Mikels and McClintock Stress Differences at Forum in L.A.

Hardly glancing at each other, rival Republican state Senate candidates Tom McClintock and Judy Mikels made their first joint public appearance Monday and left members of two large Los Angeles-area business groups with a sampling of their differences on transportation, tax cuts and the need to understand local government.

At a noon gathering on Valentine’s Day, Assemblyman McClintock (R-Northridge) and Ventura County Supervisor Mikels greeted each other amiably, then ignored each other while focusing on issues they think define them.

Meeting before about 70 members of the Valley Industry and Commerce Assn. and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the candidates explained why they should replace 19th District Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley), who is retiring because of term limits.

The district includes most of Ventura County, and parts of the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys.

McClintock, 43, a state legislator for 14 years, emphasized his efforts to cut the California vehicle license tax and his support for the San Fernando Valley effort to secede from Los Angeles: “The right of people in their own communities to decide their own futures.”

Mikels, 54, for 14 years’ a Simi Valley councilwoman or county supervisor, stressed the importance of understanding local government and the need for lawmakers to work together: “What we need to do . . . when we go to Sacramento is to work cooperatively. And to use common sense.”

Subtly and politely, they noted what they see as their strengths, while suggesting their rival’s perceived weaknesses.

Mikels’ highlighted her ability to get along with members of all parties, a trait she sees as a negative in McClintock, a Republican maverick for much of his career. McClintock noted his leadership on such issues as the proposed elimination of car-pool lanes and the right of Valley residents to form a city of their own.

“I would say that just based on the positions that these [two] associations have taken in the past, that they would probably favor Mikels,” said Jerry Jeffe, legislative manager of the Los Angeles chamber. “But Valley secession is a big issue with the [industry association], and there are a lot of people who look favorably on McClintock for being a champion of secession. So he’s going to get a lot of votes for that.”

McClintock is far better known in the San Fernando Valley than Mikels, Jeffe said, although both are still seen essentially as Ventura County lawmakers.

“I happen to know both candidates very well,” he said. “And I don’t think there’s any doubt that she’s the underdog. As an assemblyman, McClintock is essentially the incumbent. And that gives him an advantage. And he’s raised a lot more money.”

McClintock may have had an edge Monday, too, because his comments were sometimes more specific to the Valley, especially when it came to transportation problems, said Cathy Maguire, chairwoman of the industry association. But she said that can cut both ways, since members of her group are split on the secession issue.

“I think that McClintock had more specifics because of working in the area,” Maguire said. “And that would be positive if they agreed with what he had to say.”

A key issue for business leaders at the forum was how to end gridlock on Valley freeways. McClintock said the answer lies in ending the practice of siphoning highway tax dollars off for other projects instead of building more and better freeways.

Some people wanted to slow California’s explosive growth by stopping road construction, he said.

“The idea was that if we stop building things, people won’t come,” McClintock said. “Unfortunately, people came anyway.”

“The result is a 116% increase in demand for freeway capacity since 1974, but only an 8% increase in capacity,” he said. California is dead last, he said, in per capita spending on roads. McClintock said the governor should be given emergency powers--such as those granted after the 1994 Northridge earthquake--to act decisively to end gridlock.

Mikels said the solution lies in providing a variety of transportation options such as light-rail commuter lines, high-speed magnetized rail systems and shuttles to move people around cities.

“They’re not all that expensive and they will move people,” she said. “We’re not going to build ourselves out of this one.”

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Association member Glen Becerra, who is also a Simi Valley councilman, said he thought another difference stood out between Mikels, whom he supports, and McClintock.

“I think one of the most important aspects of what was said up there is that Judy is a local official who understands how to address community needs,” Becerra said. “Cities and counties are where the rubber meets the road, and Tom has no experience in local government.”