Candidate Working as Unpaid Deputy in Assessor’s Office

Former Assemblyman Jim Keysor is working as an unpaid aide in Los Angeles County Assessor Alexander Pope’s office so he can change his ballot designation to reflect experience as a deputy assessor in the upcoming runoff election to succeed Pope, it was learned Thursday.

Keysor, a Democrat, faces veteran deputy assessor John Lynch, a conservative Republican, in the Nov. 4 battle for the nonpartisan post. Pope decided earlier this year not to seek reelection in order to run for a seat on the State Board of Equalization. He was unsuccessful.

Both Pope and Steve Afriat, Keysor’s campaign consultant, said they expect Keysor to change his ballot designation from “businessman” to “deputy assessor” or a similar title. Aug. 26 is the final date for changing a vocation description used on the June primary ballot.

“(Keysor’) plan is to change his ballot designation,” Afriat said.

Although campaign sources said a specific ballot title has not yet been picked for Keysor, they said Keysor--who began work on Monday in Pope’s office--may use a combination designation, such as “deputy assessor/businessman.”

Won’t Be Pinned Down

For his part, Keysor refused to be pinned down about how he will be described on the ballot. When asked in an interview if he will make the change, he said: “I don’t know. I have not. I haven’t changed it.”

Pressed if he intends to change the designation, Keysor also declined to be specific. “We have to discuss it,” Keysor said. “But I think the important thing for the press is, I have not changed it. I like the title ‘businessman’; I’ve always taken a lot of pride in my business experience.”

A description that associates him with the office of assessor could greatly enhance Keysor’s chances of capturing the countywide job from political unknown Lynch. In what is expected to be a low-profile campaign attracting little media attention, many voters unfamiliar with either Lynch or Keysor could be expected to opt for the candidate seemingly more familiar with the office’s operations.

Lynch, despite his political anonymity and a low-budget campaign, finished a surprising first with 21% of the vote in a field of 12 in the June primary using the “deputy assessor” appellation. Lynch beat out second-place finisher Keysor, a four-term former assemblyman, by nearly 50,000 votes as well as real estate broker Gordon Hahn, a former city councilman and brother of Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, by 54,000 votes. The results in June set up the runoff in November between Lynch and Keysor, the two top finishers.

Lynch on Leave of Absence

It was Lynch who informed reporters Thursday of Keysor’s new post in a news release that declared: “Obviously the political tricksters have commissioned Mr. Pope to make Keysor a 90-day wonder in the field of assessing. An assessor should be above reproach and not be a party to political buffoonery.” Lynch, a 14-year veteran of the assessor’s office, is on a leave of absence during the runoff campaign.

County Supervisor Deane Dana said he was “appalled” by the Keysor development. Dana, a Republican, had pushed a ballot measure in June--soundly defeated by voters--that would have made the office of assessor an appointive one.

“I really can’t believe that Mr. Keysor and Mr. Pope could think the voters could be so easily deceived,” Dana said.

Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who has endorsed Lynch, said the development is “an attempt by Mr. Pope to circumvent hiring and compensating a county employee for a political advantage of Mr. Keysor.”

One key supporter of Keysor, who asked not to be identified, predicted the Pope/Keysor arrangement would backfire, saying it “plays right into Lynch’s hands.”

Working for Free

Keysor defended his part-time role, saying: “I’m a hell of a bargain for the taxpayers in the county of Los Angeles. I’m worth over $100,000 a year. (Pope’s) getting me free, absolutely free.

“I’m a very valuable person and the contribution I’ll make in the next 90 days will be very significant,” added Keysor, a vice president in a family plastics business, who stressed that at his own insistence, he would not be paid for his services.

“I didn’t want the money to be a major issue,” said Keysor, “I wanted to focus on the job that I could do.”

Pope, in an interview, calling Keysor a “deputy assessor without compensation,” said Keysor would work part time and decide his own schedule. Pope defended the hiring for its advantages to the county, but later conceded the move held political pluses for fellow Democrat Keysor as well.

“From the department’s point of view, of course, we’re getting something for nothing,” Pope said. “That’s one thing, and since his chances are 50-50 of getting elected in the fall, it will give him a chance to hit the ground running.”

Former Assemblyman

Pope said Keysor’s first assignmment would be to lobby the state Legislature to repeal certain supplementary property taxes. He said he hoped that Keysor would work “half-time” in his new role.

Pope said he expects Keysor to redesignate himself, adding that the change “cancels out” Lynch’s title as a “deputy assessor” when Lynch’s job is actually as an appraiser.

Pope called the retitling of Keysor “a little bit of a leveling of the playing field. To call John Lynch a deputy assessor (raises) questions whether that represents (his) status in the department.”

Lynch said he calls himself a deputy assessor because that is what he is.