CANDIDATES SET PRIORITIES : ECONOMY, EDUCATION, CRIME TOP LIST FOR VALLEY CONTENDERS.

Byline: Steven J. Gorman and Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writers

Most candidates for state Senate and Assembly seats in the San Fernando Valley area rank education, the economy and crime as the first issues they would tackle if elected, according to a survey of major party candidates.

Several Republican contenders also put efforts to scale back state government and taxes at the top of their agenda, along with resurrection of legislation to take away the City Council's power to veto secession in the Valley and other communities.

With half of the region's 10 statehouse incumbents either seeking higher office or forced into retirement by term limits this year, the Nov. 5 elections will sweep in the biggest crop of fresh faces Valley voters have sent to Sacramento in years.

Many of the political newcomers campaigning this fall say they are driven either by a desire to make local voices heard in state government or a sense that the Valley lacks effective leadership, or both.

``My theme is enhancing the power of the community and using state legislation to do so,'' said Bob Hertzberg, the Democratic nominee for the 40th Assembly District seat being vacated by Barbara Friedman, D-Sherman Oaks.

``We have not had representation,'' said his Republican rival Ron Culver. ``What we've had is people who carpetbag into the district and go in there and act in their own self-interest. I want to represent the Valley.''

``I'd like to go there and make way for people to create solutions at the local level by getting the state out of the business of fixing people's lives,'' said Adam Ross, the GOP nominee challenging 42nd District Assemblyman Wally Knox, D-Los Angeles.

For Republicans in particular, the issue of local self-determination is embodied in efforts to allow the Valley to split off from the city of Los Angeles and form its own municipal government.

``I will work hard in seeing the Valley gets a chance in the next new Assembly to say whether they want to be part of L.A. or be their own city,'' said Ollie McCaulley, the GOP nominee for the 39th Assembly District.

All 10 GOP candidates polled in the last two weeks registered strong support for legislation, authored by Assemblywoman Paula Boland, R-Granada Hills, that would have repealed the City Council veto over secession.

Among Democrats, only Hertzberg and Sen. Tom Hayden, D-Los Angeles, have agreed to back the Boland bill without demanding revisions. Hayden voted for it Aug. 22 when the measure fell to defeat in the Senate.

The remaining eight Democrats surveyed said they either opposed the Boland bill outright or would only back such a measure if the bill allowed voters citywide to join in any referendum on detachment.

That compromise was approved by the Assembly in the waning days of the latest Legislative session but was killed by a Democrat-controlled Senate committee.

Among those who favor a citywide vote as a condition for stripping the City Council of its veto power is Jon Lauritzen, the Democratic nominee for the 38th Assembly District, the seat Boland is vacating to run for the state Senate.

In a survey last month, Lauritzen counted himself among those who supported the Boland bill as written.

Among all 20 candidates polled, improving education was most often cited as a top priority, if not their No. 1 objective, followed closely by the goals of curtailing crime and stimulating the economy.

Two Republicans - Lauritzen rival Tom McClintock and Mark Boos Benhard, challenging 41st District Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl, D-Encino - said they would seek to raise academic achievement among Valley students by pressing for the breakup of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Ross, running against Assemblyman Knox in the 42nd District, has made educational reform the centerpiece of his campaign, including a proposal to fund schools through block grants allocated strictly on the basis of student population.

``In the long term, if we want to make a difference in crime and the economy, we want to make sure the people who are growing up now are educated,'' Ross said.

One of the more detailed anti-crime proposals advocated by the candidates is a plan by Knox to overhaul criminal sentencing in California.

Knox's plan would impose higher minimum prison terms for violent felons and drug dealers and a set of stringent rehabilitation goals those offenders would have to meet during their incarceration to avoid even tougher maximum sentences.

Jobs also weighed heavily on the minds of many candidates, with several advocating targeted tax breaks for high-growth industries, eased regulation of business, and increased state funding for worker retraining.

As for public transportation, interest in plans for an east-west rail line through the Valley appeared to vary more with geography than with party affiliation or ideology.

Some of the most enthusiastic supporters were candidates whose districts lie in the prospective path of a West Valley rail line extension - including Hertzberg, Kuehl and her challenger, Benhard.

``I am totally, 117 percent in favor of that,'' Kuehl said, adding that questions remain about whether it would be best to build the line as a subway or above ground.

Benhard said he supports an above-ground light-rail system, possibly in conjunction with an expanded bus system. Hertzberg said he too favors a light-rail line over a subway.

Most other candidates were either hostile or lukewarm to plans for an east-west rail line through the Valley.

``I think the same money would be far better spent expanding the Valley's freeway system,'' McClintock said. ``For the cost of a 2.8-mile section of the Los Angeles subway, we could have added 80 miles of new freeway lanes.''

Likewise, most candidates were cool to the idea of state aid for an ambitious plan by City Councilman Marvin Braude to revitalize the Van Nuys Civic Center and turn it into a commercial, government and entertainment hub of the Valley.

``I do not believe in providing state aid for local facilities,'' McClintock said. ``It is not fair for the people of Simi Valley to pay state taxes to improve the civic center in Van Nuys, nor is it fair for the people of Van Nuys to pay state taxes to improve the civic center in Simi Valley.''

Many others said they would be reluctant to commit tax dollars to such a project without knowing more about its costs, benefits and chances of success.

Three candidates, all of them Democrats, registered enthusiastic support for state assistance in revitalizing the civic center: Hertzberg, Kuehl and Lauritzen.

``That's one of the things I proposed myself, that we have a regional government center in the Valley,'' Lauritzen said. ``I think the state has a part in that. It's certainly too big a project for one entity.''

Kuehl said even though Van Nuys lies outside her district, ``I think it would be very good economically for that part of the Valley and probably for that Valley corridor.''

Hertzberg, whose prospective district includes Van Nuys, said he would like the see the project leveraged ``as much as possible in private funds'' but believes the state has a role in supporting it.

His GOP opponent, Culver, said he would only support state aid for such a project if it were ``done as part of a successful breakaway of the Valley from L.A. City.''

WHERE VALLEY CANDIDATES STAND

The Daily News asked the major party candidates in San Fernando Valley-area races for their positions on major issues affecting the Valley. Here are the questions, and their responses:

The 5 questions asked of local Assembly and Senate candidates:

1. If elected, what would you do for the people of the San Fernando Valley?

2. How do you stand on effots to repeal the City Council's veto power over the Valley's right to vote on secession from L.A.?

3. Would you support state aid for plans to revitalize the Van Nuys Civic Center, turning it into a community center for the Valley.

4. Rail: Do you support the planned east-west rail line through the Valley, and if elected, what would you do to get the program off the ground?

5. What is the vision that drives your desire to serve the Valley in government?

ASSEMBLY RACES 38th Assembly District Parts of San Fernando, Simi and Santa Clarita Valleys  Tom McClintock, Republican

1) Push for Valley secession and LAUSD breakup, reduce state government.

2) Supports.

3) No.

4) No.

5) Desire to ease government burdens on working families.

Jon Lauritzen, Democrat

1) Improve education funding, targeted tax breaks for growth industires.

2) Supports with citywide vote on secession.

3) Yes.

4) Opposes extension of subway but would lobby in favor of above-ground rail line if supported by constituents.

5) Slow growth.

39th Assembly District Northeast San Fernando Valley Tony Cardenas, Democrat

1) Increase job training funds, back charter schools and LEARN program, improve law enforcement relations with community.

2) Supports with citywide vote on secession.

3) Reluctant to support without knowing more.

4) Undecided, needs to know more.

5) Improving quality of life in his community.

Ollie McCaulley, Republican

1) Do more to retain businesses, push for Valley self-determination, curb illegal immigration.

2) Supports.

3) Undecided, needs to know more.

4) Opposes subway extension but would seek public funding and community input for light rail.

5) Representing the interests of the Valley.

40th Assembly District Includes Van Nuys, Canoga Park, Encino Bob Hertzberg, Democrat

1) Create development bank for small businesses, boost worker retraining funds, propose ``drug courts'' for petty offenses related to narcotics.

2) Supports.

3) Yes.

4) Skeptical about subway but strongly supports above-ground rail line and would lobby for funding.

5) ``Enhancing the power of the community and using state legislation to do so.''

Ron Culver, Republican

1) Advocate political and campaign reforms, push for Valley secession and work to ease business regulations.

2) Supports

3) No, unless part of a sucessful Valley secession.

4) No

5) Representing the interests of the Valley.

41st Assembly District Includes Woodland Hills, Santa Monica, Malibu Sheila Kuehl, Democrat (incumb.)

1) Boost funding for education and law enforcement, improve business climate for startup industries.

2) Voted against original Boland bill in May; but voted for amended bill in August requiring citywide vote on secession.

3) Yes.

4) Yes, would work with transportation experts in Sacramento to help push it along.

5) Valley's transformation into a ``vibrant, growing part of a first-class metropolis.''

Mark Boos Benhard, Republican

1) Lower taxes for working families and businesses, tougher sentencing, cut benefits to illegal immigrants, support LAUSD breakup.

2) Supports.

3) Undecided, needs to know more about it.

4) Supports above-ground light-rail line, perhaps in conjunction with expanded bus system.

5) Providing effective leadership in Sacramento.

42nd Assembly District Includes Sherman Oaks, West L.A. Wally Knox, Democrat (incumb.)

1) Comprehensive sentencing reform, tax breaks for quake damage to homes, support for charter schools.

2) Voted against original Boland bill in May, but voted for amended bill in August requiring citywide vote on secession.

3) Undecided, needs to know more about it.

4) Supports concept but no specific plan; skeptical about MTA role.

5) The challenge of representing district's diverse communities.

Adam Ross, Republican

1) Improve education by funding schools on basis of student population, ending state ``micromanaging'' of teachers, increased accountability.

2) Supports.

3) Skeptical without knowing more about plan.

4) Supports light-rail line or expanded bus system as cheaper alternative to subway.

5) Clearing the way to ``create solutions at the local level.''

43rd Assembly District

Includes Glendale, Burbank, Sun Valley John Geranios, Republican

1) Need less government to improve economy.

2) Supports.

3) Needs to study further.

4) No opinion.

5) To revitalize the promise of California.

Scott Wildman, Democrat

1) Break down partisan gridlock.

2) Opposes.

3) Needs to study further.

4) Would support what officials and residents of the area decide.

5) Need to develop consensus and bipartisanship.

44th Assembly District.

Includes Sunland-Tujunga, Pasadena Bill Hoge, Repulican (incumb.)

1) Fighting crime and helping crime victims.

2) Supports

3) No opinion

4) No opinion

5) Reducing bureaucracy in state government and fighting crim.

Jack Scott, Democrat

1) Education reform and adequate funding.

2) Haven't studied.

3) Would need more information.

4) Not sure project will occur.

5) Dealing with education issues.

STATE SENATE RACES 19th Senate District Parts of San Fernando, Simi and Santa Clarita valleys Cathie Wright, Republican (incumb.)

1) Continue past programs, work on economy.

2) Supports.

3) Depends on level of aid requested.

4) Whatever residents want.

5) Dealing with mental health programs.

John Birke, Democrat

1) Push to strengthen rights of working people.

2) Supports, with citywide vote provision.

3) Yes.

4) Supports line, but more needs to be done for bus riders.

5) Make government and politics more credible.

21st Senate District Includes Burbank, Glendale, Foothills Paula Boland, Republican

1) Pursue Valley self-determination, crime laws.

2) Yes.

3) Should be the city's job.

4) No position at this time.

5) Bring the voice of reason to Sacramento.

Adam Schiff, Democrat

1) Become an expert on juvenile crime issues to reform the system.

2) Supports, with citywide vote.

3) Need further study.

4) Need further study.

5) Prevent declines in qualify of life, schools and neighborhoods.

23rd Senate District Includes Woodland Hills, Malibu, Santa Monica Tom Hayden, Democrat incumbent

1) Continue efforts on Valley self-determination and charter schools.

2) Supports

3) Yes

4) Yes, develop a community consensus.

5) Increasing public participation in government.

Scott Schreiber, Republican

1) Make streets safe and turn schools around.

2) Supports.

3) City responsibility.

4 ) Yes.

5) Improving the community.

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Box: WHERE VALLEY CANDIDATES STAND (see text)