Opponents Have Differing Views on Almost Every Issue

One of the few things that Councilman Evan Anderson Braude and challenger Bill Stovall have in common is that they are both running for the same downtown council seat.

After that, the first-term incumbent and the retired deputy police chief part ranks. Whether the subject is expanding the police force, the homeless or historic preservation, Stovall and Braude often disagree.

Backed by the police union, Stovall ran on an anti-crime platform and emerged the top vote-getter of the three challengers running against Braude in the April primary, forcing the councilman into a runoff election on Tuesday.

Compared to other local runoffs, the contest to represent the downtown and port areas has been a relatively docile affair, lacking the nasty exchanges and six-figure spending that have marked the races for mayor and the 3rd Council District. Stovall had spent about $39,000 on his campaign as of May 19, and Braude about $61,000.

At 57, Stovall is making his first political bid, vowing to say no to many things that Braude has said yes to.

One of the centerpieces of Stovall’s campaign has been his opposition to the police funding proposition on next week’s ballot, a proposal that Braude supports.

“This is just a political relief valve and further delay of the very tough decision that is going to have to be faced,” Stovall complained of the measure, which would create a new property tax levy to pay for 75 additional police officers. “They just don’t want to face it before the election--that we are going to have to spend more money out of the general fund.”

A 30-year veteran of the Long Beach police force, Stovall argues that instead of asking residents for more property taxes, the council should increase police funding at the expense of other city departments. He proposes enlarging the public safety area’s share of the general fund budget from 52% to 55%.

“He’s sort of Long Beach’s answer to voodoo economics,” retorts Braude, a 42-year-old attorney for Mercury Savings & Loan. “I certainly believe we can make some cuts in the administrative area, but those cuts would amount to maybe five additional police officers. I just don’t see that as a viable alternative.”

On another police matter, Stovall dismisses the recently approved Citizen Police Complaint Commission as a bad idea. The commission, under which civilian appointees will review police brutality complaints, is not necessary, Stovall says, because brutality cases have “been properly dealt with” by the department. Braude supported the commission.

One of the most liberal members of the council, Braude has been more supportive than most of his colleagues to homeless and housing issues, favoring several proposals that housing activists have futilely tried to get the council to consider. Stovall has made it clear that he would not be so receptive.

Stovall said he thinks the city has responsibility for only one category of homeless, alcoholics and drug addicts, for whom the city should operate a drop-in center. But he was adamant that the center, which would provide referral information, shower facilities and the like, not be opened downtown.

“I don’t think we should be spending money to stimulate an attraction to people who are going to walk the streets and panhandle,” Stovall stressed, saying the drop-in center should be located in industrial areas at the edge of town. “We’ve got to move these people out. . . . If they don’t like it, they can go someplace else.”

Stovall also advocates stricter enforcement of local panhandling laws. “They’re not to be pitied. They’re probably making more money than you are,” Stovall said of those who approach pedestrians with tales of poverty and hardship.

On housing matters, Stovall supports the city’s efforts to lower density in many of Long Beach’s residential neighborhoods, and he says the downzoning should be continued. But he criticizes steps to channel high density apartment development to some of the major streets in the city, including some in the 1st District. The area already has enough such development, Stovall said, arguing that it should be spread to other parts of Long Beach.

Arguing that downtown apartment complexes “are clearly something we have to have for the economic viability of downtown,” Braude nonetheless agreed that major streets elsewhere in the city should be zoned as high density, and he supported an unsuccessful attempt to accomplish that.

Regarding historic preservation, Stovall said the city should do no more than declare buildings as landmarks to aid preservation efforts. It should not, Stovall said, subsidize development projects involving historic buildings to save them from demolition. “This could be a nightmare. Where do you stop?”

Braude has indicated that he would support giving financial help to historic projects.

“Our district, more than any other district, is involved with historic preservation,” he commented.

The two candidates also disagree on City Council raises. Stovall opposes a ballot proposal that would double the salary of council members to $35,500.

“It might be easy for him to say because he’s retired and gets full retirement pay,” countered Braude, who says he spends at least 40 hours a week on council matters and deserves a raise, as do his colleagues.