COUNCIL CANDIDATES FACE OFF; BURBANK HOPEFULS DIFFER ON AIRPORT ISSUE AT FORUM.

Byline: Lee Condon Daily News Staff Writer

With less than a week to go before Tuesday's primary election, candidates for the Burbank City Council squared off Wednesday night at a forum sponsored by the Burbank Chamber of Commerce and the Daily News.

The candidates sparred over several issues regarding Burbank's future, including the proposed expansion of Burbank Airport, the effect of deregulation on the city's power company, enticing car dealers to Burbank, cleaning up environmental contamination and the downtown parking crunch.

Two seats are up on the five-member panel this spring. Running in the election are incumbent Councilmen Bob Kramer and Ted McConkey, who were both first elected in 1995. The challengers are: Marco Gonzalez, an educator and consultant; Glenn Gujda, who works in telecommunications for Paramount; Talbert Ellis Kanigher, a retired Burbank police lieutenant; David Laurell, a magazine editor and Alan Silvers, a sales manager.

Asked whether they thought the city's payment of $6.2 million to a law firm and a public relations firm to fight airport issues was a wise expenditure, the candidates gave a variety of answers.

The city has been engaged in an intense battle with the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority over expansion. Burbank city officials have demanded a night flight curfew and a noise budget and have pledged to fight expansion until their demands are granted.

Silvers said the legal and public relations battle has been a waste and the city's strategy has been ineffective.

``We spent $6.2 million and the planes are still noisy. We still don't have a curfew. We still don't have noise caps,'' Silvers said.

Gonzalez agreed.

``This falls into the category of government waste,'' Gonzalez said.

McConkey said he agreed with the legal expenses, but said the more than $1 million spent on public relations was not needed.

``Most of that PR work should have been done in-house,'' McConkey said. ``It's wrong for us to have outside consultants putting words in our mouths for us.''

Laurell said the money spent so far was necessary, but that he wants to see more effort put into reaching a compromise with the airport.

``For every dime we spend on litigation we should be spending time on mediation,'' Laurell said. ``Maybe the reason it hasn't worked is the wrong cast of characters has been (on the council).''

Kanigher said the money was well spent on the battle because the quality of life of Burbank residents is at stake.

``The Federal Aviation Administration isn't going to help us,'' Kanigher said. ``We're trying to use anything we can. It's worth it.''

Kramer also said the money was well spent.

``Without our attorneys they would be building a 27-gate terminal as we speak,'' Kramer said.

Kramer held out hope that pro-Burbank candidates will be elected to the Glendale City Council on April 6, and that the cities will be able to reach a compromise.

``Obviously I think the city of Glendale is on the verge of a revolution. You will have people outside the normal power structure elected,'' Kramer said.

Gujda said that $6.2 million is a lot of money, but that Burbank residents need to secure growth restrictions.

``We need to protect our citizens,'' Gujda said.

Candidates can win a seat outright in a primary election in Burbank. Any candidate who gets more than 50 percent of the votes can automatically win a seat and does not have to proceed to the general election on April 13.

In council politics, the primary has been a day of final decision in the past. In 1997 all three seats up for election on the council were filled in the primary election.

Panelists at the forum included Daily News Managing Editor Ron Kaye, Will Rogers of the Burbank Leader and Cheryl Williams-Khoury, president of Affordable Benefit Administrators.