Women Emerge as New Power Brokers in City Council Race

Traditional political power brokers--real estate interests--as well as new power brokers--women--have emerged as the major contributors in the Los Angeles City Council race for the new 1st District seat, according to a Times study of campaign contribution reports.

The reports, however, do not--as required by law--describe the occupations of contributors of thousands of dollars to the leading candidates, school board member Larry Gonzalez and Assemblywoman Gloria Molina. The effect of the delay in reporting this information to the city clerk is that the public may not be able to identify the economic interests of these contributors before Election Day, Feb. 3.

Joe Giles, assistant chief of elections in the city clerk’s office, said such omissions are relatively common. Aides from the Gonzalez and Molina campaigns said that the omissions occur because they often receive checks from people who give their names and addresses, but no occupation or name of employer. The clerk Monday sent letters to all of the candidates asking them to supply missing information, Giles said, but the clerk’s standard policy allows them two weeks from receipt of the letter to fill in the blanks.

That means complete information on many sources of campaign contributions will remain unknown until after the special election next Tuesday.

The Northeast-Eastside district election is a contest between four candidates: Gonzalez, Molina, businessman Paul D. Y. Moore and community planner Leland Wong. The money race over who can raise the most to finance a campaign has centered on Molina and Gonzalez.

Based on the most recent campaign reports filed last week, Molina leads with $178,715 in contributions. With the more than $4,500 she received from women’s political groups and approximately $22,000 collected from individual women at a recent fund-raiser, women as a group account for almost 15% of her fund raising.

“She is the priority now,” said Carol Schatz, co-president of Los Angles Women’s Campaign Fund. “There has been a higher than usual effort for her because the race is contested and because she’s been there for us on pay equity issues, child care, you name it.”

Joan Palevsky, finance co-chair for Molina and longtime fund-raiser for women’s causes, said: “I haven’t seen so many women work so hard before for a City Council candidate. But I think you’re going to see more of it in the future.”

While Molina also owes about 11%, or $20,400, of her support to real estate interests, the majority of developers, builders, and architects are lining up behind Gonzalez. They account for $33,000, or about 20% of his support accounted for so far.

A recent $250-per-person Gonzalez fund-raising dinner was heavily attended by those representing building interests, as well as many active in Eastside politics.

Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alatorre, one of three major Gonzalez supporters who addressed the audience from the podium, said that Gonzalez “wants the city of Los Angeles to continue to grow, continue to prosper.” Gonzalez, in his speech, told his supporters that “ development is not a bad word.” He said that economic development is needed to develop jobs and a tax base for better municipal services.

Jona Goldrich, a major developer who has contributed to many local campaigns including $500 to Gonzalez, said he and other developers are supporting the school board member because “I think Gonzalez is more pro-business. She seems more anti--against things.”

Gonzalez is also attracting 15% of his support from associations representing government employees and unions, with a third of it coming from those in education. Molina has received a sizable amount, about 8%, from attorneys.

Wong, who predicted when he announced for the office that he would raise $200,000 for his campaign, has so far fallen far short of that goal, raising instead $23,640. Financial contributions from the Chinatown community “have not been the factor I had hoped,” he conceded recently, but he said he will continue to walk precincts in an effort to garner votes in heavily Asian areas.

Moore, a businessman and administrator at a travel agency, has raised $10,882 and said he has “consciously avoided seeking contributions from special interests, even though I believe I could have taken advantage of some business connections the agency has.”

Assistant Times Poll director Susan Pinkus and Times administrative aide Cecilia Rasmussen contributed to this article.

A LOOK AT THE DISTRICT 1 CANDIDATES

Larry Gonzalez, 31 Occupation: School board member Total Contributions: $162,914 Major Supporters: Real estate interests and associations, particularly unions. Councilman Richard Alatorre, state Sen. Art Torres. Platform: “Accomplishments, not politics.” Stresses local government experience as member of school board representing Eastside for four years.

Gloria Molina, 38 Occupation: State Assembly member Total Contributions: $178,715 Major Supporters: Real estate interests and associations, particularly women’s groups, Rep. Ed Roybal, several City Council members including member Michael Woo. Platform: “Independent Leadership.” Emphasizes record in state Assembly, which includes leading fight against siting proposed state prison near Eastside.

Paul D. Y. Moore, 35 Occupation: Businessman Total Contributions: $10,882 Major Supporters: Individual professionals Platform: “To return goverment to the people.” Says he is the only “grass-roots” candidate.

Leland Wong, 29 Occupation: Community planner Total Contributions: $23,640 Major Supporters: Chinese American associations Platform: “To make local government work.” Criticizes “political machines” that he says back Gonzalez and Molina.