Meet the Candidates : 24th Congressional District

Incumbent Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills) has decided to retire from Congress, leaving a wide-open race for his seat. Republican Rich Sybert is going head-to-head with Democrat Brad Sherman. Also running are Libertarian Erich Miller, Ron Lawrence of the Natural Law Party and Ralph Shroyer of the Peace and Freedom Party. Ron Lawrence Age: 70 Occupation: Physician / administrator Residence: Malibu Party: Natural Law Education: Bachelor’s degree in zoology and master’s degree in physiology from New York University, and medical degree from UC Irvine Background: A practicing physician for 43 years, Lawrence has been a longtime advocate for alternative health care. He was one of the nation’s first medical doctors to use acupuncture. He is an assistant clinical professor at the Neuropsychiatric Institute at the UCLA School of Medicine and runs a small nonprofit institute that finances research on Alzheimer’s disease.

Issues: Lawrence advocates shifting federal spending from traditional medicine to alternative and preventive health care. He believes prevention could cut in half the $1-trillion federal health-care budget. He favors a greater emphasis on nutrition, stress reduction and other techniques to ward off illness. He also supports greater reductions in the defense budget and an increase in NASA’s programs to explore space. Erich Miller Age: 35 Occupation: Businessman, teacher Residence: Reseda Party: Libertarian Education: Bachelor’s degree in music, North Texas State University; master’s in music, North Illinois University Background: A San Fernando Valley resident for a decade, Miller is an elementary school music teacher and a steel drum percussionist in a calypso jazz band. He has been active in Libertarian Party politics for several years. Miller is making his second bid for Congress. Last time, he won 5.6% of the vote. Issues: Miller advocates cutting the federal budget in half, ending welfare, Medicare and other entitlements, privatizing Social Security, eliminating congressional retirements and selling the government’s $12 trillion in assets. He wants to end America’s war on illegal drugs and move toward legalizing them. He suggests bringing home U.S. troops from abroad and ending federal control over education. Brad Sherman Age: 41 Occupation: State Board of Equalization member Residence: Sherman Oaks Party: Democrat Education: Bachelor’s degree, UCLA; law degree, Harvard Law School Background: As a member of the State Board of Equalization since 1990, Sherman criticized the Legislature and Gov. Pete Wilson for imposing a sales tax on snacks and campaigned for an initiative that repealed the tax. He previously worked as a certified public accountant and lawyer specializing in tax matters. Issues: Sherman vows to safeguard Medicare and student financial aid from budget cuts. He wants to protect the Santa Monica Mountains and federal clean air and water pollution standards. He advocates balancing the budget by the year 2002. He supports President Clinton’s program to hire 100,000 more police officers. He favors the assault weapons ban and wants to prohibit the sale of the handguns known as Saturday night specials. Ralph Shroyer Age: 66 Occupation: Retired school teacher Residence: Woodland Hills Party: Peace and Freedom Education: Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Illinois and master’s degree in education/history from Cal State Northridge Background: A longtime San Fernando Valley resident, Shroyer taught school for 31 years and was active in the teachers unions before retiring in 1986. He was a founding member of the Peace and Freedom Party in 1967 and has been active in the party’s organization ever since. He ran for Congress in 1974, trying to oust a Democratic incumbent who supported the Vietnam War. Issues: Shroyer wants to replace America’s winner-take-all, two-party system with one of proportional representation that would give minor parties a voice in Congress. He favors taxing the assets of the wealthy rather than taxing income. He wants more money for public education to reduce class size and to emphasize critical thinking and social understanding skills as well as job training. He advocates universal access to medical care. Rich Sybert Age: 44 Occupation: Attorney, business manager Residence: Calabasas Party: Republican Education: Bachelor’s degree in history from UC Berkeley, law degree from Harvard Law School, master’s degree in business administration from UCLA Background: Narrowly losing to Beilenson in 1994, Sybert is making a second bid for public office. Sybert was an attorney in Los Angeles from 1978 to 1990 before becoming Gov. Pete Wilson’s director of planning and research. He moved back to Southern California in 1993 to run for Congress and work for a toy company as general counsel and manager of its design shop. Issues: A fiscal conservative and moderate on social issues, Sybert wants to shrink the federal bureaucracy, repeal the 1993 tax increase and simplify the tax code. He supports reforming and strictly enforcing immigration laws, and making the criminal justice system more efficient. He proposes to end bilingual education, send federal grants directly to school districts and make education expenses tax deductible.