Valley Has Key Role in Race to Follow Braude

By NANCY HILL-HOLTZMAN

Feb. 9, 1997 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

For the first time in more than three decades, residents of the Los Angeles 11th City Council District won’t have Marvin Braude to vote for anymore.

But his legacy and endorsement are expected to color the race to succeed him as representative of the largest, richest and best educated district in the city.

Its 73 square miles, bisected by the Santa Monica Mountains, includes ritzy hillside enclaves stretching from Woodland Hills to Encino, Pacific Palisades to Brentwood. Poorer parts of Van Nuys and the West Los Angeles flatlands are included as well.

Although the Braude name has long been synonymous with the Westside and its issues, slightly more than half of his district lies in the San Fernando Valley.

The Valley, then, will play a pivotal role in the outcome, as it has in numerous other races.

And that is where two presumptive front-running candidates have opened storefront headquarters several blocks apart from each other on Ventura Boulevard in Encino.

By virtue of their endorsements and successful fund-raising, the top contenders are Braude’s former longtime chief of staff, Cindy Miscikowski, 48, of Brentwood and Mayor Richard Riordan’s former West Valley liaison, Georgia Mercer, 55, of Tarzana.

Republican businessman Mark Isler, 49, of Van Nuys, is the third candidate in the nonpartisan race, which has drawn a surprisingly small field in light of the district’s history of civic involvement.

Two other hopefuls, Doug Friedman, a Brentwood administrator, and Russ Cook, a Tarzana real estate broker and former Animal Regulation Commission member, have turned in nomination petitions, but have not yet qualified for the ballot.

The candidates face voters at a pivotal moment in city history. Reform is in the air and on the ballot. Residents are demanding more of a say in their municipal government and want a council person willing to share power before even getting it.

Looking at the 11th District from other areas of the city, many beset with all manner of urban woe, one might ask: What’s the problem?

At $74,209, the mean household income in the 11th District is the highest in Los Angeles and $32,000 higher than the city as a whole. One of every 3.4 adults over 25 has a college degree, more than any other council district. As of the last census, 72% of the district’s residents are white.

With the exception of the Van Nuys pocket, the district looks as prosperous in person as it does on paper. Commercial streets are lined with trendy boutiques, restaurants and places where people get beautified.

Behind the clipped lawns and hedges live many of the beautiful people, along with the mayor, the district attorney and, yes, O.J. Simpson.

But viewing the district from within--and in historical perspective--problems seem clear and vexing: What happened to the suburban dream?

What with traffic, a crumbling infrastructure and worse, residents are frustrated that their success, education and all the armed patrols money can buy won’t bring the sense of safety and comfort that was once taken for granted in suburban Los Angeles.

After announcing his retirement following 32 years in office and after being heavily courted, Braude endorsed Miscikowski. It is the key endorsement in the race.

“We have almost a magical relationship,” Miscikowski said of her mentor.

Of her own ambitions, Miscikowski said, “I always knew I would run for office. I loved City Hall. I love local government.”

Councilwoman Ruth Galanter and Assemblyman Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks) are also backing Miscikowski.

Mercer has lined up endorsements from popular retired Rep. Anthony Beilenson, City Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg and the San Fernando Valley Assn. of Realtors. She also has support from Jewish community leaders and women’s groups.

Mercer said running for office is a “natural evolution” of her community activity.

“Part of the impetus to run is seeing the difference in people who have been there a long time and some of the new people, who have a different approach . . . much more dynamic energy,” said Mercer, who places herself in the later category.

Those seeking to separate the two on the issues will be hard-pressed to do so. Both back Riordan for reelection and his charter reform proposal.

On the matter of the Valley secession bills, both favor the version of the bill that calls for a citywide vote.

Their differences lie more in their background and place of residence than their views or their similar styles.

At a sparsely attended campaign forum last week in Sherman Oaks, both women portrayed themselves as problem solvers.

Mercer noted she was co-founder of the Juvenile Justice Connection, a widely respected program for at-risk youth in the Valley.

Miscikowski reminded the audience of the numerous night meetings in the Valley she attended while hammering out details of a development plan for Sherman Oaks.

But because many Valley residents harbor strong feelings that they are being shortchanged by City Hall, the race could turn into a showdown between the two parts of the divided district.

Attorney David Fleming, who’s running the mayor’s charter reform campaign, said it matters greatly to him that the councilperson lives north of Mulholland.

“The Valley is driving change in the city of Los Angeles,” said Fleming, who has endorsed Mercer.

Miscikowski said the Westside and Valley parts of the district have more in common than not. Besides, Miscikowski said, she has worked with Valley residents for years and they trust her.

That assertion is made more persuasive by the endorsement Miscikowski has from several homeowner group presidents from Woodland Hills, Van Nuys and Sherman Oaks.

“She is the most knowledgeable person to walk through City Hall,” said Gordon Murley, president of the Woodland Hills Homeowner Assn. and the Valley Hillside Federation.

The Mercer campaign hopes to turn that accolade into a negative.

“Things are not going as well as they could be in City Hall,” said Mercer consultant Larry Levine. “The old way of doing things is not the best way of doing things now and in the future.”

Adding to Miscikowski’s City Hall insider baggage is what voters may make of her marriage to attorney-lobbyist Doug Ring.

Although Ring quit city lobbying more than a year ago in hopes of defusing the issue, it was raised by someone at the campaign forum this week.

The matter is not helped by Miscikowski’s reliance on development-related contributors for her war chest.

Miscikowski responded that Ring has taken on no projects in the 11th District since they became a couple a decade ago.

Her consultant, Rick Taylor, is more sensitive about the issue, branding any attempt to raise the issue as sexist.

“Cindy’s the one who’s going to push the button in the office,” Taylor said.

While both campaigns view quality-of-life issues, especially traffic, as paramount, they diverge on the importance of crime.

Taylor views it as a second-tier issue, while Levine rates it higher.

The third candidate, Isler a businessman and conservative talk show host, said crime is the issue.

Isler got a late start and expects to have just $45,000 to work with, compared with the $300,000 voluntary spending limit the other candidates agreed to.

But he promises to provide contrast to the views of his opponents by pushing a conservative agenda focused on crime, education and Valley secession, which he supports.

“I think I’ll make it interesting, Isler said.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

11th District Candidate Profiles

GEORGIA MERCER

Age: 55

Residence: Tarzana

Education: Bachelor’s degree in education from Cal State Los Angeles; graduate of UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management executive program

Personal: Married to business owner David Mercer since 1962. One son, Steven, 29, who is working in her campaign

Professional: Mayor Riordan’s former West Valley representative and liaison to the Jewish community and women’s organizations

****

CINDY MISCIKOWSKI

Age: 48