Candidates Reject Builders’ Money : Council race: After one office seeker in Calabasas says he won’t accept contributions from developers, eight others make the same vow.

Most of the 13 candidates running for council seats in the proposed city of Calabasas said Thursday that they will refuse to accept campaign contributions from developers.

The position, taken by at least nine candidates, is consistent with sentiment in Calabasas, where cityhood backers have fought for more than a decade to win incorporation to control rapid development.

Campaign contributions became an issue Thursday when candidate Dennis Washburn held a news conference to announce that he will refuse money from developers. He challenged his opponents to do the same in campaigning for the March 5 election, when area voters also will decide whether to create a city.

Washburn nailed a written copy of his promise to an antique wagon at the entrance to Old Town Calabasas and urged fellow candidates for the proposed five-member council to sign the pledge.

“I may have empty pockets, but I’ll have a clear and independent mind to deal with the difficult land-use planning decisions facing our city in the years ahead,” he said.

Washburn’s statement drew similar promises from eight other candidates reached by The Times, although some also criticized Washburn for political grandstanding. Only one, Peter Eason, a bank official, said he would consider accepting money from developers.

Although he had not received or solicited money from development sources, Eason said: “I don’t want to close any doors. If I don’t accept them, the developer is still going to be there and is still going to have to be dealt with at some point in time.”

Bob Hill, a stockbroker who served as president of the cityhood group for five years, said he does not believe accepting money from developers “holds well for the beginning of a new city.”

Marvin Lopata, who has also been active in the cityhood movement, said: “If you accept campaign contributions, people think they have you in their pocket.”

Karen Foley, a real estate agent, said: “If a builder or developer gives me a gift, I would feel an obligation to them. I don’t want to feel obligated to anyone.”

Lesley Devine, who said she would not accept money from developers, nevertheless characterized Washburn’s public action as grandstanding, saying there was little chance that Washburn would be offered money anyway.

Devine, who describes herself as an environmentalist, also said that Washburn and other members of the cityhood committee compromised with developers on many issues in order to secure their support for cityhood. To boast now of not taking contributions from developers is ridiculous, she said.

Michael Fichera, a real estate lawyer and property manager, said: “No developers would offer us campaign contributions.”

Others said there was no need to raise large amounts of money for this election because there are so few voters in such a small area.

“This is an 11-square-mile city. It is not that big,” said Gary Klein, a Los Angeles city planner who also said he would not accept developer contributions.

Jeff Kurtz, a family law and small-business attorney, said, “If I can’t afford to get my name and my platform out to 8,900 registered voters, then I shouldn’t be in this business.”

Ron Gold, an attorney, said he hopes to raise $20,000 for his campaign. However, he said he will only take gifts from area residents of the future city, and would not accept anything from anybody who “has a vested interest in the new city.”

Candidate Doris Laziolette refused to comment on the issue. Candidates Bill Melcher and Jack Bethel could not be reached by The Times.