Activist Groups May Seek Mayoral Candidate for ’97 : Politics: Coalitions say that if Mayor Riordan isn’t more responsive to needs of minorities, they’ll find someone who will be.

Eager for a mayor who is more responsive to black residents, several Los Angeles activists are already gearing up for the 1997 election.

Immediate goals include increasing voter interest in local politics within the black community, as well as from members of the Latino and Asian communities, said James M. Thomas, director of community relations for the West Angeles Church of God in Christ.

“We have similar struggles,” Thomas said. “We need to get more people involved in the process. Politics has the appearance of an exclusive club.”

While not necessarily calling for Mayor Richard Riordan’s removal, Thomas and others at a recent forum said residents must be encouraged to force the mayor to address their grievances, or to support someone else who may do a better job.

Bishop Charles E. Blake, pastor of the West Angeles church and chairman of the Ecumenical Congress of Los Angeles, said Riordan may be able to address some issues, but to do so he must become more responsive to the African American community.

Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas said one way to measure Riordan’s effectiveness would be through a report card that would also help residents gauge whether he should be reelected.

County Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke acknowledged that she was dismayed by the mayor’s skepticism regarding affirmative action.

On a March 6 radio show, Riordan said affirmative action is both good and bad and that many affirmative action gains have not gone to the truly needy.

And Nate Holden, another city councilman, warned that blacks could be hurt by a Riordan-sponsored amendment on the ballot Tuesday that would end Civil Service protections for city government agency executives and by the Administration’s interest in privatizing some city services.

Anthony Thomas, Riordan’s liaison to south Los Angeles, attended the Saturday morning church meeting and later praised the session for showing various concerns within the black community.

“This mayor is interested in building coalitions with all segments of the community,” he said.

James Thomas, who is not related to Anthony Thomas, said the Saturday meeting and the days that followed indicated to him that the groups and individuals who participated were on the right track.

“We wanted to light a spark and we believe we did that,” he said.