CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS/GOVERNOR : Rivals Outline Proposals on AIDS, Drug Abuse : Feinstein: Democrat vows to accelerate campaign against acquired immune deficiency syndrome and to seek more help for victims.

Recalling that she served as mayor of San Francisco when AIDS first emerged as a “so-called gay cancer” in 1981, Dianne Feinstein visited a hospice Thursday where AIDS victims go to die and pledged an accelerated state campaign against the disease if she is elected governor.

“I was there at the beginning and I hope I’m there at the end,” the Democratic nominee told male AIDS victims while touring the 25-bed Chris Brownlie Hospice near Dodger Stadium. It is the largest such facility in the nation that is qualified to receive federal and state aid under the Medicaid program.

Gov. George Deukmejian, the Republican Feinstein hopes to succeed, has been virtually silent on AIDS, Feinstein said. “I will take a dramatically different approach.”

She outlined a program that included speeding up the certification of AIDS drugs, preventing discrimination against victims, assuring insurance coverage and reorganizing the state’s AIDS programs. Feinstein said she would reactivate a state AIDS commission and have it report directly to her. Each of California’s 58 counties would be required to develop a plan for dealing with AIDS.

In a separate Los Angeles appearance, Sen. Pete Wilson, Feinstein’s Republican opponent, told reporters he would favor “the kind of funding and research that we have been involved in.” He also singled out the need for accelerated testing of AIDS drugs.

Feinstein said that much could be done by an activist governor without spending additional money, but if more funds were required, she would get them.

“When I do that budget I’m going to see that AIDS is treated as the No. 1 health emergency and that the state is prepared to accept a leadership role,” she said. “If that takes moremoney, I’m not going to be shy. I’m going to find ways of getting it.”

During her tour, Feinstein chatted quietly with several patients in a sunny sitting room, shaking hands with each as she moved along. One man confined to a wheelchair and who spoke with difficulty continued to grip her hand tightly--apparently without realizing it--as she was summoned to visit the second floor. After several seconds of gentle tugging, Feinstein carefully extracted her right hand from his grip. She then gave his hand a final squeeze of apparent reassurance before walking away.

Later, in a statement to reporters, Feinstein thanked the facility staff for the work it does: “Perhaps for any one of God’s children, it’s the biggest test, I think, of the belief in humanity and compassion and the ability to sustain that humanity and compassion over a long period of time without what they call burnout.” She also talked of the “courage and tenacity” of the patients.

Before she left, one patient invited Feinstein to pay a return visit after “you get elected.”

“Oh sure,” she said.

“And you’re going to run for President one day?” he asked.

“No, I don’t think that,” she replied.

“Why not?”

“I’m going to be old and tired a lot sooner than that, I think.”

Feinstein said she first heard of AIDS when, as mayor, leaders of the gay community “came to me and told me about the terrifying and strange rumors of a so-called gay cancer.” Her administration quickly came up with $187,000 to investigate the reports, she said, the first public health funding for AIDS in the world.

More Californians have died of AIDS than were killed in the Korean and Vietnam wars, she said. She added that it would be a mistake for anyone to think the virus is limited just to gay males and those who live in cities, or to think that the disease is static. Growing numbers of women and children are contracting AIDS, and no corner of California is safe from the disease, Feinstein said.

When prodded for sources of new state revenue, Feinstein said she would be willing to increase income taxes on the wealthy if necessary. She said that most of the tax-reduction benefits in California in recent years have gone to couples with more than a combined income of $200,000--a group that includes herself and financier husband Richard Blum. If an income-tax boost was necessary, she said it should shift more of the burden back on the rich but not increase the taxes in lower brackets.

Wilson has refused to rule out the possible need for a tax increase, but said this week he would oppose any change in income-tax rates.