ELECTIONS / LOCAL RACES : White Leads Candidates in Cash With $63,000

Ventura County Assistant Dist. Atty. Colleen Toy White has raised and spent more money than any other local candidate this spring in her combative race with defense lawyer James M. Farley for a vacant seat on the Superior Court.

White, whose campaign is buttressed by the contributions and endorsement of Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury, had raised nearly $63,000 by May 21, while Farley had raised about $29,000, according to financial statements filed Thursday.

“I expect some of the biggest expenses are yet to come,” said White, who has already spent nearly $45,000.

Farley, who was favored in a recent county Bar Assn. poll and had more attorney contributions than White, responded: “We’re doing it without money.”

In fact, most local races on the June 7 primary ballot have been squeezed by the tight pocketbooks of contributors.

The three best-funded candidates hoping to replace retiring Supervisor Maria VanderKolk in the 2nd District have loaned themselves thousands of dollars.

Thousand Oaks Councilman Frank Schillo has raised the most, about $47,500, but $26,000 of it is loans from himself. Of lawyer Trudi K. Loh’s $35,000 war chest, $10,000 is her own money. And retired businessman H. Jere Robings’ $26,000 was spiked by $15,200 in loans to his campaign.

Former Supervisor Madge L. Schaefer has raised nearly $15,000 but only $2,000 is a loan. A fifth candidate, Carter J. Ward, had only $4,300 in contributions, reports said.

“It’s just not a good time to raise money because people are having difficulties with the economy,” Schillo said.

Of the 2nd District candidates, Robings was apparently in the worst financial shape. He had spent more than he received in donations and had $19,500 in unpaid debt. Schillo had more than $29,000 in unpaid debt but nearly all of that was covered by his loan to himself.

In the 4th Supervisorial District, Simi Valley Councilwoman Barbara Williamson was the only candidate to come close to the fund-raising of four years ago, when Vicky Howard was elected in a torturous race with Bill Davis.

Williamson raised about $36,000, but has already spent about $42,000. A second Simi Valley councilwoman, Judy Mikels, who is backed by incumbent Howard, has raised $20,000. Moorpark Councilman Scott Montgomery raised $14,000 but had spent more than $18,000. James L. Meredith did not file a statement Thursday.

Labor unions and real estate developers were prominent among contributors in both supervisorial races.

The county firefighters’ union gave $1,800 each to Loh and Williamson. The county deputy sheriff’s association gave $1,800 each to Williamson and Schaefer, and a statewide law enforcement group gave $1,800 each to the same two candidates.

A regional food and commercial workers union also gave Schaefer and Williamson $1,000 each. Two carpenters unions contributed $750 to Williamson, who raised $7,150 from unions in all.

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“As far as the union contributions are concerned, I don’t think I have any more than I do private contributions, but the amounts might be more,” Williamson said. “We’re talking firefighters and we’re talking sheriffs. I’m proud of those contributions.”

Although Williamson and Mikels had several contributions from developers, Montgomery probably received the most in the 4th District--at least $5,500 from real estate interests for the latest seven-week reporting period.

The H. F. Ahmanson Co., whose controversial 3,050-home Simi Hills project was approved in 1992 but has not yet been built, contributed $300 each to Williamson and Mikels.

Among the 2nd District candidates, Schaefer’s $5,350 in union contributions was the most. Robings, a longtime taxpayer advocate, was backed with $500 from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. Loh, whose husband is a physician, received strong support from the medical profession. And Schillo, a financial consultant, got large contributions from business, including $500 each from John Broome of Oxnard and Leavens Ranches of Ventura.

The judge’s race between White and Farley was saturated with attorney contributions.

At least 28 lawyers and six judges gave to White, while 49 attorneys and one judge supported Farley. Nearly all of those contributions were relatively small--between $100 and $200--although attorney Peter Goldenring of Ventura gave Farley $1,000.

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Several of Farley’s largest contributions came from labor unions, which gave a total of $1,750. White got nearly as much from firefighter and peace officer groups.

White also received a $2,500 loan from Bradbury’s campaign fund and the district attorney’s wife, Heidi, donated a $150 watercolor to White’s auction.

Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) also donated $1,000 from his congressional campaign to White.

But White’s biggest individual contribution was $1,500 from Buena High School teacher Phyllis Miller.

“She’s my sister,” White said. Her daughter also gave $800 and her brother $250. “It helps to have a big family,” she said.

Among other local contests on the primary ballot is the competitive--and costly--race for county superintendent of schools, where two candidates have spent nearly $60,000 for an office that is rarely contested.

Appointed incumbent Charles Weis, who is serving out the term of retired James F. Cowan, reported contributions of $19,453 and expenditures of $18,747. He loaned himself $6,000.

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Daniel Flynn, the principal of the Ventura County Juvenile Court schools, has accumulated $31,458 but spent $40,042. He reported outstanding debts of $35,240. He has contributed $1,000 to his own campaign and loaned himself another $24,000.

Only three of five candidates for county auditor-controller filed the required paperwork by the Thursday deadline: current Auditor Thomas O. Mahon and challengers Clifford L. Wigen and William Baker.

Mahon, the 71-year-old appointee, leads his competitors with contributions of $29,730, including a personal loan of $5,000. The auditor-controller has spent almost $18,000.

Several top county officials are supporting Mahon, including Bradbury, who gave $150; Supervisor Maggie Kildee, who contributed $100; County Counsel James McBride, who donated $200; and hospital administrator Pierre Durand, who gave $200.

Wigen reported contributions of $25,175, all but $100 of which he loaned to his campaign.

Baker had raised $6,171, but spent $15,569. He loaned himself more than $6,000.

In the race for county clerk-recorder, one candidate is challenging incumbent Richard D. Dean, who raised $14,347 and had expenses of nearly $11,000 and an outstanding debt of $8,259.

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Contributors to Dean’s campaign included his top assistant, Janet Bagby, who donated $650; California Atty. Gen. Daniel E. Lungren, who gave $100, and Bradbury, who contributed $150.

Dean’s challenger, east county businessman Daniel J. Schmidt, reported about $10,600 in both contributions and expenditures.

Schmidt financed the bulk of his campaign himself with an $8,400 loan, according to his statement.

Acting county Assessor Glenn E. Gray reported contributions of $14,828--including a loan to himself of almost $6,000--and expenditures of $12,659.

Gray’s rival, Ventura Councilman Jack Tingstrom, lagged slightly with contributions of $9,842 and expenses of just over $10,000.

Kelley is a Times staff writer and McDonald is a Times correspondent.