Legislators Build Large Campaign Chests : Fund Raising Called Reflection of Valley’s Political Muscle as Few Face Stiff Challenges

Few of the San Fernando Valley area’s state legislators face the prospect of stiff reelection challenges in 1986, but that has not stopped several of them from amassing some of the largest campaign war chests in the Legislature.

Reflecting what one legislator called the Valley’s increased political muscle in Sacramento, Valley politicians are top fund-raisers in both the Assembly and the Senate, says a report by the state Fair Political Practices Commission.

Valley legislators were the recipients of large donations from individuals who traditionally contribute to campaigns and from corporations and special-interest groups lobbying for bills before the Legislature.

The FPPC report covered contributions received during the first half of 1985.

Excluding the leaders in both houses, Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) and Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles), four of the top five fund-raisers represent the Valley.

Typical Donation Leaders

The Speaker and president pro tem usually lead all others in fund raising, because they retain their powerful posts in part by collecting money to be distributed to other party members.

With $476,331 collected, Assemblyman Gray Davis (D-Los Angeles), whose district includes the contribution-rich Westside and parts of the Valley, led all non-leadership legislators.

Assemblyman Tom Bane (D-Tarzana) collected $296,973, making him the second-ranked fund-raiser.

Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Van Nuys) was third in the Legislature with $261,433, and Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara), whose district includes parts of the West Valley and Ventura County, was fifth with $235,912.

Robbins said the ability of Valley legislators to raise more funds than their counterparts elsewhere in the state “is another bit of evidence that the Valley’s political muscle has grown a lot in recent years. Valley legislators have moved up the ladder in some cases, and there is a growing Valley contributor base.”

When legislative committee chairmanships were handed out in January, several Valley legislators were given the top posts on key committees. Chairmen, especially those on committees that handle such industries as banking, insurance and retailing, often receive large contributions from corporations doing business in the state.

Davis and Bane, who have solidly Democratic districts, have faced only token opposition.

As a result, both have played Santa Claus to fellow Democrats facing difficult reelection campaigns, making gifts of up to $10,000 to individual candidates.

Political observers say that, since the recipient feels indebted to the benefactor, the gifts of money usually increase a legislator’s influence in Sacramento.

Bane, who sits on the powerful Rules Committee, has long been a recipient of contributions from the banking industry, on whose behalf he introduces many bills.

Report by Private Firm

Legi-Tech, a private firm that tracks information on campaign contributions, reports that banks and savings-and-loan institutions were responsible for 20% of the $985,168 contributed to Bane from 1981 to 1984.

Bane, who is vacationing in the Orient, was not available for comment on the latest contribution reports.

However, in an interview last October, the eight-term Democrat asserted that he introduces bills for the banking industry because such legislation eventually benefits home buyers.

“Savings and loans really figured me a champion of theirs. Really I’m a champion of housing,” the 71-year-old Bane said.

Davis, who once served as chief of staff to former Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr., received large contributions from individuals living in his affluent district and from corporations.

Two officials of the Great American Bank, headquartered in Beverly Hills, each gave him $3,500.

He also received contributions of $3,500 each from the California Peanut Co., North America Credit Assn., Ralphs Grocery Co. and Pioneer Take-Out Corp.

The billboard industry also gave Davis $2,000.

Davis did not return a reporter’s telephone calls to his Tarzana office.

Of the two well-bankrolled area senators, Hart earlier this year had been collecting funds to finance a run for the Democratic nomination for governor. However, with Los Angeles’ Democratic Mayor Tom Bradley expected to seek a rematch against Gov. George Deukmejian next year, Hart in May abandoned his plans to run.

Hart was not available for comment this week on his fund raising.

Robbins, who also represents an overwhelmingly Democratic district, said he nonetheless “has been working very hard this year on fund raising for next year’s campaign.”

The last time Robbins was up for re-election, in 1982, he was vigorously challenged by Republican Elton (Skip) Michael. The senator was believed to have been weakened politically by a series of scandals, most notably a charge of having illegal sex with minors, of which he was acquitted in 1981.

Republicans, sensing opportunity, poured money into Michael’s campaign, but Robbins won with 54% of the vote.

Having survived a GOP blitz when he was most vulnerable, Robbins is no longer considered to be on politically shaky ground.

Keeping His Money

That doesn’t mean he is going to share his campaign funds with others, however. If he isn’t forced to spend it next year, he’ll save it for subsequent races, he said.

Robbins, one of the more conservative Democrats in the Legislature, said that, even if unchallenged in 1986, he will not give away surplus funds to his party colleagues because: “Many of my contributors are Valley businessmen and are Republicans. While they support me, they would be unhappy if I were to turn around and give their money to other Democrats.”

During the first half of this year, Robbins received contributions of $2,000 each from Sony Corp. of America, Community Dental Services, Loan Guarantee Insurance Agency of Irvine, the law firm of Howard, Mund, Chizever & Ring, and Mercury Casualty Co. Area legislators (in bold) occupy four of the top five positions on the list of campaign contributions raised during this non-election year (Jan. 1-July 1). Rank is for totals raised among all legislators, except for the Assembly Speaker and president pro tem. 1- Gray Davis--Assembly (D-Los Angeles): $476,331 2- Tom Bane--Assembly (D-Tarzana): $296,973 3- Alan Robbins--Senate (D-Van Nuys): $261,433 4- Richard Alatorre--Assembly (D-Los Angeles): $257,050 5- Gary K. Hart--Senate (D-Santa Barbara): $235,912