Mayoral Challengers Square Off in Valley

Hitting on familiar themes but without many of the attacks that have characterized other debates, the four leading candidates seeking to unseat Mayor James K. Hahn squared off at a San Fernando Valley forum Monday evening.

State Sen. Richard Alarcon (D-Sun Valley), former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg and City Councilmen Bernard C. Parks and Antonio Villaraigosa were asked to avoid attacks at the debate, organized by the San Fernando Valley Young Democrats and the Los Angeles County Young Democrats.

Hahn, who cited a scheduling conflict to explain his absence, was never mentioned by name during the hourlong question-and-answer session before about 200 people at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood.

The challengers stood onstage and took questions from public radio host Larry Mantle, mostly repeating messages they have been highlighting in the run-up to the March 8 election.

Alarcon emphasized his push to “rebuild trust” in the wake of corruption investigations into city government. “I want Los Angeles to be the ethics governance model for the rest of the nation,” the former city councilman said.

Hertzberg, a lawyer from Sherman Oaks, returned again and again to his plan to break up the Los Angeles Unified School District, explaining that he could not “stand on the sidelines” as thousands of students failed to graduate.

Parks, like Alarcon, stressed ethics, hitting on a populist theme he has sounded through the campaign. Parks said Monday that he would refuse to appoint lobbyists to city commissions.

The former Los Angeles police chief also said he would end a flexible work schedule for police officers that allows them to work three 12-hour shifts a week.

And Villaraigosa, who represents the Eastside, talked about making education, traffic and crime his top priorities, though he did not offer many details about what he would do.

Asked to demonstrate his willingness to take a controversial stand, Villaraigosa, whom Hahn defeated in the 2001 mayoral election, said he would not shy away from telling voters they would need to spend more to reduce homelessness.

Though only Hertzberg and Alarcon are from the San Fernando Valley, all five major candidates are working to build support in the region, which typically accounts for about 40% of the electorate in mayoral elections.

Four years ago, support from the generally more conservative Valley helped Hahn beat Villaraigosa in the June runoff by eight points.

The mayor is working to rebuild his support there following his 2002 fight against Valley secession.

The four challengers and Hahn will face off on Thursday at a debate organized by the Central City Assn., a downtown business group.

Monday’s debate is scheduled to be broadcast at 10 a.m. today on KPCC-FM (89.3).