L.A. CITY COUNCIL : Candidates Make Last Pitches; Gates Endorses Bernson

Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates endorsed a candidate for the first time Saturday as runoff candidates for the Los Angeles City Council participated in a frenzy of last-minute activities.

Gates received a hero’s welcome at a campaign rally for City Councilman Hal Bernson, who is facing his toughest competition since he was elected in 1979 to represent the San Fernando Valley’s 12th District. The endorsement is expected to provide a boost to Bernson’s campaign against Los Angeles school board member Julie Korenstein in Tuesday’s runoff.

Gates, who said he was making the endorsement as a private citizen, not as a representative of the Police Department, praised Bernson as “a man who knows how to deal with crime” and cited his support for DARE, an anti-drug education program, and the neighborhood watch programs.

At the same time, petitions were being circulated in an effort to recall the embattled police chief at a rally in front of Parker Center. Organizers claimed to have 25,000 signatures calling for Gates’ ouster in the wake of the police beating of Rodney G. King. They need about 60,000 to get a recall measure on the ballot.

Korenstein, who planned to meet with voters at a neighborhood picnic in a Northridge park, said in an interview that the main issue in the race is overdevelopment, not crime. She has criticized Bernson’s support for the mammoth Porter Ranch project proposed north of Chatsworth.

“I am trying to conserve the quality of life in the 12th District,” Korenstein said. “His Porter Ranch project is radically changing our quality of life,” she said.

Elsewhere, 9th District candidate Bob Gay began the day with two breakfast meetings. “We’re going nonstop,” Gay said.

Rita Walters, who is Gay’s opponent, had planned several campaign stops and meetings with voters but no one on her campaign staff knew exactly where she was. “One thing we do know is that she is out getting votes,” said one staff person.

In the 8th District, Mark Ridley-Thomas’ campaign organized a one-day voter mobilization drive during which more than 100 volunteers sought to contact 2,000 registered voters. Ridley-Thomas said a similar drive last weekend reached 1,900 voters. “We are seeking personal face-to-face contact with as many voters as possible,” said Curtis Ernest, Ridley-Thomas’ campaign manager.

Roderick D. Wright, who is opposing Ridley-Thomas, attended several block club meetings, including one sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), his chief supporter.

In the 6th District, incumbent Ruth Galanter defended her record in the Crenshaw area, pointing to neighborhood committees she has organized and her successful efforts to bring a Lucky supermarket to the community. Galanter’s opponent, Mary Lee Gray, called the committees “elitist.”