Hayden Looks to Loan of Another $150,000

Falling further behind in the race for money, Tom Hayden announced Thursday he will loan his campaign another $150,000 in the race for the 5th District seat on the Los Angeles City Council.

A former state senator and a national political figure, Hayden said he would make the loan before the March 10 cutoff date for doing so.

“Fundraising will continue to assure repayment of the loan, with approximately 20 events scheduled in the next few weeks,” Hayden said in a statement.

His main opponent and the top money-raiser in the race, former federal prosecutor Jack Weiss, likened Hayden to another wealthy politician who financed his own campaign.

“It seems Tom Hayden’s support is so thin he can’t raise money for the campaign in accordance with the city contribution limits,” Weiss said. “He has become the Ross Perot of the 5th District.”

Weiss is, by far, the campaign funding leader among the 11 candidates competing in the April 10 election for the 5th District seat, which covers an area from Westwood to Van Nuys.

He reported raising $220,000 in contributions and receiving $90,500 in city matching funds as of the close of the reporting period Feb. 24, for a total of $310,500. Candidates who accept public matching funds agree to spend no more than $330,000 in the race, so Weiss is nearly fully funded. He ended the period with $245,000 in the bank.

In comparison, Hayden has raised $115,000 to date, including $21,000 he loaned his campaign, and had $81,000 in the bank at the close of the period.

Hayden and Weiss both raised about $36,000 in contributions between Jan. 1 and Feb. 24, but Hayden has turned down city matching funds, saying he wants to be able to provide loans to his campaign, so the $90,000 in city money that went to Weiss widened his lead considerably.

Among other contenders: West Los Angeles businessman Steve Saltzman has collected the second-highest amount, a combined $175,000 in contributions and matching funds; Sherman Oaks businessman Ken Gerston has brought in a combined $148,000; activist Robyn Ritter Simon of Beverlywood, with $147,855 combined, and community activist Laura Lake had received $137,000 combined.

Hayden’s decision to increase his loans to $171,000 outraged other candidates, including Victor Viereck of Valley Village.

“It’s really ridiculous,” Viereck said. “I guess he has to tap a lot of his own money because there are a lot of negatives about him that he has to overcome.”

Hayden said he decided to tap his personal wealth to add to the contributions he has received from a large contingent of attorneys, academics, social activists and entertainment industry figures.

Those who contributed to Hayden’s campaign during the past two months include actor Richard Dreyfuss, former Doors musician John Densmore, entertainer Barbra Streisand, producer Peg Yorkin, Paramount Pictures Chairwoman Sherry Lansing and Hustler magazine Publisher Larry Flynt.

Hayden also received checks from Santa Monica Mayor Michael Feinstein, former White House attorney John Emerson, the Paramount Pictures Group and former police commissioner Stanley Sheinbaum.

Weiss received many contributions from attorneys and the Warner Bros. Political Action Committee, MGM and UA Services Co., as well as the Motion Picture Assn. of America California PAC.

In the southwest Valley’s 3rd District race, outgoing City Councilman Hal Bernson’s deputy, Francine Oschin, maintained a fund-raising lead over a field of five candidates. Oschin reported she has raised $164,200 to date, receiving another $51,000 in matching funds, and ended the period with a cash balance of $133,642.

Next in fund-raising was Judith Hirshberg, who was an aide to former City Councilman Marvin Braude. She has raised $104,300 in contributions in addition to $40,700 in matching funds, and ended the period with $81,900 in the bank.

Other leading contenders in the 3rd District race include Woodland Hills businesswoman Tsilah Burman, who raised $82,100 and received $26,900 in matching funds, and LAPD Police Sgt. Dennis Zine of West Hills, who raised $70,100 and received $13,000 in matching funds.