VILLARAIGOSA ENDORSES GALATZAN FOR W. VALLEY SCHOOL BOARD SEAT.

Byline: NAUSH BOGHOSSIAN Staff Writer

VAN NUYS -- Ratcheting up his bid for influence over the Los Angeles Unified School District, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa chose a second candidate Thursday for his school board slate, endorsing Tamar Galatzan for the hotly contested west San Fernando Valley seat.

During a news conference at Birmingham High, where she graduated, Galatzan picked up the support of Villaraigosa, along with City Councilmen Jack Weiss and Greig Smith and former Mayor Richard Riordan, for her bid to unseat incumbent Jon Lauritzen in the March 6 election.

``We need a school board that will embrace a true partnership with the community ... instead of circling the wagons whenever someone proposes new ideas,'' Villaraigosa said. ``We need a school board that embraces reform and is accountable to taxpayers.

``And I believe we need a parent's voice on that school board,'' he added, noting that Galatzan would be the only board member with children on the LAUSD board.

His endorsement of Galatzan on Thursday and children's advocacy director Yolie Flores Aguilar the day before are clear indicators that Villaraigosa is trying to secure a foothold in his bid for influence at the LAUSD -- an effort stalled by uncertainty over the future of his education-reform bill.

``It's an opening-round battle to ultimately decide the issue of control and how control is defined at LAUSD,'' said Jaime Regalado, director of the Edmund G. ``Pat'' Brown Institute of Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles.

``Control of the school board is key, but especially should the court ruling go against the mayor.''

The mayor has appealed a ruling that invalidates Assembly Bill 1381, the landmark legislation that would give him a significant role in overseeing the LAUSD.

Request denied

Superior Court Judge Dzintra Janavs, who ruled Dec. 21 that AB 1381 was unconstitutional, dealt a second defeat to the mayor Thursday when she denied his request to begin implementing the bill's provisions while awaiting an appellate court decision.

Galatzan, 37, a deputy city attorney who is married to Valley Industry and Commerce Association head Brendan Huffman, has been working quietly to build relationships with local politicians. At the same time, she made it clear during the news conference that she would not be a political pawn of the mayor.

``I promise everyone ... that I am an independent, smart, creative person, and I hope I can work with folks throughout the district and the city and with people who really are committed to reform,'' she said in an interview. ``I'm open to anyone's ideas and suggestions right now.''

UTLA support

Lauritzen, meanwhile, has the backing of United Teachers Los Angeles, the well-funded teachers union whose chief has vowed to pour resources and manpower into the incumbent's re-election campaign.

``This is a campaign the teachers union is going to put resources and manpower in to get elected Jon Lauritzen because we feel he's the best candidate to support the interests of public education and the issues concerning teachers and health and human service professionals,'' union President A.J. Duffy said.

Villaraigosa, who refused to evaluate Lauritzen's performance on the board, said the Valley race is vital to efforts to improve the nation's second-largest school district.

Sources for both the union and the Mayor's Office predicted Thursday that each side will spend at least $1 million to try to get its candidate elected.

`Ground zero'

``The San Fernando Valley is ground zero for the education-reform movement in Los Angeles,'' Villaraigosa said. ``This seat is critical to ensuring that a change agent is elected who reflects the desire of the residents of the San Fernando Valley for education reform.''

Ed Burke, Lauritzen's chief of staff, said the incumbent is looking to move beyond the status quo.

``Jon certainly looks at things from a classroom and teacher perspective, because that's where he spent his life and that's where he wants to make changes,'' Burke said. ``That's why he has called for and continues to call for our resources to go to the classroom first and to the schools.''

Villaraigosa also has joined with LAUSD board member Monica Garcia and City Councilman Jose Huizar -- who formerly sat on the school board -- in endorsing Aguilar for the seat being vacated by David Tokofsky.

Garcia is now Villaraigosa's only ally on the school board. But with four of the seven seats up for grabs in the March election, the mayor has a chance to influence district policy if his supporters are elected.

The mayor's next key endorsement is expected to be in the race for the seat held by Marguerite LaMotte, an outspoken critic of Villaraigosa.

UTLA Vice President Josh Pechthalt said it's likely the union will endorse the incumbent, setting up another political struggle with Villaraigosa.

But Regalado predicted that any split between the UTLA and the mayor -- himself a former union chief -- will not be lasting.

``Friends commit battle against one another for a political cause,'' Regalado said. ``It's shaping up for a big battle for each side, but because it's so important to the mayor and because the union is on the other side, it becomes a big thing.''

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com

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