142 to Run on Hollywood, Valley Ballots

From a rookie state assemblyman to a billboard icon, an army of advocates for the breakup of Los Angeles took form on Friday, as 121 candidates met the filing deadline to run for office in a proposed San Fernando Valley city, and 21 filed in Hollywood.

Among 12 candidates for Valley mayor, first-term Assemblyman Keith Richman (R-Northridge), who is funding his race in part with contributions from his Assembly campaign, has perhaps the highest profile, although well-known Valley activist Mel Wilson is also in the contest.

In Hollywood, the last-minute entry of the single-named self-promotion whiz Angelyne in the election for five city council seats prompted sniggers that her ubiquitous billboards would give her an edge over unknown candidates. Hollywood’s mayor would be chosen from the city council.

Secessionists said the lack of veteran politicians on the Nov. 5 ballot is a good thing, because they prefer passionate citizens to career politicians.

“You have people here who aren’t jaded, who aren’t cynical, who want to improve their community and will bring an intensity to the campaign, who will bring fresh ideas,” said Richard Katz, co-chairman of the San Fernando Valley Independence Committee.

But some political experts said the shortage of high-profile candidates with large constituencies and strong fund-raising ability will likely blunt the effectiveness of the secession drive.

“There was an initial period of optimism when [secessionists] anticipated a large number of highly qualified candidates who would spend a large amount of money,” said Thomas Hogen-Esch, an assistant professor of political science at Cal State Northridge. “By all accounts, that hasn’t happened. The lack of quality, big-name candidates will hurt the campaign.”

Relative Newcomers

Even the most serious candidates lack the name recognition that secession supporters had hoped for: Richman is new to the Assembly, and Gene La Pietra, who spearheaded the Hollywood secession effort and is running for a Hollywood council seat, lost a previous bid for West Hollywood City Council.

“These are not household names,” said Kam Kuwata, a political advisor for the anti-secession campaign.

Secession leaders had originally predicted 150 candidates in the Valley alone, including 10 with experience in elective office. But they were pleased with Friday’s count because a slow start to the filing process had made it look as if the response would be smaller than it turned out to be.

“This is huge,” Katz said.

The field may narrow in the coming days as the county registrar-recorder validates the signatures on the candidates’ nominating petitions.

The candidates are on the same ballot as the Valley and Hollywood secession measures. If secession loses, the offices will not exist, a factor that might have dissuaded better-known people from entering the campaign.

Only one Valley candidate other than Richman has elective legislative experience at the city or state level: former Assemblywoman Paula Boland, who is running for city council.

Also in the race are a retired judge, a legislative aide and a few chamber of commerce presidents. Most of the rest are business people or neighborhood activists who have never run for office.

In Hollywood, C. Edward Dilkes, who is both city attorney and interim city manager in the San Gabriel Valley city of Bradbury, is among those who filed papers to run. Another is Jeff Zarrinnam, who owns and runs the Ramada Inn in Hollywood.

Richman, a physician and the founder of one of the state’s largest managed care medical groups, has been in the Legislature for two years.

He said Friday that, if elected, he would cut the business tax in a new Valley city to half the Los Angeles level, hire more police officers and improve city services.

Richman said he had raised about $75,000 for his campaign so far, including a $25,000 contribution from his Assembly campaign. He is seeking reelection to the Assembly in November; if secession passes and he wins the mayor’s post, he will resign from the Legislature, he said.

Competition in Valley

Unlike Richman, Wilson has been active in Valley politics for years. He is also a longtime associate of many of the business leaders who are backing the secession campaign.

He served four years as an appointee of former Mayor Richard Riordan to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, and four years on the city Fire Commission.

He was president of the San Fernando Valley Board of Realtors in 1997.

Wilson said he plans to spend as much as $500,000 in the campaign. Richman declined to say how much he plans to spend.

Other mayoral candidates include union activist and school bus driver Benito Benny Bernal of Mission Hills, insurance adjuster David Raymond Hernandez Jr. of Valley Village, and telecommunications consultant Scott Sobhani of Valley Glen.

Hernandez, who is also the Republican candidate for Congress opposed to Howard Berman in the 28th District, said he would work for a better transit system for the Valley, including a light rail line that would connect with the subway system at North Hollywood.

Virtual City Hall

Marc Strassman, an Internet consultant from Valley Village who is also running for Valley mayor, said he would like to see every household in the Valley wired to city hall, so that residents could vote “daily or hourly” on issues before the city.

Eight Valley candidates are members of the Valley VOTE Board of Directors: mayoral candidate Bernal; 3rd District candidate Walter Prince; 6th District candidate Irwin Silon; 8th District candidates Johnny Walker, Garrett Biggs and Joyce Pearson; 12th District candidate Carlos Ferreyra; and 13th District candidate Richard Leyner.

Boland and Northridge Chamber of Commerce director Walter Prince are among the 14 candidates competing in the Valley’s 3rd Council District.

Contenders for other council seats include retired Superior Court Judge Marvin D. Rowen, Robert Lamishaw, an urban planner who is former president of the Mid-Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Scott Svonkin, the chief of staff to Assemblyman Paul Koretz (D-West Hollywood).