RICHMAN SEEKS 2ND TERM IN THE GOP-HEAVY 38TH.

Byline: Ryan Oliver Staff Writer

Assemblyman Keith Richman, R-Granada Hills, is being challenged Nov. 5 by Paula Calderon, who says she has no expectation of winning in the GOP-dominated 38th District, but she is running in order to give Democratic voters an option.

Richman said he's seeking a second term in order to provide a counterweight to out-of-control Democratic spending.

``There's no question the reason we're in the position we're in is because of the growth of the size of state government,'' Richman said, referring to the state's budget shortfall. ``We need to tighten our belt and make government more efficient and reduce the bureaucracy, at the same time protecting program expenditures as best we can.''

Calderon, 56, an admitting manager at the Olive View Medical Center, said she is not actively campaigning, but threw her hat into the ring to see what kind of response she'd get.

``There should be a Democratic candidate on the ticket to give voters a choice, at least. No one else runs against the candidates in heavily Republican areas,'' she said.

The 38th District includes Sunland-Tujunga, Santa Clarita, Porter Ranch, Granada Hills and part of Simi Valley.

Republicans account for 45 percent of the district's registered voters and Democratic registration is 36 percent. Libertarians make up 0.7 percent of the registered votes.

The Libertarian candidate is Karl Lembke, a water quality inspector from Montrose.

Richman is also a mayoral candidate for the proposed San Fernando Valley city. He said if secession should succeed and he won the mayoral election, he would resign from the Assembly and become mayor of the new city.

``This is an opportunity to make a difference to the community, just like I can in the Assembly, but it would be in a more direct way for the San Fernando Valley,'' he said.

Richman identified education, economic growth, transportation and health care as his top issues, in addition to trimming government bureaucracy.

``I think I've represented very well all of the constituents of the district, and I've been working in a bipartisan manner,'' he said. ``I was chosen Rookie (Assemblyman) of the Year in Sacramento by all of my colleagues, which is a recognition of my ability to work across the aisle.''

Calderon said her primary issue is health care, particularly for women. This has become a concern with her as she's watched Los Angeles County close public clinics as the county health system faces its own budget shortfall.

She said she would like to see state help for this problem. Calderon, however, said she did not know how she would approach the state budget problem.

``That's something if elected, I would have to investigate,'' she said. ``I don't have the solutions at this point because I don't have all the information in front of me. I don't favor tax increases, so it would be very creative decisions we have to make.''