ELECTIONS / 20th STATE SENATE DISTRICT : Roberti Far Outspends His Nine Competitors : Politics: He collected $67,675; others raised less than $40,000 altogether. Challengers criticize the size and sources of contributions to him.

State Sen. David A. Roberti has out-raised and far outspent all nine other candidates combined in the race for the central San Fernando Valley seat of former state Sen. Alan Robbins.

In fact, Roberti spent nearly four times the $67,675 he raised between Feb. 23 and March 21 in his bid for the 20th Senate District seat, according to a campaign financial report filed this week. But transfers and loans from two other Roberti campaign funds of $325,000 left the Democratic Senate leader with a substantial $144,247 at the end of the reporting period.

Many of Roberti’s competitors, especially those with the smallest campaign chests, attacked the size and sources of Roberti’s funds, more than a third of which came from political action committees--organizations that represent their clients’ interests in Sacramento.

“All this money splashing around for Roberti could backfire on him, because it could bring out the anti-Roberti vote,” predicted Libertarian candidate John Vernon, who raised just $2,082 during the reporting period, most of it in contributions of less than $100. Vernon is a Van Nuys caterer who wants to jump-start the economy by rescinding 1991 tax increases.

Roberti countered that his ability to raise money from political action committees is also an indicator of his popularity with the individuals they represent.

“I do raise PAC money, and it’s not evil,” he said. “They represent labor groups . . . and all kinds of people that are important to the future of California. In many cases, that is an individual’s method of giving to political candidates.”

Reports for seven of the nine other contenders showed that together they had raised less than $40,000 and spent at least $30,000 during the reporting period. Republican Carol L. Rowen, a private pension consultant from Tarzana, received the largest sum of the Roberti challengers--$25,272--and she loaned herself another $50,000.

Another Republican, David S. Honda, raised $5,330. Honda is president of the United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley and is basing his campaign on ways to woo business to the Valley and the fight to retain Proposition 13, the 1978 property tax initiative.

Roberti chose to run in the April 7 special election for the 20th District seat after his Hollywood-based district was carved up through reapportionment. He changed his address from a large Los Feliz house to a rented clapboard in Van Nuys and fended off a lawsuit that alleged he had not lived there long enough to run for a Valley office.

The seat became the subject of a wide-open race after Robbins resigned in November to plead guilty to federal corruption charges.

A candidate must win 50% of the vote plus one to avoid a June 2 runoff, and Roberti has conceded that, with so many candidates in the field, he is unlikely to win the election outright. Rowen is considered Roberti’s greatest competition, largely because of her pro-choice stand on abortion. Roberti opposes abortion.

Rowen also objected Friday to Roberti’s reliance on funds transferred from other accounts, which she said were raised without the limitations of campaign contribution ceilings. Voter-approved limits were thrown out by a federal judge in 1990, but they still apply to special elections. They set a ceiling of $5,000 for contributions from large political committees, $2,500 for smaller PACs and $1,000 for individual donors or companies.

“Allowing someone to walk in with . . . a lot of money that was raised under other rules is patently illegal, or at least it should be,” Rowen said.

However, Roberti’s campaign treasurer, Shirley Wechsler, said the limits do apply to those transfers and she had carefully included only those donations to the other funds that qualified. Roberti lent himself $50,000 from one committee and transferred $275,000 from another, but a review of those contributions showed none exceeded the limits.

At least 36% of Roberti’s contributions from all sources came from political action committees, his report shows. The committees ranged from $3,500 from the Los Angeles County Physicians Committee to $250 from the Contra Costa Central Labor Committee. They also included donations from associations representing such diverse interests as motorcycle drivers, hotel owners, dairy owners and psychiatrists.

Candidate Ted Dan August, a Democrat and retired Van Nuys businessman, was among those who criticized Roberti’s reliance on PACs. August said he spent less than $1,000 of his own money during the reporting period.

“I think that taking contributions from political-oriented companies that are asking for a lot of promises after you get into the office is not right,” he said. August said he believes California should provide tax incentives for manufacturers to encourage them to move to this state.

Roberti also received money from large businesses, including banks, waste disposal companies, tobacco companies, developers, hospitals and department store companies spanning the economic spectrum from Macy’s to Mervyn’s.

Yet the wide reach of Roberti’s political appeal was most evident in his contributions from individuals, ranging from a Phoenix professor to a San Francisco tailor. He received $1,000 from San Francisco investor Richard Blum, husband of U.S. Senate candidate Dianne Feinstein, and $500 from Lorimar Corp. executive Merv Adelson.

The largest expenditure in Roberti’s campaign was $87,500 to Max Associates of San Francisco, a media consultant that produced television advertisements and bought air time on several local cable stations.

The $2,917 Roberti spent on a fund-raiser at the posh Chasen’s restaurant alone was more money than the contributions raised by several of his opponents.

For instance, Democrats Drew Morris Angel and Bill Dominguez and Peace and Freedom Party candidate Gary Kast had each raised less than $1,000 during the reporting period.

Dominguez, who says politicians have lost touch with the voters, said that if he isn’t able to raise more funds soon, he’ll be “a dead duck.” Kast, who says legalization of drugs would save money by ending the costly drug war, said he plans to do some fund-raising in the coming months.

Angel, who says the country’s economic woes could be solved by colonizing the moon, said he had put in about $750 of his own money and does not plan to do any fund-raising.

Campaign reports could not be obtained for Republican Dolores White, a Reseda real estate broker; or Glenn Bailey, a Green Party candidate.

20th District War Chests

Contributions received by candidates for the 20th State Senate District. Campaign reports could not be obtained for Dolores White or Glenn Bailey. Covers donations between Feb. 23 and March 21. David A. Roberti: $67,675 Carol L. Rowen: $25,272 David S. Honda: $5,330 John Vernon: $2,082 Drew Morris Angel: less than $1,000 Ted Dan August: less than $1,000 Bill Dominguez: less than $1,000 Gary Kast: less than $1,000 Source: Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder.