Baxter Ward Will Try Again--This Time for Mayor

Former Los Angeles County Supervisor Baxter Ward signed up as a long-shot opponent to Mayor Tom Bradley on Saturday while potentially strong challengers entered three City Council races on the last day of filing for candidates in the April 11 Los Angeles municipal election.

Dozens of candidates jammed into the City Clerk’s office on the 23rd floor of City Hall Saturday, the last day to declare their intention to run for mayor, eight of the 15 City Council seats, city attorney, controller and three seats each on the school board and Community College District board. A total of 119 candidates filed for 18 offices.

In order to qualify for the ballot, candidates must submit 500 signatures and pay a $300 filing fee by Feb. 4. Candidates can avoid paying the fee by gathering 1,000 signatures.

City Atty. James K. Hahn and college board member Lindsay Conner drew no opposition. College board members Arthur Bronson and Wallace Albertson decided not to seek reelection, setting off a scramble for their seats.

Bradley escaped a potentially strong challenge when his most formidable rival, Councilman Zev Yaroslavksy, backed out of the race, saying that his polls show Bradley to be unbeatable. Nonetheless, 25 people filed papers to oppose Bradley, including Councilman Nate Holden and Ward.

Ward, a former TV newscaster who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1969 and lost a campaign last November to win back his old Board of Supervisor’s seat from Mike Antonovich, showed up in the clerk’s office five minutes before the noon deadline.

Ward said he was inspired to run by a comment Bradley made after losing to George Deukmejian in the 1986 gubernatorial race. “He said being mayor is a great job,” Ward said.

Holden has said he will drop out if he cannot raise $400,000 by Feb. 4. By Saturday, he said he had received about $150,000 in pledges.

Others who filed papers to oppose Bradley include a singer-dancer, a semi-retired priest, two police officers and the 1986 Peace and Freedom gubernatorial candidate.

In the hottest City Council races, incumbents Ernani Bernardi, Joy Picus and Zev Yaroslavsky drew potentially strong opposition.

Incumbents traditionally are difficult to unseat because they attract large campaign contributions and are well known. However, two years ago, seemingly entrenched incumbent Pat Russell was ousted from the council on a wave of homeowner discontent similar to that beginning to emerge in Picus’ and Yaroslavsky’s districts.

Picus, a 12-year-councilwoman, faces six challengers, including Peter Ireland, the son of actor John Ireland and an aide to County Supervisor Deane Dana, in the West San Fernando Valley’s 3rd District.

“There has been growing dissatisfaction with her,” said Gordon Murley, president of the Woodland Hills Homeowners Organization. “People who supported her last time are not sure they would do it this time.”

Bernardi drew 12 opponents, the most of any council member. He faces a number of Latino challengers because of the 1986 council redistricting, which established a Latino majority in his northeast San Fernando Valley district.

His opponents include Lyle Hall, a former president of the Los Angeles city firefighters’ union; Jules Bagneris III, president of the Lake View Terrace Home Owners Assn. and a former aide to state Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Van Nuys); Albert Dib, president of the Arleta Chamber of Commerce, and Irene Tovar, a past chair of the Hispanic Caucus of the state Democratic Party.

Westside Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky will face five challengers, including Jack McGrath, a former Yaroslavsky aide who waited until the last day to file; Steve Saltzman, another former ally of the councilman, and Laura Lake, a slow-growth advocate.

The candidates:

Mayor--Stewart Alexander, aerospace employee; Eileen Anderson, singer-dancer; Christopher Baker, marketing specialist; Tom Bradley, mayor; Joel Britton, oil refinery worker; Raymond J. Caplette, machinist; Suleiman C. Edmondson, producer/writer/entrepreneur; Harold Ellis, hospital clerk/musician; Khushro Ghandhi, consultant; Michael Hirt, tax activist; Nate Holden, Los Angeles city councilman; David Kasin, artist; Leonard E. Miropol, politician; Maria Elizabeth Munoz, bilingual elementary teacher; Roberto Noz, retired accountant/chemist; Gary Passi, proprietor political scientist; Raul Reyes, teacher; Gregory Roberts, freelance investigative reporter; Seymour Rosen, presidential task force member; Joseph Shea, investigative reporter/editor; Kenneth Staggs, Los Angeles police lieutenant; Marque Strong, musician; Kurt Toppel, international business consultant; Baxter Ward, no occupation listed; Warren Weidauer, semi-retired priest; John Zrinyi, police officer.

City Attorney--James K. Hahn, city attorney.

City Controller--Andrew Benjamin Aames, attorney; Raymond J. Bishop, businessman; George Hollis, engineer; Rick Tuttle, controller.

City Council

District 1--Adam Bennion Jr., typographer/linguist; Gloria Molina, member of the City Council.

District 3--Morton Diamond, small business advocate; Peter Ireland, deputy county supervisor; Jeanne Nemo, businesswoman/educator; Todd Richard Landis, businessman; Paul McKellips, businessman; Joy Picus, member of the City Council; Ronald Rich, businessman/auto dealer.

District 5--Henry Hill, artist/therapist; Laura Lake, neighborhood environmental activist; Jack McGrath, politician; Steve Saltzman, county energy commissioner; Ryan Snyder, urban planner; Zev Yaroslavsky, member of the City Council.

District 7--Jules Bagneris III, homeowner association president; Ernani Bernardi, member of the City Council; James Braun, office manager; David Briones, inventory specialist; Michael Dansand, retired engineer; Albert Dib, small businessman; Jose Galvan, activist/teacher; Barry Gribs, intern alcohol-drugs; Lyle Hall, firefighter/community activist; E. Henry Orozco, professor/political activist; Frederick Taylor, county commissioner; Irene Tovar, administrator; Richard Yanez, psychiatric social worker.

District 9--Walter Bannister, political activist; Jose Borrero Jr., security officer; Albert Davis, business representative; Mervin Evans, business development consultant; Ocie Hinkle, businesswoman; Jim Keysor, businessman; Gilbert Lindsay, member of the City Council; Allen Sims, businessman.

District 11--Marvin Braude, member of the City Council; Irwin M. Kaplan, urban planner.

District 13--Bennett Keysor, health care administrator; Berndt Lohr-Schmidt, attorney; Ruben Macareno, student/community service; Zahrina Machadah, consultant; Venus De Milo, computer consultant; Theodore Neubauer, historical researcher; Howard Obata, clerk; Tony Trias, businessman/educator; Anthony (Rick) Williams, public relations consultant; Michael Woo, member of the City Council.

District 15--Joan Milke Flores, member of the City Council; Clifford McClain, community development consultant; Josephine A. Wysocki, teacher/librarian.

Board of Education

District 2--Terry Allen, computer engineer; Gary Garcia, teacher; Alan Gershman, member of the Board of Education; Elizabeth Michael, businesswoman/educator; Mark Slavkin, deputy county supervisor; Merle Strauss, educational activist/parent; Curt D. Thiele de Leon, parent.

District 4--Anthony Acampora, retired teacher/realtor; Judy Argabrite, parent/businesswoman; Jerry Horowitz, school principal; Michael Kaliczak, parent/printing/graphics; Julie Korenstein, member of the Board of Education; Dauna Packer, businesswoman/parent; Barbara Romey, small business owner; Cliff Stadig, retired general contractor; Michael C. Vogt, high school student.

District 6--Ernesto Llanes, teacher/contractor/businessman; John Perez, high school teacher; Barry H. Pollack, physician/parent activist; Roberta Weintraub, member of the Board of Education.

College Board of Trustees

District 2--Carlos Barron, university instructor; Dennis Conrad, community college instructor; Mona Field, community college professor; Gail Koretz, legal researcher; Gary Lipton, teacher/senior legislature; Mary Louise Longoria, education policy analyst, Rose Ochi, attorney/executive administrator; Stewart Oatman, businessman/contractor; Patrick Owens, community college teacher; Marc Wane, attorney/college teacher; Howard Watts, disabled veteran; Paul Weisman, attorney.

District 4--Lindsay Conner, member of the Board of Trustees.

District 6--Althea Baker, college professor/attorney; Patricia Hollingsworth, community college faculty; Mark Isler, businessman/educator; Jeffrey A. Shane, attorney.