COSTLIEST MAYOR RACE SOBOROFF DONATION LIFTS CAP ON SPENDING.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

Mayoral candidate Steve Soboroff put up $667,000 of his own money on Friday, lifting fund-raising caps and triggering a money frenzy that likely will make this the costliest mayoral primary campaign ever for Los Angeles.

The six leading candidates are expected to spend more than $11 million collectively by the April 10 primary, besting the record set in 1993. And millions more will pour into the June 2 runoff regardless of who remains.

Soboroff, who had said he was willing to use up to $2 million of his own money, said in a stinging rebuke of the other candidates that he gave the same amount the others are taking in public matching funds.

``Being a businessman and civic volunteer rather than a career politician, I have not had the luxury of spending the past 30 years building up a fund-raising base,'' Soboroff wrote in a letter to the city's Ethics Commission announcing the donation. ``But, perhaps more importantly, I have steadfastly refused to accept taxpayer matching funds.

``My opponents, on the other hand, all of whom are career politicians, have put their personal interests above the public interest and are each accepting $667,000 in public funds.''

The use of personal funds helped fuel Soboroff's main supporter, Mayor Richard Riordan, in his 1993 victory. In that race, Riordan spent $9.1 million during the primary and runoff elections to win. The total spending by all the candidates was more than $21 million.

Soboroff's personal donation leads the way to blow the lid off the campaign record.

But by making the donation, Soboroff allows the other campaigns that were limited to $1,000 individual contributions to go back and ask for up to $6,000 more until they reach the $667,000 he is giving himself.

His move also lifted a spending cap, the second limit in the campaign to be lifted by Soboroff.

Reaction from the other campaigns was muted and one of surprise.

``We thought he would be putting in more,'' said John Shallman, consultant to Controller Kathleen Connell. ``It doesn't affect our plans at all.''

Parke Skelton, consultant to former Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, said the action will make it easier to go back to their contributors for more donations.

Soboroff consultant Ace Smith said the decision on how much to put in the campaign was based on how well the candidate has done in recent weeks.

``We put in what we think is needed to get into the runoff,'' Smith said. ``At that point, we'll look at whether more is needed.''

Three weeks ago, Soboroff declared that he had broken through the $2.2 million spending limit, which opened the ability of the other campaigns to also spend as much as they want.

City Attorney James Hahn was the biggest beneficiary of that since he entered this final month of the campaign with $2.4 million in cash on hand, compared to the $663,000 for Soboroff.

Villaraigosa was at $1.6 million, Connell and Councilman Joel Wachs at $1.3 million and Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles, at $586,555.

Also, the Connell and Becerra campaigns announced they planned to begin their own television advertising campaigns next week.

In a related development, former state Sen. Tom Hayden reported he would be giving $150,000 of his own money to his campaign for the 5th City Council District.

Soboroff said the amount he gave was to send a message to the public over the issue and separate himself from the others - in particular Hahn and the legacy of his father, Supervisor Kenneth Hahn.

``The resources my wife and I are putting into this race are the fruits of our own hard work,'' Soboroff said. ``I was not born into a Los Angeles political dynasty. I am running on my name and my accomplishments, not those of my father.''

Hahn consultant Kam Kuwata said they did not object to the amount Soboroff was giving, but resented the attack.

``He can give what he wants,'' Kuwata said. ``What Steve Soboroff should be concerned about is the more than $2 million he frittered away in his campaign. If he was in charge of the city budget, we'd be looking at bankruptcy.''