Galanter, Bernson, Gay Show Fund-Raising Power

City Council members Ruth Galanter and Hal Bernson displayed fund-raising muscle that far outstripped opponents in their vigorously contested reelection campaigns, according to reports filed with the city clerk’s office.

Another top fund raiser among those running for council seats in the April 9 election is Bob Gay, deputy to the late Councilman Gilbert Lindsay, who said he has raised $103,882 for his race against nine other candidates for Lindsay’s 9th District seat.

With $60,449 in contributions collected in January and February, Galanter far outdistanced her two principal challengers in the 6th District. Mary Lee Gray, a senior deputy to county Supervisor Deane Dana, raised $16,809, while Tavis Smiley, a former aide to Mayor Tom Bradley, brought in $9,967.

Because of contributions gathered throughout her four-year term, Galanter’s total lead is even more substantial. She had $92,787 in the bank at the beginning of last week, compared to $13,418 for Gray and $1,955 for Smiley.

Galanter, who was elected on a slow-growth platform four years ago, continues to receive substantial support from real estate and development interests. A $1,000 contribution came from the builders of Continental City, a massive office and hotel development in Westchester.

Galanter has said she would not accept contributions from developers with controversial projects pending in her district. Steven Glazer, a Galanter campaign consultant, said Monday that the Continental City contribution does not violate Galanter’s pledge because the project already had a development agreement in place with the city when she took office.

Gray received a substantial share of her money from real estate interests and operators of small businesses. She received $500 from a political action committee that represents Marina del Rey property interests. Smiley’s contributors included business people, actors and city employees.

Bernson reported receiving about $40,000 in the first two months of 1991 and has raised $235,000 since July. He reported receiving $7,700 from real estate and construction interests this year, but no money from interests connected with the controversial Porter Ranch development.

Bernson has been heavily criticized by his opponents in the 12th District race for supporting the sprawling, 1,300-acre project. Since 1982, he has accepted more than $55,000 from its developer, Nathan Shappell, and his business associates.

Details of the sources of money for Gay, the top fund raiser in the 9th District, were not available Monday.

Los Angeles School Board member Rita Walters, who also is seeking the 9th District seat, collected $40,513, much of which came from school administrators. Walters is the only candidate in any council race publicly endorsed by Mayor Tom Bradley, who gave her campaign $300.

Also in the 9th, Brad Pye Jr., assistant chief deputy to Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, raised $13,081. Michael Schaefer, a former slumlord and former San Diego city councilman, raised $10,100. Charles David Henry, a community activist, gathered $12,535, and Joseph Abraham Hubbard Jr. raised $1,200. Attorney Barbara K. Ratliff and college professor Lang Stanley listed no major contributions. Files for candidates Theodore Bey, a businessman, and Woodrow Flemming, a labor union executive, were not immediately available.

In the 8th District, Mark Ridley-Thomas, executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Los Angeles chapter, led a field of nine contenders with $76,313 in contributions. Ridley-Thomas’ donations come from some of the traditional leadership in the black community, such as Pastor Thomas Kilgore and Urban League President John Mack.

Kerman Maddox, a community college instructor, received $53,000, and Billy Mills, an attorney whose father is a judge and former councilman, gathered $30,857, largely from lawyers and law firms. Roderick Devon Wright, whose major backer is Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), listed no major contributions during the period, but $6,400 in expenses.

Maybelline Griffin, a county children’s administrator, listed no major expenses or contributions. Campaign filing statements were not available for Jonathan Leonard, Norma Celestine Mena, Carolyn Moore and Cornelius A. Pettus.

Times staff writers Jack Cheevers and Jane Fritsch contributed to this story.

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS

Campaign statements for candidates in the April 9 election had to be postmarked by midnight Feb. 28. As of Monday, out of 43 candidates, 32 statements had been received by the city’s election division. Following are total contributions reported by each candidate for 1991, through Feb. 23.

CANDIDATES FOR CITY COUNCIL

District 2

Peter A. Lynch, legislative advocate: Not received

Tom Paterson, homeowner association president: $5,500

Joel Wachs, councilman: $17,522

District 4

John Ferraro, councilman: 0

District 6

J. Wilson Bowman, educational consultant: $1,865

Mervin Evans, business development consultant: $16,000

Ruth Basia Galanter, councilwoman: $60,449

Salvatore Grammatico, Realtor, community activist: $ 975

Mary Lee Gray, supervisor’s senior deputy: $16,809

Charles Albert Mattison, minister, dentist: Not received

Tavis Eugene Smiley, public service: $9,967

District 8

Maybelline Griffin, county children’s administrator: 0

Jonathan Leonard, retired firefighter, businessman: Not received

Kerman Maddox, community college instructor: Not received

Norma Celestine Mena, business consultant: Not received

Billy Mills, attorney: $19,645

Carolyn Moore, social worker consultant: Not received

Cornelius A. Pettus, businessman: Not received

Mark Ridley-Thomas, civil rights leader: $76,313

Roderick Devon Wright, government affairs officer: $16,990

District 9

Theodore Bey, businessman, community activist: Not received

Woodrow Fleming, labor union executive: $24,700

Bob Gay, city councilman’s deputy: $103,882*

Charles David Henry, community advocate: $12,535

Joseph Abraham Hubbard Jr., communicator, activist: $1,200

Brad Pye Jr., assistant chief deputy: $17,230

Barbara Ratliff, teacher, attorney, businesswoman: $2,957

Michael Schaefer, public interest attorney: $10,100

Lang Stanley, college counselor, professor: 0

Rita Dolores Walters, school board member: $40,514

District 10

Nathan Nathaniel Holden, councilman: 0

Esther M. Lofton, educator, administrator: $1,300

District 12

Hal Bernson, councilman: $39,875

Allen Robert Hecht, businessman, environmental advocate: $6,683

Arthur (Larry) Kagele, police detective supervisor: $1,986

Julianna Korenstein, member of the board of education: $28,286

Walter N. Prince, businessman, environmentalist, activist: $34,654

Leonard Shapiro, publisher, community activist: $2,209

District 14

Richard Alatorre, councilman: $20,356

David Ralph Diaz, environmental planner: $2,219

Martin GutieRuiz, community organizer: 0

John Lucero, corporate president: $3,961

* NOTE: Amounts disclosed over the telephone by each candidate. Other candidates could not be reached.

Compiled by Times editorial researcher Cecilia Rasmussen