EX-ASSESSOR TO SEEK HIS OLD JOB.

Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer

Former Los Angeles County assessor John Lynch announced Wednesday that he is jumping into the crowded race for his old job, raising the number of candidates to as many as 15.

Lynch, who served as assessor from 1986-90, said if he wins the November special election he will try to increase services to taxpayers and reopen the Van Nuys and Chatsworth assessor offices.

``I'm sorely disappointed they closed those offices,'' said Lynch, 63, of Northridge. ``It's very taxpayer-unfriendly at the Sylmar office. If a person comes from Calabasas or Agoura Hills, they have to drive 40 miles just to find it.''

Lynch said taxpayers have been victimized by poor public service in the Assessor's Office in recent years.

``Many of the contestants for this job are from within the office,'' he said. ``They perceive the problems. What you've got is a rebellion against the nonsense going on.''

Five of the candidates currently are deputy assessors.

Harvey Englander, campaign consultant for Assessor Rick Auerbach, said since Lynch lost re-election to the office of the assessor in 1990, Lynch has unsuccessfully sought several other offices.

``He is just an out-of-work rejected politician looking for a paycheck,'' Englander said.

Lynch's campaign consultant, Joe Scott, said Englander's sharp comments indicate he is very concerned about the election. Scott said a poll of 400 voters conducted last month by Berkeley-based Evans McDonough Co. - paid for by the Lynch campaign - found 64 percent of voters know who Lynch is but only 38 percent know who Auerbach is.

``It suggests Lynch is a well-known name,'' Scott said. ``People are not thrilled to have supervisors appoint caretakers.''

Auerbach, a 30-year veteran of the department, was appointed assessor in February by the Board of Supervisors. He had been assistant assessor to Assessor Kenneth P. Hahn, who retired earlier this year.

Auerbach of Los Angeles has filed for the election. Others who have filed are Deputy Assessor F. Eugene Driver III of Los Angeles; Deputy Assessor Dan Kumaus of Palmdale; Deputy Assessor Mark McNeil of Los Angeles; John Carl Brogdon, a retired deputy assessor from Long Beach; Khalil Khalil of Los Angeles; Deputy Assessor John Loew of Canoga Park; and Deputy Assessor Yolanda T. Salazar of Downey.

Those who have taken out candidacy papers but not yet filed them include Lynch, Wayne Bannister of South Pasadena, Don Garcia of El Monte, John E. Hasley of Duarte, Desmond Kester of Palmdale, Pete W. Lee of Long Beach and John Y. Wong of South Pasadena.

Lynch is expected to file today.