LOCAL ELECTIONS / 13TH L.A. CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT : Goldberg and LaBonge Spar Over Woo’s Record

Fine-tuning their campaigns for the 13th District seat that Los Angeles City Councilman Michael Woo is vacating to run for mayor, Jackie Goldberg and Tom LaBonge last week sparred on several key issues, including Woo’s eight-year stewardship of the district.

Appearing on a local cable TV show, LaBonge said many residents he has met while walking precincts “have felt abandoned” as a result of Woo’s giving up his seat to run for mayor against Richard Riordan.

“I know from experience it takes a lot of work, a lot of nights (to get things done) and maybe that’s not been happening (in the district) as Michael has run for mayor,” LaBonge said.

Goldberg, who expects to attract many of the same liberal voters who in the past have supported Woo, gingerly avoided criticism of the incumbent while appearing on the same program. She chose instead to cast the district’s problems in a broader context.

“Could something more have been done in Hollywood? Maybe,” she said. “But a lot of it is that we’ve been in a recession that has caused decay in every part of the city.”

Goldberg, 48, a former member of the Los Angeles school board, and LaBonge, 39, a longtime aide to Councilman John Ferraro, are locked in what observers say shapes up as a close runoff election on June 8, after having disposed of six other candidates in the April primary.

Goldberg captured 35% of the vote to LaBonge’s 31% on April 20.

Their remarks concerning Woo--offered in response to a question from Century Cable’s Bill Rosendahl, who hosted Thursday’s program--marked one of the few times during the campaign either candidate has spoken publicly about Woo’s job performance.

Woo has endorsed neither candidate and neither has sought his endorsement. Like Woo, both Goldberg and LaBonge are Democrats.

“In a curious sort of way, Mike Woo has become to the 13th District race what Tom Bradley is to the mayoral campaign--the forgotten man,” remarked one veteran observer.

The heavily Democratic district stretches from the heart of Hollywood--including much of Hollywood and Sunset boulevards--to Northeast Los Angeles. It includes parts of Silver Lake, Echo Park, Atwater Village, Glassell Park and the tip of Mt. Washington.

Although not a debate, Thursday’s 30-minute program gave the candidates the chance to highlight their differences on several issues.

Citing the city’s financial woes, Goldberg called for a downsizing of city government, including the consolidation of several city departments, elimination of perks for top city officials, and, as a last resort, raising taxes.

LaBonge offered a less specific plan, pledging to work to set up a program allowing people to “volunteer” to pay more for certain services, and to lobby state legislators to require scholarship recipients to “give back some of their time” to local communities.

Pressed on the tax question, LaBonge said he also is willing to consider raising revenues from a garbage collection fee.

In a testy exchange, Goldberg--who is not accepting money from real estate developers and registered lobbyists--took a swipe at LaBonge for doing so.

Citing the power incumbent council members have over conditional-use permits in their districts as “one vote that determines whether a project is a go or a no-go,” Goldberg promised to introduce a law that would prohibit council members from voting on projects if they have received campaign contributions from the developer.

“If someone gives you money and there’s only one vote, that’s a direct conflict, whether it’s $5 or 50 cents,” she said.

LaBonge, insisting his judgment would “never be colored” by such contributions, attacked Goldberg for accepting $100,000 in campaign funds from the Los Angeles teachers’ union while serving as president of the school board.

“Now that sounds like a conflict to me,” he retorted.

Each candidate used the occasion to press familiar themes.

LaBonge portrayed himself as a can-do facilitator whose 17 years at City Hall make him someone who knows how to get things done for the community. He sought to paint Goldberg as someone more interested in global issues.

“I have no global agenda,” he said, speaking directly to viewers. “I have your agenda. I want to know what you need and make you feel good about your community.”

As she has throughout the race, Goldberg said reform of city government is urgently needed and attacked LaBonge as part of the City Hall crowd she said is controlled by special interests.

“I’ve been a fighter for change all my life,” she said. “I want to give (a) voice to the person who works hard for a living as well as those who are very affluent. That’s not available to you now at City Hall.”