CITY CANDIDATES ON THE MOVE; CAMPAIGNS TO CRANK IT UP ON EVE OF ELECTION.

Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer

Candidates in Los Angeles City Council, school board and community college runoffs will make their last flurry of campaigning today while both sides of the charter reform debate blitz the airwaves and mailboxes with final bids to sway voters before Tuesday's election.

There are runoffs in three City Council races, including one in the Northeast San Fernando Valley, as well as for a school board seat and two community college district races.

But most of the attention has been paid to Measure 1, the proposed new charter developed jointly by elected and appointed commissions and upon which Riordan has placed his credibility and, perhaps, his political legacy.

``Clearly, the fight over charter reform has been personalized to a degree that the mayor has an awful lot at stake,'' political analyst Sherry Bebitch Jeffe said.

``If it passes, it will be his legacy that he changed the way the city is run. If it loses, his legacy well could be that he gave a boost to secession.''

Democratic consultant Joe Cerrell agreed.

``He's got it all on the line,'' Cerrell said. ``There's no middle ground on this one. He's a hero or a bum.''

The charter reform effort was a direct result of the campaign started some three years ago by San Fernando Valley activists to seek a study of creating a new city and seceding from Los Angeles.

Riordan financed the drive to create an independently elected Charter Reform Commission after the City Council refused to guarantee it would not alter the work of an appointed panel.

What emerged is a package that gives the mayor greater executive authority and generally limits the council to legislative matters. At the same time, the council would retain some power to overturn the acts of commissions and block the mayor from firing general managers.

In addition, to meet the demand for greater citizen involvement, it creates a series of neighborhood councils around the city, five area planning commissions and guarantees representatives from affected areas in being appointed to the Airport and Harbor commissions.

It also asks voters - in the separate Measures 3 and 4 - if they want to increase the size of the 15-member City Council to 21 or 25 members, respectively.

Ballot Measure 2 involves creating an advisory panel on reapportionment for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

The mayor also has at stake his effort to change the makeup of the Los Angeles Board of Education.

Three candidates he supported - Caprice Young, Mike Lansing and David Tokofsky - were elected in the April primary election.

Now, he is pushing Genethia Hayes of the Southern Christian Leadership conference over incumbent Barbara Boudreaux in a runoff.

``The only saving grace the mayor could have if the charter loses is if Genethia Hayes is elected,'' Jeffe said. ``Then, if there is a change in the school district, he could take credit for turning the schools around.''

The mayor also is involved in the three City Council races. He endorsed Alex Padilla over Corinne Sanchez in the 7th District race to fill the unexpired term in the seat formerly held by state Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys.

Riordan also endorsed Nate Holden in his bid for re-election to the 10th District over the Rev. Madison Shockley Jr., as well as Deputy District Attorney Nick Pacheco over community organizer Victor Griego for the open seat in the 14th District.

``I get the impression he hasn't put as much effort here as he has in the charter and school board races,'' Cerrell said. ``Riordan could go 0 for 3 or 3 and 0, and no one would notice.''

There are also two runoffs for the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees.

Nancy Pearlman and Sylvia Scott-Hayes are in a runoff for the open Office No. 1, while incumbent Julia Wu is facing a challenge from Mona Field in Office No. 3.

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Box: Tuesday is election day