7TH DISTRICT CAMPAIGN HITS STREETS; RUNOFF CANDIDATES WALK PRECINCTS, TALK TO VOTERS.

Byline: Yvette Cabrera Daily News Staff Writer

With only a week left until the June 8 runoff election, the candidates have intensified their campaign in the City Council's 7th District and stepped up their attacks on each other's records in a flurry of mailers.

The hotly contested race to fill the seat vacated by state Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys, has been fraught with charges from both candidates.

Alex Padilla, 26, accused his opponent, Corinne Sanchez, 52, of negative campaigning and filed five complaints against her with a campaign watchdog panel.

The League of Women Voters' new Campaign Watch Commission ruled in favor of Sanchez on four of the complaints. But it sided with Padilla on the fifth, saying Sanchez lacked evidence for some of her criticism of him in a flier she mailed to voters.

Sanchez, for her part, blasted Padilla's voting record during his stint on the city Building and Safety Commission from 1997 to 1998, alleging that he put 7th District neighborhoods in jeopardy by voting in favor of waivers for nuisance properties.

The one thing the two candidates have in common is their major push to reach voters through precinct walking.

``The campaigning is still intense,'' Padilla said. ``I'm working just as hard now as I did in the primary because the voters have yet to speak on June 8.''

Despite predictions that her disappointing second-place finish would hamper her campaign, Sanchez has gained steam in recent days, winning coveted endorsements from Sheriff Lee Baca and county Supervisor Mike Antonovich. Sanchez, who received close to 25 percent of the vote in the April primary, now has the endorsement of all five county supervisors.

Padilla, who garnered close to 48 percent of the vote on April 13, has gained the backing of City Attorney James Hahn; Rep. Howard Berman, D-Mission Hills; and Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles.

In the fund-raising arena, however, Sanchez acknowledged that contributions are coming in slower, but steadily. For the runoff, she has received about $76,000 in contributions and matching funds, but is running a $5,000 deficit. Padilla said his fund-raising efforts have been consistent, and that he has gathered more than $100,000 in contributions.

After a crowded primary with six people on the ballot and two write-in candidates, both say the two-person runoff has made it easier to get their message out.

``I think now people are actually seeing the distinction,'' Sanchez said. ``I think the voters are going to vote for who they think is going to best meet their needs and they're really seeing the difference between Padilla and myself.''

Since the primary, Sanchez said, she has tried to emphasize the differences but has been less vocal about the age difference between the two, which she played up during the primary.

The issues that both candidates say residents continue to raise are quality of life issues. Sanchez said she encounters many inquiries on charter reform and secession.

Both candidates say they support a secession study, but only Sanchez will go so far as to say that if secession doesn't harm the city and doesn't harm the Valley, she will support it.

``I can't see opposing something that's a win-win for our community,'' she said. ``What I'm finding in going door-to-door is that people don't feel they are getting their fair share of city services, or feel they are getting inadequate services.''

Despite claims that Sanchez has made about Padilla opposing Valley self-government, Padilla said he has never opposed secession.

``I eagerly await the results of the study, to take the responsible position on secession,'' Padilla said. ``I've never said that I'm against secession.''

Padilla said very few residents ask about secession or charter reform on his precinct walks.

``People want the bottom line: Are you going to fix the potholes? Are you going to fix the sidewalks? That's what people are asking and the second-most frequent asked question is, What are you going to do for schools?''

On the issue of splitting up the Los Angeles Unified School District, Sanchez goes further than Padilla. She advocates a breakup and creation of a single district in the Valley.

``I think smaller is better because the teachers can be more accountable, not only to the community, but to parents and the students,'' Sanchez said. ``L.A. Unified is out of control. As a matter of fact, there is no control.''

Padilla says breaking up the school district alone will not solve the challenges.

``We need to spend more on our students, we need more parental participation and we need teacher and administrator accountability in our school district,'' Padilla said.

And while both candidates agree that LAUSD needs to involve the community in the school site selection process, they disagree on the Gemco site in Arleta, where the district is considering building a high school.

``The location is rather small for a school, but we can't ignore the needs of the community,'' Padilla said. ``San Fernando High School is the fifth-largest high school in the country, based on student enrollment. Our schools need relief.''

Sanchez is opposed to building a high school at the 12.6-acre Gemco site, saying alternatives must be considered.

``It's just an inadequate site for a quality school,'' Sanchez said. ``I think this is really a poor idea in terms of resources being put there, especially since the neighborhood doesn't want it.''

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2 Photos

Photo: (1) PADILLA

(2) SANCHEZ