Gallegly Studies, Relaxes as He Prepares to Win 21st District Seat

Elton Gallegly is driving a rental car because his own cars are broken down. The air conditioner on the roof of his campaign headquarters is on the fritz. And his wife has a long list of things that he must fix at home.

Relishing the thought of his first free moments in months, Gallegly plans to get his house in order. What he does after that will be of interest not only to his wife, but to the other half a million people who live in the 21st Congressional District.

During the next few months, Gallegly plans to begin grooming himself to become the area’s next congressman. After winning the bitterly fought GOP congressional primary last week, Gallegly is heavily favored to win the November general election in the overwhelmingly Republican district.

In Tuesday’s primary, the total Republican vote was 66,591, with 33,441 votes for Gallegly. Of the total Democratic vote of 34,990, primary winner Gilbert R. Saldana received 10,117 votes.

Because Gallegly will most likely be the district’s next representative, The Times asked the Simi Valley mayor to talk about his preparations for the job and what he would like to accomplish on Capitol Hill. He also was asked to discuss his positions on key national issues that lawmakers are grappling with in Washington.

Specifies Reading Material

In cramming for his new career, Gallegly said he will be reading as much about work in Washington as possible. He also said he hopes to become acquainted this summer with the GOP congressmen in the California delegation and use them as tutors.

“I certainly do not want to spend the first two years just becoming oriented with Washington, D.C. I hope to do a great deal of that in the next few months,” he said.

The staunch conservative said two GOP congressmen, Robert K. Dornan of Garden Grove and Robert J. Lagomarsino of Ojai, already have been helpful. Gallegly called Dornan, who is considered by many to be a colorful zealot, a “very effective” lawmaker.

Gallegly also admires Lagomarsino. In fact, when he was asked which congressman he would like to emulate, the mayor mentioned the low-profile lawmaker.

“I’m particularly impressed by Bob Lagomarsino’s knowledge of Central America,” Gallegly said. “He really has a grasp for what communism is doing there, what’s going on in Central America.”

‘Working With People’

Asked to envision the sort of lawmaker he will be, Gallegly replied, “I think my style will be very similar to the style that I’ve had throughout my life. Working with people, gaining their confidence and being thorough and methodical in addressing the issues--and having the ability to establish good working relationships with all the members in the House. I think it’s important you establish that relationship. You don’t go in as though you have all the answers and then people are turned off by your arrogance.

“My goal isn’t to go back and become nationally famous as much as having an effect on the things that are important to this nation.”

Drawing on his experience as Simi Valley mayor for six years, Gallegly said he will bring to the job a general knowledge of such local concerns as transportation, toxic waste, crime and housing.

“Having a broad knowledge is probably more important than having an Einstein’s credentials in one specific area,” he said.

Gallegly, a real estate agent and the owner of an antique store, said he does not know what type of legislation he might introduce. But he said he is keenly interested in combatting drug trafficking, helping small businessmen and strengthening national security.

Drugs a ‘Major Concern’

“I want to research more how we can come up with more effective ways in dealing with drug trafficking, whether it be stiffening the laws, whether it be the penalties, whatever. That is an area of major concern.”

He added, “I . . . would support the death penalty in certain cases for those involved in drug trafficking. . . . It’s the No. 1 killer in this nation.”

Then he added, “Jobs are always a concern. Keeping the American public working. Doing what we can to stimulate the free enterprise system. I’m a strong proponent of small business. It is the backbone of this nation. The more we can do to stimulate the small businessman, the greater opportunities we’re going to have for work and revenue and prosperity.”

If he had his pick of the committee assignments, Gallegly said he would grab a seat on the influential Armed Services or Ways and Means committees. But conceding that such a plum is probably out of reach for a freshman, he added he would settle for a spot on the less-sought-after Public Works or Transportation committees.

Would Seek Freeway Funds

As a member of those committees, Gallegly said he could seek money for the Ventura Freeway, which he called the “largest parking lot in the world,” and the Simi Valley Freeway, which he said “was antiquated before it was completed.” He said he also plans to continue the fight started by Rep. Bobbi Fiedler (R-Northridge) to gut Metro Rail.

“I strongly support the building up of our highway system rather than the wasting of money on Metro Rail. It would cost the taxpayers a lot of money and it would not serve the district. . . . I’d target it into the widening of our freeway system.”

But Gallegly said he is “definitely undecided” about how much federal money if any should be allocated to the Santa Monica Mountains.

“I support the open space in the Santa Monica Mountains. I always have. However, without knowing where the dollars are . . . I can’t tell you I would support it with an open-end check.”

Tells Stands on National Issues

Here is what Gallegly had to say about some national issues:

Regarding the federal deficit, he said, “I don’t blame Reagan . . . when you have a Congress that continues to spend 100% for everything.”

The only way to stop the lawmakers’ voracious appetite for extravagant spending bills, he said, is to put Congress “on a diet.”

“That’s what Gramm-Rudman does. That’s what a constitutional amendment to balance the budget would do. That’s what a line-item veto would do. People say to me, ‘You support the line-item veto when President Reagan is there, but heaven forbid what should happen if someday a Democrat is elected President and he has a line-item veto. Aren’t you afraid of that?’ No, I’m not afraid of that because you’ve got to remember that President is up for reelection every four years.”

“I have some very serious concerns” regarding the Senate’s tax reform proposal,” he said. “The effect it’s going to have on the middle class is where the major concern lies. The middle-class wage earners in this country are the ones that keep this country moving. If the country is not moving, the poor get poorer. You’re not helping the poor by hurting the middle class.”

He said he supports the “Star Wars” concept, the Strategic Defense Initiative, because “we’re coming up with defensive ways of dealing with the arms race rather than aggressive ways. I think most of us agree that we don’t need bigger and better bombs (on) either side. If we can’t come up with a verifiable way to be assured that both sides will stop building bombs, we’ve got to figure out a way to disarm them. And the concept of SDI so far seems to be the only alternative.”

Gallegly opposes the granting of amnesty for illegal aliens who have been living in this country for several years. He favors creating criminal penalties for employers who hire illegal aliens.

“I don’t think it is the job of the employer to be a quote, unquote policeman, but he has a basic responsibility that if he doesn’t so much as verify that a person has a Social Security number, he’s obviously breaking the law and knowingly breaking the law. . . . I think they should be punished for that.

“Beyond that I support the concept of offering to help stimulate the economy in Mexico. They have tremendous national resources. If there are things we could do to help stimulate their own economy there and minimize the number of people coming across the border, it’s going to help limit the problems that we have and the costs of enforcing the problems of illegals coming across.”

On other issues, he said, “I do not support federally funded abortions. I do believe in equal rights, but I do have a problem with the equal rights amendment because the equal rights amendment and equality are not the same. If you’ve read the amendment it’s pretty simple. . . . I think it’s discriminating against women because it is separating the women from the men and making special exceptions.”