Growth-Control Rivals Raised Nearly $300,000 : Santa Clarita: Most of the funds in the successful bid to defeat the initiative came from developers.

Opponents of a Santa Clarita growth-control measure raised almost $300,000 for their successful campaign to defeat it, more than 80 times the $3,600 supporters raised, according to recently released financial records.

The opposition funds came mostly from developers, many based outside the city. The biggest donor was Newhall Land & Farming Co., Santa Clarita’s largest landowner, which gave about $134,700 to fight the initiative, according to a required campaign finance statement filed with the city clerk. The statement covers fund raising through June 30.

“They bought the election fair and square,” said Bob Lathrop, a member of Citizens Assn. for Responsible Residential Initiative on Growth, the measure’s key support group. “They said they would spend what was necessary, which is what they did.”

Scott Voltz, a member of Santa Clarita Residents for Responsible Growth, which opposed the measure, said he was not surprised at the amount of money raised, adding that his group believed it needed at least $25,000 to defeat the measure.

Voltz referred to Lathrop’s accusation that voters rejected the measure because opponents outspent supporters as “sour grapes.”

“I think it’s an insult to citizens to suggest that their vote could have been bought,” said Voltz, a real estate appraiser.

Measure A, which received only 44% of the vote, would have allowed the city to approve only 475 new housing units annually through 2002. Supporters said passage was needed to keep the suburban city from becoming a metropolis. But opponents said it would have hurt the already depressed economy and prompted developers to move new projects outside the city limits to unincorporated Los Angeles County territory.

Although Lathrop’s group submitted a copy of its latest campaign statement to newspaper reporters, the group failed to submit a copy to the Santa Clarita city clerk’s office by last Friday’s deadline, Deputy City Clerk Jerry Davis said Tuesday.

A decision on whether to fine the Measure A supporters for missing the deadline will be made after City Clerk Donna Grindey returns from vacation next week, Davis said.

John C. Drew, president of the Citizens Assn. for Responsible Residential Initiative on Growth, said he mailed the statement to the city clerk on Saturday and gave copies to newspapers as a courtesy.

He said he was disappointed by the amount of money supporters of Measure A raised. He also said he believes the measure would have won had his group been able to raise at least $15,000.

“If we could do the initiative again, we would have a more sophisticated fund-raising program,” said Drew, who himself loaned the campaign $2,166.

Both opponents and supporters of Measure A spent most of their money on mailers and advertising. Between March 29 and June 30, for instance, the opposition group spent more than $61,000 on literature, mailers, postage and newspaper ads, according to its statement. In contrast, supporters of the measure spent about $1,500 on literature during the same period, according to statements.