Timing Could Hurt Turnout For City Races

Growth and its consequences dominate the Santa Clarita city election next week, with the 8-year-old community bracing for an upsurge in development as the state’s economy recovers.

The dozen candidates vying for two City Council seats are united in their opposition to a proposed 190-million-ton landfill in Elsmere Canyon and almost universally agree that traffic congestion must somehow be mitigated.

But issues aside, nearly all the candidates agree that the biggest problem with the April 9 contest is that most voters think the election is already over.

The confusion has arisen because the local contest--which traditionally draws a low turnout in any case--follows so closely on the tails of last week’s statewide primary, leaving voters under the impression they are through casting ballots for awhile.

The city election was left behind, on the traditional second Tuesday in April, when the state advanced its primary election two weeks in hopes of exerting greater influence on the presidential nominating races.

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Adding to the load for the Santa Clarita electorate is the big field of candidates, with a smattering of local officeholders vying against a field of earnest unknowns. Councilwoman Jan Heidt is the only incumbent seeking reelection, as Councilman George Pederson focused his energy on an unsuccessful bid for the state Assembly.

Former Mayor Jill Klajic, defeated in a reelection bid in 1994, is attempting to regain a seat on the council.

Former Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce President Gary Johnson, who mounted an unsuccessful bid for a seat in 1992, returns to the race this year.

Planning Commissioner Louis Brathwaite and Recreation and Parks Commissioner Laurene Weste have both stressed their public service experience in seeking seats.

Several businessmen are also in the running. They include Kevin Keyes, the director of international operations for a software company; Andy Martin, an insurance broker, and Larry Bird, a property manager.

Rounding out the field are: Paul Bond, a newspaper reporter; Timothy Ben Boydston, a teacher; and Reinhardt Schuerger, a sheriff’s deputy.

But the surprise in this year’s race is the campaign of Frank Ferry, a teacher and virtual political unknown. Ferry has raised $24,206, mostly in small contributions--about $10,000 more than any other candidate.

Ferry has been raising money for about a year and has the backing of the brother of U.S. Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Santa Clarita). He also solicited funds from fellow teachers, several of whom are listed as prominent donors on his campaign forms.

The money has helped Ferry mount a more visible campaign than most of the other contenders, complete with a campaign office, mail-in ballot program and private opinion poll.

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The mail-in ballot program may prove particularly important because of the timing of this year’s election. Despite a voter awareness campaign launched by the city, divorcing this year’s race from the bigger statewide election means the voter turnout will probably be small--giving all the more importance to each vote cast.

Of the other candidates, only Klajic indicated she had an organized mail-in voter program.

Heidt, on the other hand, has purchased television time. She says her spots, running 135 times on cable programs such as CNN Headline News, cost $6 each, which she said would give the most return for her money.

“Now, who do you want managing your money?” she said.

Other candidates have relied on traditional forums as well as brochures and placards, particularly clustered along the city’s major streets such as Valencia Boulevard. Several candidates have complained that their signs have been defaced or stolen.

Contributions from political action committees have also played a role for the first time in a Santa Clarita race. Candidates Johnson and Weste are being supported by the Santa Clarita Valley Business Alliance, which has spent $5,643 to support Johnson and $5,482 to support Weste in the form of mailings.

Here is a snapshot list of the candidates, in alphabetical order, and the issues they considered critical:

* Larry Bird, 48, a property manager, has focused on the city’s practice of contracting for legal services. Bird contends it would be more cost effective to have a full-time city attorney, so the city could develop effective loitering and street vendor ordinances that could be prosecuted locally. He also favors construction of a city skateboard park “with a barrel, speed track, rails, curbs and obstacle course.” He has raised $6,405.

* Paul J. Bond, 35, a reporter for the Antelope Valley Press, has made controlling growth his central issue, urging that the city enact a system to keep tabs on developers and their projects. “We have seen what unchecked growth has done to the San Fernando and Antelope valleys,” he said. “In order to maintain and increase property values, we must slow down growth.” He has raised less than $1,000.

* Timothy Ben Boydston, 40, employed by the state to teach youths in detention camps to read and write, believes relieving traffic congestion should be the council’s primary goal, along with youth programs and revitalization of depressed areas. Boydston thinks the city must establish an east-west traffic corridor, perhaps funded by a bond measure or through developer fees. “The big problem is that the City Council up until now has not had the political will to press forward,” he said. He has raised less than $1,000 in his campaign.

* Louis Brathwaite, 62, a planning commissioner and retired federal government employee, also sees easing traffic congestion as a major issue, along with retaining affordable housing and revitalizing downtown Newhall. He would get money to ease traffic by charging developers to build within the city. “I worked out here when flocks of sheep wandered down Bouquet Canyon Road” and now the same road “is the heaviest traffic corridor in the area,” Brathwaite says. He has raised $5,030.

* Frank Ferry, 30, a Valencia High School teacher, made road construction and public safety his key issues, urging an increase in the city’s commitment to youth programs. “I have two children,” he said. “I just don’t want to have to worry about their safety with gangs.”

* Jan Heidt, 57, incumbent council member and a small-business owner, believes that retaining public safety and a commitment to the community’s youth are critical. Despite the city’s ranking in a recent survey as the fifth safest city in the nation, Heidt notes that gang problems have been increasing, saying shoplifters in her bookstore are children as young as 8. “That’s why we need a parental responsibility ordinance,” she said. Heidt has raised $6,520.

* Gary Johnson, 42, former president of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce and owner of a computer firm, sees job creation and public safety as key issues. He believes more businesses could be persuaded to locate in Santa Clarita through incentives, and is opposed to a development monitoring system because “We do not need any more bureaucratic tools.” Johnson has raised $13,797 plus getting the $5,643 PAC support.

* Jill Klajic, 49, former mayor and manager of a recycling firm, says residents are worried mainly about keeping their city safer than the San Fernando Valley. “People are not concerned about the national debt. That has not come up in any of my [community meetings],” she said. “They are concerned about their own communities.” She has raised $7,386.

* Kevin Keyes, 38, an international operations director for Phoenix Software International, said he is committed to relieving traffic congestion and has been in contact with Gov. Pete Wilson’s office to find out what happened to the city’s share of proceeds from a gas tax. He has raised $8,321.

* Andy Martin, 71, an insurance broker, believes the present council has failed and that developers have too much influence. In his ballot statement, Martin wrote, “Large developers rule. Look at the present donor list and vomit.” Martin has raised less than $1,000.

* Reinhardt Schuerger, 35, a sheriff’s deputy, wants more outlets for teens, which he said would combat the attractiveness of gangs. He believes in “working in the community to develop more programs--more things that the kids can do that don’t cost participants money.” He has raised less than $1,000.

* Laurene Weste, 47, a city parks commissioner and full-time volunteer worker, stressed environmental concerns, favoring public-private partnerships to preserve open space. “I have full time to commit to this community,” she said. She has raised $11,998, plus getting the $5,482 in PAC support.