RELATIVELY CIVIL COUNCIL RACE TAKING SHAPE TRANSIT, LAND USE TOP ISSUES.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer

THOUSAND OAKS - Protecting open space, putting more police on the street and providing affordable housing top the campaign platforms of candidates running for City Council this November.

Incumbents Linda Parks and Michael Markey are squaring off against challengers Edward Masry, Jim Bruno, Mary Harris, Chris Buckett and Joe Gibson for two four-year seats.

``So far, it seems to be less divisive,'' said Herbert Gooch, chairman of the political science department at California State University, Northridge, comparing this political season to the heated race in 1998. ``A couple of years ago there were these hot-button issues in front of you and everybody was screaming. I don't see them right now.''

At a forum Thursday, the second of the season, the candidates lobbed potshots at each other and debated the issues - transportation, housing and youth needs.

The televised event will be shown at 8 p.m. tonight and again Oct. 14 on TOTV (Channel 10).

Planning Commissioner Bruno championed establishing a transportation hub on the east side of the city and diversifying the city's tax base in preparation for when the development slows down with buildout.

He also took time to criticize Parks - who is running in tandem with Masry, the prominent attorney portrayed in ``Erin Brockovich'' - saying her slow-growth platform ``keeps coming back like a broken record.''

``The growth issue has been dealt with,'' he said. ``No one wants rapid development. Let's talk about the real issues in the campaign beyond slow growth and no growth.''

Parks, a strong candidate going into November, having been the highest vote-getter in the city's political history when she took her seat in 1996, has a chance with Masry to create a new 3-2 majority with Councilman Dan Del Campo on the often-divided council, Gooch said.

``If Ed Masry joins me on the City Council, we will have a slow-growth City Council in Thousand Oaks instead of a council focused on squeezing development into every nook and crevice,'' Parks said.

Markey touted his record over the last five years, from voting for more funding for police and senior programs to helping increase the city's inventory of open space. He also said he hoped to make an announcement soon about his attempts to bring a bowling alley to town.

Gooch said foremost on voters' minds are issues such as traffic congestion, preserving the tax base, the types of jobs coming into the community and education.

Absent a wedge issue like the controversial Borchard Road in the 1998 election, Masry's challenge brings some Hollywood glitz to what could have been a snoozer of a race, Gooch said.

Masry also poses a strong challenge because of his virtually unlimited pot of money to finance his campaign, but Gooch said it's also a double- edged sword because people perceive he could buy the election.

``Masry coming in livens up the race - his personality and who he is,'' said Gooch, who managed now-Mayor Dennis Gillette's campaign in 1998.

From Parks and Masry's vantage point, their opponents - Bruno, Markey and Gibson - will be taking votes from one another, he said.

However, Markey isn't out knocking on doors, which could hurt his bid for re-election, Gooch said.

``We don't see him around as we would expect,'' he said. ``He's got a real race before him.''

Buckett supports bringing back town hall meetings, expanding Dial-A- Ride and ending redevelopment debt.

``You need a representative who has confidence in themselves and not need to run on a slate,'' Buckett said Thursday. ``You don't need to run on a slate to be elected.''

Conejo Recreation and Park District board member Gibson, who was out of town and unable to attend the forum, supported bringing ``harmony back to the council.''

Harris' campaign calls for more affordable housing and improvements to the city's public transportation.