11 Candidates Jockey for Position in City Treasurer’s Race : Elections: Some are trying to gain an edge by boasting of ties to Wesley Sanders Jr., who held the post for 20 years until his death.

COMPTON — Every four years for the last 20, Wesley Sanders Jr. ran for city treasurer, and each time he won with such ease that everyone figured he’d hold the post as long as he wanted it.

When he died last year, it created an opportunity few thought they would see. So many people rushed to file papers for his seat that, as local wags tell it, they raised a cloud of dust that could be seen from downtown Los Angeles.

An unprecedented 11 people, including one write-in candidate, are vying for the $75,000-a-year job. When the polls open April 20, voters will have their pick from a field including several business owners, a bank loan officer, two former Compton police officers and a board member of the Compton Unified School District.

Each candidate boasts of a proven track record. But, perhaps hoping that a little of the Sanders’ winning touch will rub off, several are emphasizing their ties to the well-liked treasurer. There’s Douglas Sanders, Wesley’s son, who promises to carry on his father’s legacy. And Saul E. Lankster, a cable show producer who says he is the only candidate supported by Wesley Sanders’ widow (who is Douglas Sanders’ stepmother). And Patricia Moore-Dees, a city business license inspector who points out that she is the only candidate who worked day-to-day with Wesley Sanders. And Richard Bonner, a businessman whose ballot statement notes that for five years he “walked and talked” daily with the late treasurer. There’s even a retired teacher named Earlean Sanders, whom Douglas Sanders notes, with some irritation, is no relation.

“Vote DOUGLAS Sanders, DOUGLAS Sanders, DOUGLAS Sanders,” he said pointedly at a recent candidates forum.

Whoever wins will become the custodian of public funds--in Compton’s case about $93 million this year. The treasurer does not decide how the money is spent. That’s the job of the city manager and council. But the treasurer does sign all checks and is responsible for keeping track of all the money the city receives and spends. The official is also responsible for making sure that businesses are properly licensed.

Perhaps the treasurer’s biggest duty is deciding which banks to use and how the city will invest its money. As of Feb. 26, the city had $20 million invested in such things as short-term certificates of deposit and so-called commercial paper, which are short-term loans given to corporations. The largest single investment, about $8 million, is part of a portfolio of investments from local agencies that is managed by the state treasurer, according to a city treasurer’s report.

All candidates have promised that they will invest the city’s money safely, in places where it will earn a high interest rate and will be easily accessible. In fact, they have little choice. State law and the City Charter severely restrict where and how public funds may be invested. The security of the investment is the No. 1 priority.

However, the issue of where the city should do its banking has become a sensitive one in the campaign. The city keeps a bank account for its day-to-day business at Queen City Bank in Long Beach. Its payroll account is at a Bank of America branch in Compton. Several candidates have argued that the city should keep its money in Compton banks. Besides Bank of America, the other banks in Compton are Capital Bank, Sanwa Bank and Founders National Bank.

“My philosophy is that we need to bring money into our area so that the local banks can have the money to lend to our citizens and our community,” said Eartha Wilson, a loan officer at Compton’s Capital Bank, who is running as a write-in candidate.

In fact, the City Charter states that “terms, interest and services being equal,” preference should be given to local banks. However, some candidates say that where the city keeps its money is not what is important, but whether that institution recycles it back into the community.

“I’m not going to tolerate putting $50 million in the Bank of Whatever if we (in Compton) can’t get a loan there,” said Royce Esters, a businessman who owns a bookkeeping and tax consultant business and who is president of the Compton branch of the NAACP.

Most of the other candidates are sounding the same message, particularly those who own small businesses. Nearly all have said that one of their priorities is to do business with banks that will provide low-interest and small-business loans to Compton residents and business owners. They all agree that the city treasurer’s office should be more diligent in policing tax collections and in issuing business licenses.

Some candidates have a more ambitious view of the job. Moore-Dees would like to use the position to encourage businesses to hire local residents. Edward L. Hicks, a retired police officer who owns two homes for abused and disturbed children, would lobby businesses to move their headquarters to Compton. But the treasurer’s powers are strictly defined, and there’s not much to disagree over. So, much of the debate has focused on who is the best qualified.

Naturally, every candidate has an opinion.

“I am the only candidate with a master’s degree in public administration and have proven I can handle responsibility,” said John Steward, a probation officer and Compton Unified School District trustee for 12 years.

“I am the only person who has gone through accounting courses, who knows about finance and economics and who will become a licensed certified public accountant,” said Douglas Sanders, a full-time student who expects to graduate in May from USC.

“I have a been a tax accountant in this city for 30 years. I have taught accounting students,” said Esters.

“I am the only candidate who knows something about the city treasurer’s office and won’t have to start from scratch because I have worked there for almost nine years,” said Moore-Dees.

Delores Zurita said she will bring her administrative skills as director of a city Meals-on-Wheels program to the job; Wilson, her banking experience; Richard Bonner, his business sense, judgment and “charisma”; and Hicks, his business experience and love for the city. Earlean Sanders did not return phone calls from The Times.

Some candidates are running as self-proclaimed outsiders. Lankster, the former Compton police officer who owns a flower shop and limousine service in addition to being a cable TV producer, says he is the candidate City Hall insiders would hate to see win.

“I won’t play their games,” he said. “I will expose any suspect payment to any company or any person if I think the citizens or the district attorney should know about it.”

Chuck Esters, a businessman who is no relation to Royce, also described himself as a “financial watchdog.”

“I am running on the theme of reinventing government,” Chuck Esters said. “What you have here is people who don’t believe that government serves them. They think it is a totally corrupt, bungling operation that doesn’t have their interest at heart.”

So far, the campaign has remained civil. However, several candidates have questioned school board member Steward’s credentials, in light of the financial troubles at the school district. School officials are faced with a possible state takeover and must borrow $18 million to stay afloat.

“Is he going to come over here and do the city in after doing the school district in?” Bonner said. “The district’s problems occurred under his leadership.”

Steward bluntly dismissed such criticisms as ignorant rhetoric, saying that the two jobs are fundamentally different. He pointed out that most school districts in the state are facing severe financial problems and said he long warned his fellow board members that Compton Unified might be in trouble.

In fact, Steward said, he was the board member who created the committee that fired the old auditors and hired the ones who uncovered the problems. He said his first priority, if elected, would be to audit the treasurer’s office, find out where the city’s funds are and how they are invested.

Steward isn’t the only candidate under fire. Douglas Sanders has been accused of running on his father’s coattails. His campaign flyers show a picture of his father next to his own and promise to carry on his father’s tradition of “integrity, honesty and commitment to the community.”

“He knows he doesn’t have anything else going for him besides the name,” one candidate said.

Douglas Sanders argues that such criticism is simply not true.

“I don’t have to run on his name,” he said. “Yes, it’s an added benefit that I am a Sanders and people know what kind of person he was. But that fact is I am the only candidate who has gone through accounting courses, who is minoring in finance. I may not have the all-around-been-out-there experience, but I have the book knowledge and the technical knowledge.”

Knowledge is not all candidates need at this stage of the campaign. Money to pay for posters, flyers and telephone banks helps. With 33 candidates running for various city offices this year, contributions are hard to come by.

As of March 7, Hicks has amassed the most money--$6,261, $4,000 of which he loaned to his campaign. Steve Kerdoon, part-owner of DeMenno/Kerdoon, a local oil company, gave him $500, as did BJS Development Corp., according to campaign finance statements filed with the city clerk.

Steward jump-started his campaign with a $4,200 loan from himself, and Delores Zurita has raised $2,400, which includes a $1,900 loan from herself and $500 from Steve Kerdoon. Campaign finance statements also show that Wilson has lent herself $1,650; Bonner lent himself $300.54, and raised $700, including $500 from DeMenno/Kerdoon, and Royce Esters lent himself $525. Chuck Esters, Lankster and Moore-Dees have raised no money, according to the statements.

Douglas Sanders and Earlean Sanders had not filed their disclosure statements as of last Wednesday, in violation of state code. City Clerk Charles Davis said both were being reported to the state Fair Political Practices Commission. The next statements are due Thursday.

The winning candidate must receive 50% plus one vote. If no one does, a runoff election will be held June 1 between the top two vote-getters.