Former NYC mayor Bloomberg, unions give more to Shriver, Kuehl efforts

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has given $100,000 to a group supporting Bobby Shriver’s bid to replace retiring Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the latest in a flurry of late contributions.

Coupled with other new contributions, including an additional $122,000 given by the county sheriff’s deputies’ association to an effort supporting Shriver’s opponent, Sheila Kuehl, a total of $8.8 million has been raised in the race by various committees.

Bloomberg famously battled New York city employees over pay-and-benefit packages while mayor, warning New Yorkers about the rising cost of pension and retiree healthcare liabilities.

Shriver is sounding similar themes against Kuehl, a former state lawmaker, arguing the labor-backed candidate is downplaying Los Angeles County’s pension and healthcare debt. Bill Carrick, Shriver’s consultant, said he doesn’t know why Bloomberg gave the contribution but noted that Shriver has worked with the former mayor on international healthcare projects.

Real estate developer Nile Niami gave a pro-Shriver committee $50,000 and architect Frank Gehry’s group gave another $25,000 on top of $5,800 he’s already contributed. The architect’s firm is designing a joint city-county residential and commercial complex across the street from Disney Hall in downtown.

Shriver is backed by Los Angeles and Hollywood business chambers, real estate interests, a Westside activists group and a handful of private-sector unions.

Labor and affiliated groups have also continued brisk giving to Kuehl and committees that are backing her. The contribution by the union representing 9,000 county sheriff’s deputies bring the group’s total giving to a independent pro-Kuehl committee to more than $600,000. A national nursing advocacy group, National Nurses United, has given $50,000 to the effort to elect Kuehl.

In addition to multiple unions, Kuehl is endorsed by the Democratic Party, women’s groups and environmental organizations.

Total giving to the Shriver effort is $4.6 million with Kuehl backers slightly behind at $4.1 million. Yaroslavsky is retiring after two decades due to term limits.

The election is Tuesday.

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Times data analysts Maloy Moore and Anthony Pesce contributed to this report.