CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR HIT STUMP; PALMDALE INCUMBENT, CHALLENGERS TALK SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION.

Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer

Mayor Jim Ledford sounded a message of ``stay-the-course'' Wednesday while challengers Kevin Carney and George Wolfe called for more Sheriff's Department protection and a more business-friendly environment.

The three men made their campaign pitches before a gathering of the Palmdale Chamber of Commerce. The three men are vying for the mayor's job in the Nov. 4 election.

Ledford, 43, a former aerospace worker and a former tavern owner, is seeking his fourth term as mayor.

Ledford said Palmdale's city government already is pro-growth and pro-business, although a chamber survey shows that 60 percent of the business owners disagree.

``We are very business-friendly,'' Ledford said.

Carney, 45, a sheriff's sergeant, pointed to the city's linear park along Sierra Highway as an example of the city's anti-business attitude.

The city, Carney said, spent $8.5 million to buy and tear down buildings holding 39 businesses along Sierra Highway, prompting businesses to either locate out of the city or to go out of business.

``That needs to change,'' Carney said.

Wolfe, 33, a paralegal, said the city was ``very strong in keeping people out'' when it came to business development. Wolfe said he would set up a special committee that would have the flexibility to work with each business on a one-on-one basis to determine their needs.

Carney said the city has not made law enforcement a budget priority, saying that although the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale are comparable in size, Lancaster is spending about $2 million more annually on law enforcement.

``We need more cops out there,'' Carney said. ``This city needs a bigger law enforcement presence.''

Wolfe said the city should create its own law enforcement agency. That, he said, would bring more security to the community.

``That will help bring people in,'' Wolfe said.

Ledford did not address law enforcement in his remarks to the chamber. In a previous interview Ledford said he would like to see the creation of a team to provide ongoing sweeps of parolees who are committing crimes.

All three candidates spoke about improving Palmdale's airport service, which now uses a terminal operated by the Los Angeles airport department on land leased from U.S. Air Force Plant 42.

Ledford said the key is to continue to push for improvements for access to the airport, including the proposed high-speed rail link to Los Angeles and the extension of Avenue P-8 as a bypass for traffic around busy Palmdale Boulevard.

With that, Ledford said, ``the viability of the airport will increase dramatically.''

Carney believes the city needs to encourage cargo haulers to come to the airport. In terms of passenger service, the city should look into the idea of making Palmdale a possible intermediate stop along a route rather than being a terminus, he said.

``We need to sell the idea of passenger service,'' Carney said.

Wolfe said the airport should be a project for the special committee he would create. The committee would work with the Los Angeles Department of Airports to develop the Palmdale airport.

``We have to educate people on what we have here,'' Wolfe said.

The city's mayor serves a term of two years. The mayor holds no powers beyond those of the rest of the council, but does sign documents and acts as the city's chief representative.

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3 Photos

Photo: (1) CARNEY

(2) LEDFORD

(3) WOLFE