TRUSTEE RACE SETS RECORD ENTRANTS RAISED THOUSANDS EACH.

Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - In the most expensive race for College of the Canyons trustee, incumbent Ron Gillis raised nearly $15,000 in his 2003 re-election bid, while rival Rick Winsman collected roughly $13,000, according to county campaign finance disclosures.

Gillis, who retained his seat in November on the Santa Clarita Community College District with 52.9 percent of the vote, spent about $8,200 on print advertising, telephone banks and other campaign materials, according to year-end statements filed with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's Office.

In the weeks before the Nov. 4 election, Gillis received about $6,000, of which $5,000 came from Citizens for Responsible Government, the local political action group headed by his wife, Roberta Gillis.

Winsman, the city of Santa Clarita planning commissioner who finished second with 35.2 percent, collected about $1,500 from donors in the final weeks.

He spent about $8,000 in his bid to unseat Gillis. Beside literature, signs and phone campaigning, he donated $1,000 to the Boy Scouts of America of West Los Angeles County and $500 to the Santa Clarita Repertory Theatre.

Also vying for Gillis' seat was Sulphur Springs School District trustee Sheldon Wigdor. He sat out of the big-money battle between Gillis and Winsman, finishing third with close to 12 percent.

In another college board race, longtime trustee Bruce Fortine reported $5,734 in donations this year, of which $4,950 were collected weeks before election day. About $5,400 were spent on printing signs and pamphlets, some of which featured both Fortine and Winsman.

Top donors Lundgren Management Corp., the Valencia-based construction management firm, and the Santa Clarita Valley Automobile Dealers Association each gave $1,000.

Fortine's campaign finances faced possible scrutiny by state regulators after political opponent and private investigator Jonathan Kraut alleged he may have misrepresented his expenses in his re-election bid. The state Fair Political Practices Commission had confirmed receipt of the complaint lodged by Kraut, but would not say if an investigation was under way.

Kraut, who lost to Fortine by a 26 percent margin last year, received $8,900, including $5,400 in loans. He spent more than $9,600 in campaign materials, which left him in debt.

Eugene Tong, [phone]

eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com