A Lock for Lockyer; 2 Vie for GOP Nod

Two GOP officeholders want the right to challenge Democratic state Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer in November for the job as California’s treasurer -- in effect, the state’s head banker, charged with overseeing tens of billions of dollars in borrowing every year.

Lockyer, forced out of his current office by term limits, is unchallenged. Other Democrats cleared the field when he decided not to run for governor, and to use his sizable war chest for a treasurer run instead.

One of the Republican contenders, Assemblyman Keith Richman of Northridge, is a budget buff who in 2003 helped form a bipartisan group in the Legislature that looked for ways to bring fiscal stability to the state. The effort fizzled, but was the inspiration for a budget proposal released by Richman and Assemblyman Joe Canciamilla (D-Pittsburg) that included cuts in public services and modest tax hikes.

Richman was the only Republican who broke ranks with his caucus to support raising taxes that year. He also has crusaded against what he calls excessive pension benefits granted to government workers that are costing taxpayers billons.

Richman’s opponent is anti-tax activist Claude Parrish of Palos Verdes, who sits on the Board of Equalization.

The Times reported this month that Parrish helped boost the primary chances of a friend and potential successor to his office by hiring her as his deputy -- for three months, until the state approved that title for her ballot entry and she resigned the post. Analysts say the ballot designation will probably win her votes.

Parrish, endorsed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., did not respond to requests to discuss his platform. His priorities, according to campaign material, are to eliminate all but the most essential state bond issues and streamline the borrowing process to cut out fees charged by investment bankers, consultants and attorneys, whom he describes as Wall Street “middlemen.”