Moorpark City Council Candidates Reap Large Increase in Donations

Contributions have shot up since 1986 in Moorpark, the fastest growing city in Ventura County, a review of campaign finance statements filed this week by candidates for city government posts in the eastern part of the county shows.

Paul W. Lawrason, a candidate for one of three seats on the Moorpark City Council, has raised more than three times as much money as the top fund-raiser in the 1986 race.

Lawrason, a planning commissioner, has collected $13,792 for the Nov. 8 election. Two years ago, Eloise M. Brown raised $3,949 in an unsuccessful bid for a City Council seat.

Three of the other eight candidates have also exceeded Brown’s 1986 contributions. Councilman Bernardo M. Perez, running for reelection, has raised $8,223; John Roberts, a parks and recreation commissioner, has raised $8,599, and Thomas C. (Bud) Ferguson, a retired machine shop owner who was recalled by voters a year ago, has amassed $5,493.

The increase in campaign spending parallels the city’s recent population explosion. Moorpark’s population has grown about 41% since 1986, from about 17,000 to about 24,000, according to city Planning Department estimates.

Big War Chests

In the race for two seats on the Simi Valley City Council, incumbents Glen McAdoo and Bill Davis have amassed the biggest war chests. McAdoo has collected $14,106, and Davis has raised $6,736. Both McAdoo and Davis, who oppose an initiative on the ballot that would force certain developers to make traffic improvements before beginning construction, list sizable donations from development interests.

About 67%, or $3,950, of the $5,900 in contributions of at least $100 that Davis received between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30 came from the development community.

About 46%, or $5,000, of the $10,925 in contributions of at least $100 that McAdoo received between July 1 and Sept. 30 came from development interests.

Paul La Bonte, who has raised the most money among the five challengers, lists about $900. La Bonte is founder of a citizens group called Fight Ill-Favored Growth and Horrible Traffic, which is sponsoring the traffic initiative.

In the Simi Valley mayoral race, Mayor Greg Stratton has raised more than eight times as much money as his two challengers. Stratton has collected $8,406, while Lincoln Demyan and G. Paul Slaven have each raised less than $1,000.

But Stratton, who won the 1986 race even though he spent about half of the $33,000 that his opponent did, said he is not complacent about the current race because “money alone does not make or break a campaign.”

Candidate Saw Survey

In the race for two seats on the Thousand Oaks City Council, incumbent Frank Schillo leads the five-candidate pack with campaign contributions of $8,145. Elois Zeanah, president of a coalition of homeowner associations, has the second biggest war chest with $6,753.

Candidate Joan Gorner, an ex-planning commissioner, has raised $3,460. However, documents accompanying the campaign finance statements show that Gorner was shown the results of a $4,200 telephone survey conducted for David H. Murdoch to assess community opinion on development and other issues. Murdoch is the developer of the controversial Lake Sherwood project.

Gorner said Murdoch, whom she met at a fund-raiser at his home for Ventura County Supervisor Madge L. Schaefer, may have shared the poll results with her because “perhaps Mr. Murdoch likes me.” Murdoch was not available for comment, said his attorney, Peter J. Tennyson.

In Camarillo, where nine candidates are vying for two City Council seats, challenger David M. Smith, a financial planner, has raised the largest amount so far, $2,188. In 1986, the biggest spender in the council race parted with $4,730.