The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 723

Sunday. March 13. 1988 Part IX Cable Firm, Santa Monica Reach Accord on Franchise pr" -7 "pi T-fW i I 1 'c "Veil ,1,..,.,, Y1 I teiiit By ROSANNE KEYNAN, Times Staff Writer Century Southwest Cable Television has reached an agreement in principle with the City of Santa Monica on the terms of a franchise, and lawyers soon will begin drafting a formal agreement, according to the firm's vice president, William J. Rosendahl. Santa Monica Assistant City Manager Lynne Barrette confirmed that an oral agreement on all substantive issues had been reached.

Neither Century which has been accused by two Westside cities of franchise violations nor Santa Monica officials would disclose terms of the agreement, which is subject to approval by the City Council. Council Not Told Barrette said the council had not been informed of the content of the agreement. "We decided it would be better to have a full public hearing when we have a specifically worded franchise agreement," she said last week. "That way we can avoid any misunderstandings that might occur between the intent and purpose of some of the negotiated points and how it ends up in a legal document. "I'm sure City Council members will want to have input," she said.

The council last week postponed discussion of the matter until June 15, when a draft franchise agreement is to be presented. Consumer Complaints Century has been operating Santa Monica's cable system without a contract since September, 1986, when the city terminated the firm's franchise over what it considered a legal breach: The city had not granted approval of a transfer of stock to Century from the previous franchise holder, Group a subsidiary of Westinghouse Electric Corp. The council now is concerned about widespread consumer complaints against Century Cable and about allegations that the company has violated franchise agreements in West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Last week, the West Hollywood City Council unanimously called for a public hearing on March 28, during which Century will be asked to show why its franchise should Please see CABLE, Page 10 Tina Brosius belts out a song. At right, she and her mother, Beverly Hill, wait for an audition.

ttA MM D(D)i Groomed for Spotlight by Her Mother, 4-Year-01d Tries for a Shot at Stardom By KENNETH J. GARCIA, Times Staff Writer Broadway Baby, Learning how to sing and dance Waiting for that one big chance Tobeinashow Stephen Sondheim She can pose on cue and hold a fixed smile until the last camera flash pops. With a little prompting, she will belt out a Broadway tune, whether she's in a parking lot or charming judges at a beauty pageant. But after frequent sessions with her voice coach, the two-hour ride to her personal dressmaker three times a week and the regular evening auditions for commercials and television series roles, Tina Elizabeth Brosius is tired. It's the price a princess must pay if she expects one day to be crowned queen.

Even if, like Tina, she is only 4 years old. Tina is being bred for stardom. But unlike thousands of other children in Los Angeles who have been groomed for the spotlight, Tina may actually be cast into it. Her life is filled with agents, managers and producers. When other girls are watching the "Smurfs," she is singing "Broadway Baby" in the back of her mother's car.

She often works longer days than career-climbing adults, and she must be ready to smile, sneeze or stomp her feet for strangers. The marketing of Tina Brosius began in earnest two years ago, but it started to peak in December, when she received a full-page feature in the National Enquirer. Since then, her life has been a non-stop series of photo opportunities, most of them arranged by her mother Beverly Hill of Beverly Hills. "It's a lot of pressure to put on a little girl, but I'd really like for her to follow in Shirley Temple's footsteps," says Hill, who serves as Tina's publicist, coach and constant companion. "Of course, I'd like for her to have a television series and I'd love to have her on the cover of People magazine.

"But I also want her to be a normal little girl in an abnormal situation. I'd just also like to see her as a Please see DOLL, Page 4 Hearing Monday Santa Monica Faces Rent Control Test By TRACY WILKINSON, Times Staff Writer If her house had been built one block east in Los Angeles instead of Santa Monica 90-year-old Lena Schnuck would not now find herself at the heart of a legal battle between landlords and the keepers of Santa Monica's strict rent control law. Schnuck's case has become the vehicle for a group of landlords seeking to overturn Santa Monica's rent law in federal court. The organization hopes the case will be ammunition for a broader nationwide legal assault on rent control. The opening hearing is scheduled Monday in U.S.

District Court. Schnuck's lawyers are demanding a jury trial. Eviction at Issue Schnuck, who owns an eight-unit apartment house on Franklin Street, contends in her lawsuit against Santa Monica that the city's rent control law prevents her from evicting a tenant, depriving her of "significant property rights." Echoing arguments that have been used in recent U.S. Supreme Court cases, the suit alleges that rent control constitutes a "taking" of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment, which says private property cannot be taken for public use without just compensation. "This is something we've wanted to do since the start of rent control: Get a strong federal case that challenges most aspects of rent control," said K.B.

Huff, chairman of the board of the Foundation for the Defense of Free Enterprise, the year-old organization that is sponsoring the Schnuck suit. Please see RENT, Page 5 7 1" Tina chooses crown for appearance on David Letterman' show. She's won more than 300 awards in beauty pageants. CASSY COHEN Los Angeles Times.