Supervisorial Race Proves One of Costliest : Election: The 4th District winner, Vicky Howard, and loser Bill Davis each spent more than $100,000. In recent memory, only one candidate’s campaign--in 1986--cost more.

The campaign between Vicky Howard and Bill Davis was among the most expensive ever for a Ventura County supervisor’s post, county officials said Friday.

Davis, who lost to Howard in the Nov. 6 election, received $101,433 in contributions and spent $108,153 between January and November, 1990, according to financial statements filed this week with the county’s elections registrar.

Howard collected $103,820 in contributions and loans and spent $104,109, the documents show.

Neither Davis nor Howard could be reached for comment Friday.

In sharp contrast to the 4th District contest, Maria VanderKolk--who upset incumbent Madge L. Schaefer in the 2nd District race in June--collected $11,789 in campaign funds, according to the reports. Schaefer collected $12,610 in contributions and spent $46,463, they show.

County officials said the only other supervisorial race in memory that cost more than the Davis-Howard campaign was the 1986 contest between Schaefer and then-Supervisor Edward Jones. In that race, Schaefer spent $56,184 and Jones $156,180, records show.

“The price of running for political office has escalated here just like everywhere else,” said Richard Wittenberg, the county’s chief administrative officer. “You get into a race for funds, too.”

That appeared to have been the case in the Davis and Howard race. But when it was all over, both candidates ended up receiving about half of their campaign contributions from the same types of sources--developers, construction compa

nies, unions, political action committees and real estate agents.

Davis’ largest contributors included the Public Employees Assn. of Ventura County, with a total of $9,281; the Tri-Counties Central Labor Council, $3,500; Marufuji/Big Sky Ltd. Partnership, $1,750; Firefighters for Better Government, a political action committee, $2,500; Ahmanson Development Inc., $500; H. F. Ahmanson & Co., a political action committee, $500; Melvin Simon Simi Valley Mall Partners, $1,500, and Voit Development Co., $1,500.

Howard’s largest contributions came from the Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Assn., $5,000; the Building Industry of Southern California, $2,500; Marufuji/Big Sky, $2,000; Voit Development, $1,500; Ahmanson Land Co., $1,000, and Metropolitan Development Partnership, $1,000.

Development was a key issue in both supervisorial campaigns. The reason is that the newly elected supervisors will play a significant role in determining whether two massive housing and commercial projects are approved for the Jordan and Ahmanson ranches in eastern Ventura County.

VanderKolk’s opposition to the 750-house subdivision and tournament golf course planned at Jordan Ranch east of Thousand Oaks was the central theme of her slow-growth campaign. But she has said she might be flexible on the Ahmanson proposal because the developer has suggested scaling back the project. As it stands, the proposal calls for 3,000 houses and 238 acres of offices and stores east of Thousand Oaks near the Los Angeles County line.

Howard said she would like to see the Jordan subdivision reduced to 500 houses, but even then she would have some reservations about the project. Like VanderKolk, she said she will keep an open mind on Ahmanson.

Supervisor John K. Flynn said the Davis and Howard race was expensive because the candidates had to campaign more aggressively since they were so close on the issues. Still, Flynn seemed a little surprised at the $212,000 total price tag for the two campaigns.

“It is pretty expensive for a supervisor’s race,” he said, noting that the job pays $50,232 annually. “I’ve run for office five times and my average expenditures have been about $15,000.”