HOPEFULS PASSING HAT EARLY LAND DEVELOPERS DONATE TOWARD CITY RACES IN 2002.

Byline: Heather MacDonald Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - City Council elections are more than a year away, but the two council members seeking another term already are raising money.

Developers and construction companies have contributed large chunks of the war chests for Mayor Laurene Weste and Councilman Frank Ferry, who each have raised $10,000 toward the April 2002 election.

Jim Knox, the executive director of California Common Cause, a watchdog group, said it is common for money from developers to dominate local elections.

``They, quite simply, have the biggest financial stake in city government,'' Knox said. ``Money gets you access, and access is influence - and I don't think you can separate the two.''

Several local auto dealers sponsored a joint fund-raiser for Ferry and Weste in November at the Hyatt Valencia. The contributions, limited to $250 a person per election cycle, were reported in the candidates' year-end filings, recently released.

Lynne Plambeck, the first vice president of the Santa Clarita Organization for Planning the Environment said the group realized long ago it could not compete with developers' contributions.

``It's all about getting a pro-growth City Council,'' Plambeck said. ``These companies have an incredible amount of money, and it comes at the expense of regular people in the community.''

Ferry disagrees that developer money influences decisions on growth.

``I consider it ridiculous when people suggest $100 or $250 could change my vote,'' Ferry said. ``I've made many decisions ... that have hurt the people that have given me money. I consider myself tough on developers, but they know I'll listen.''

Weste declined Friday to discuss her finances.

Funds from developers, their employees and companies made up about 30 percent of the contributions to Weste and Ferry, representing the largest concentration of donations. The remainder came from a mixture of friends, local merchants and other business people.

In all, each already has raised about one-fourth of the $40,000 that City Council candidates have averaged spending in recent years on mailings, rallies and other campaign activities.

Almost 40,000 new homes have been formally proposed in the Santa Clarita Valley, with many more projects looming. Growth continues to be a hot-button issue, as residents of new homes add to strains on roads, schools and water supplies.

Neither Councilman Cameron Smyth nor Councilman Bob Kellar has raised any money since he was elected last April. Smyth, however, has yet to repay the $10,000 loan he made to his own campaign.

Councilwoman Jo Anne Darcy, whose campaign committee collected no money in the last six months, has said she will not seek another term.

``I'm actually surprised that it is so low. It's really not a good idea,'' Darcy said about developer contributions. ``You have to be really careful about this sort of thing, especially if you are going to vote on a project.''

Developers Bob Cristiano and Robert S. Wilcox of the Newport Beach- based Zephyr Partners gave Weste and Ferry $125 each.

``It is the American way,'' said Cristiano, a principal in the partnership. ``Contributing gains me the opportunity to address them and discuss my projects with them. It gives them a chance to understand the projects before they vote on them.''

The City Council approved Zephyr's 176-home development near Sierra Highway and Golden Valley Road in October despite the Planning Commission's concerns about the quality of the project.

``I am building a number of projects in Santa Clarita, and I want to see Weste and Ferry re-elected,'' Cristiano said. ``We need pro-business councilmen.''

Cristiano retained lawyer Hunt Braly after the Planning Commission trimmed his project considerably. Braly helped manage Weste's campaign and is a close friend.

``(Weste) told me straight up that she didn't like the project, and she told me what I needed to do to make it work,'' Cristiano said. ``And frankly, it became a better project.''