda, Granada Hills and Sylmar, and in 1986 it covered
Panorama City Panorama City is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, in the San Fernando Valley. It has a generally young age range as well as the highest population density in the Valley. Ethnically, more than half of its population was born a ...
, part of Sun Valley and Sylmar. For most of his early terms in office, Bernardi represented a "predominantly white working-class district in the mid-San Fernando Valley." His backers included many Valley tax opponents who were behind the successful passage of California's
Proposition 13 Proposition 13 (officially named the People's Initiative to Limit Property Taxation) is an amendment of the Constitution of California enacted during 1978, by means of the initiative process. The initiative was approved by California voters on J ...
anti-tax measure. In 1986, a 12-vote majority of the City Council moved Bernardi's 7th District to a "largely new" part of the Valley for him, the northeast area, which contained more minorities than his former territory. One "City Hall lobbyist" opined that the measure in some way was a payback for Bernardi's public criticism of his colleagues. Yet he was reelected in 1989 by 55% to 45% over Fire Captain Lyle Hall, "who had more money, a more sophisticated mail campaign and labor unions' support that translated into scores of ready volunteers." Bernardi also picked up support from Latino leaders in his new district. By the time Bernardi retired in 1993, the 7th District was 70 percent Latino and 19 percent African-American, encompassing one of Los Angeles's poorest areas. Registered voters were 39 percent Anglo, 30 percent Latino and 19 percent African-American.Scott Harris, "Last Press Release of the Anti-Politician," ''Los Angeles Times,'' July 4, 1993
/ref> His tenure of 32 years has been surpassed only by the 35 years of Council Member John Ferraro.


Tenure

Bernardi was nicknamed "Mr. No" because of his opposition to city spending,John Schwada, "Bernardi Announces Bid for Mayor," ''Los Angeles Times,'' January 15, 1993
/ref> and he was known as the City Council's " gadfly" because of his "pesky pursuit of lost causes," but in 1985 he was successful in forcing the City Council to put a tough campaign-reform law on the April ballot after he circulated petitions that would have required a vote on an even tougher law. He did this by "enlisting the support of the League of Women Voters and a ragtag group made up mostly of retirees to qualify an initiative for the ballot." Bernardi listed his campaign-reform success as among his most satisfying achievements, as well as an ordinance requiring all residential developments of five or more units to set aside at least 15 percent of the units for low and moderate-income families. He also supported rent control. He led successful campaigns for
city charter A city charter or town charter (generically, municipal charter) is a legal document ('' charter'') establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the Middle Ages. Traditionally the granting of a charte ...
amendments that limited police and firefighter pensions and that did away with a requirement that the city pay comparable wages to those of private industry. "I think he reflects a philosophy of misery" because of his efforts to cut allocations for human services, fellow Councilman David S. Cunningham, Jr. said.Richard Simon, "Council's Gadfly Relentlessly Pursues Lost Causes But Reform Measure Gives Him His Day in the Sun," ''Los Angeles Times,'' February 17, 1985, page 1
/ref> The ''Los Angeles Times'' added:
Yet, there is a compassionate side to Bernardi. After visiting Tent City, a shelter for the homeless set up across from City Hall during the 1984 Christmas season, Bernardi returned to his office and began calling food stores and restaurants to solicit food donations. When a grocery store donated a box of uncooked beans, Bernardi opened up the City Hall kitchen and cooked the beans himself.
He was seen as a "loner" on the 15-member City Council, lacking the spirit of compromise, thus limiting his political effect, yet longtime council president John S. Gibson, Jr. praised him for probably saving the city "millions of dollars over the years with his questioning." In a ceremony marking his 25th anniversary on the council, he was presented with the "no" voting button from his desk, "which Councilman John Ferraro quipped was 'worn out' from overuse." In 1987 he voted against supporting a Los Angeles Festival of Arts with money and services because it was "chintzy" for a $5.8 million festival to ask for help. He was joined by Council Members
Gloria Molina Jesus Gloria Molina (born May 31, 1948) is an American politician and a former member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Molina broke into politics in 1982 by going agai ...
and Nate Holden, who said not enough minority artists were represented. In 1988 Bernardi provided $70,000 from his $641,978-a-year office budget for police task forces to combat burglaries and drug trafficking in his district, and, even though he supported a lobbying group called FAIR, "devoted to using the harshest possible measures to reduce illegal immigration," he helped establish a hiring hall to get immigrant workers off the street. Critics claimed that "as an aging white man," he lacked "modern-day sensitivity" when, in August 1991, he called African-American Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas "Curly" during an "emotionally charged discussion of racism." Ridley-Thomas rebuked Bernardi for the "condescending and racist" remark, and Bernardi apologized. In his last years on the council, he continued casting "no" votes: against building the Metro Rail subway, against establishing a downtown redevelopment project, against declaring Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a city holiday. He said he didn't mind recognizing the civil rights leader, but did not want to give city workers another day off. One of his final campaigns was against the practice of the City Council drawing its own district boundaries. He urged that instead the boundaries should be set by a special commission of retired Municipal Court judges. In a related comment, on his last day in office he issued a press release applauding the U.S. Supreme Court in its ''
Shaw v. Reno ''Shaw v. Reno'', 509 U.S. 630 (1993), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in the area of redistricting and racial gerrymandering. After the 1990 census, North Carolina qualified to have a 12th district and drew it in a distinct snak ...
'' decision invalidating the drawing of a serpentine-shaped Congressional district whose parts seemed to have nothing to do with each other than the fact they were inhabited mostly by black people.


Later life


1993 Los Angeles mayoral campaign

Bernardi ran for mayor of Los Angeles while he was in his last few months on the City Council in
1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peacefu ...
, saying that the other candidates failed to address issues that were important to him—mostly slashing the size and cost of government. He ran a low-budget, no-frills campaign, and in the end received just 1 percent of the citywide vote.


Other activities

In 1994 Bernardi sued the city of Los Angeles and its
redevelopment agency A redevelopment agency is a government body dedicated to urban renewal. Typically it is a municipal level city department focused on a particular district or corridor that has become neglected or blighted (a community redevelopment agency or CRA) ...
, alleging that the agency violated the state's
open meetings law Open or OPEN may refer to: Music * Open (band), Australian pop/rock band * The Open (band), English indie rock band * ''Open'' (Blues Image album), 1969 * ''Open'' (Gotthard album), 1999 * ''Open'' (Cowboy Junkies album), 2001 * ''Open'' (YF ...
when it was considering plans for Downtown Los Angeles. He helped finance the costs of his lawsuit by selling a
videocassette Videotape is magnetic tape used for storing video and usually sound in addition. Information stored can be in the form of either an analog or digital signal. Videotape is used in both video tape recorders (VTRs) and, more commonly, videocasset ...
of several big bands performing his favorite tunes. Eventually, appellate courts and the state supreme court ruled in favor of Bernardi in the main thrust of his claim, which effectively set a cap on the amount of money the agency could spend on the project. In the 1990s he spoke against the idea of establishing neighborhood councils as part of a proposed
city charter A city charter or town charter (generically, municipal charter) is a legal document ('' charter'') establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the Middle Ages. Traditionally the granting of a charte ...
reform process.Efrain Hernandez Jr., ''Los Angeles Times,'' March 13, 1998
/ref> In 1999, City Council President John Ferraro appointed Bernardi to a committee to oversee the spending of $744 million in bond funds for police and fire stations.Patrick McGreevey, "Bernardi Is Top Choice to Oversee Bond Funds," ''Los Angeles Times,'' April 10, 1999
/ref>


References


Further reading


Ernani Bernardi, ex-councilman was 94
''LAObserved'', 2006-01-05 {{DEFAULTSORT:Bernardi, Ernani 1911 births 2006 deaths American politicians of Italian descent Musicians from Illinois Los Angeles City Council members People from Putnam County, Illinois Benny Goodman Orchestra members University of Detroit Mercy alumni American male saxophonists 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American saxophonists 20th-century American male musicians