POLITICAL NOTEBOOK : Campaign Coffers Bulge Despite Hard Times

CASH FLOWS: Despite the recession, political candidates in the San Gabriel Valley have raised plenty of money for their campaigns. Two Assembly candidates, in fact, have passed the $300,000 mark in contributions, according to new campaign statements reporting donations through Oct. 17.

Republican Bill Hoge, a Pasadena insurance broker, has raised $372,661 for his bid to represent the 44th Assembly District, centered in Pasadena, and Chino Mayor Fred Aguiar has raised $315,061 in the 61st Assembly District, which includes part of Pomona.

The totals include more than $200,000 that each spent on hard-fought primary campaigns, but even discounting that, they have outstripped their Democratic rivals in fund raising for Tuesday’s election.

Democrat Jonathan Fuhrman, who is running against Hoge, has raised only $12,761 for the entire year. Aguiar’s opponent, Larry Simcoe, has done better, raising $78,561, but is still far short of Aguiar’s total.

PARTY HELP: Democratic Assembly candidate Diane Martinez, a member of the Garvey school board, is getting lots of help from state Democratic leaders in her bid to represent the 49th Assembly District in Sacramento.

Her latest campaign report shows donations of $14,895 from the state party and $22,000 from the Democratic State Central Committee’s Assembly fund. Another major contributor is the California Medical Assn., which gave her $12,500. Martinez has raised $154,824.

Her total is only slightly more than the $144,291 reported by her Republican opponent, Sophie C. Wong, an Alhambra school board member. Wong’s biggest contribution in the latest campaign filing is $10,000 from Henry and Dorothy Hwang of Pasadena.

Meanwhile, in the San Gabriel Valley’s other Assembly race where there is no incumbent running, Democrat Hilda Solis has built a huge fund-raising lead over Republican Gary Woods. Solis has raised $193,467 while Woods has collected $3,047.

Democrat Louise Gelber, who is trying to unseat Republican Assemblyman Richard Mountjoy of Monrovia, has had trouble raising money to supplement the $84,296 she loaned her own campaign. Her latest report shows $130,700 in contributions, including her own loan, while L. Mountjoy has raised $151,635.

MONEY TO LOAN: State Sen. Frank Hill (R-Whittier) has raised so much money for his campaign that he has been giving some of it to political allies.

His latest campaign reporting statement shows that he has raised $307,807 this year while his Democratic opponent, Sandy Hester, has collected $24,368.

Hill this month gave $40,000 to the Fund for a Responsible Legislature and $60,000 to Citizens for Responsible Representation. William Saracino, who is treasurer of both Sacramento-based committees, said they back candidates for state and local office who are sympathetic to business. Earlier this year, Hill loaned $107,000 to Oceanside attorney Bill Morrow to help him win the Republican nomination in an Assembly district that straddles San Diego and Orange counties.

CANDID OR ARROGANT?: State Sen. Frank Hill (R-Whittier) moved up from the Assembly to the state Senate in 1990, is seeking reelection to a four-year term in the Senate this year and has already said he intends to run for a statewide office, such as controller or insurance commissioner, in 1994.

Sandy Hester, Hill’s Democratic opponent, said the fact that Hill doesn’t plan to serve out his term shows that his focus is on his career, not the problems of the district.

“It’s an insult to voters the way he wants to use them as a steppingstone to advance his own political career,” she said. But whether voters will penalize Hill for his ambitions is uncertain. In giving its editorial endorsement to Hill, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin cited his announced intention to seek higher office midway through his Senate term as evidence of candor.

SHORT SUBJECT: A group organizing a Pomona chapter of the Mexican-American Political Assn. will meet at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Mt. San Antonio College Educational Center, 196 W. Holt Ave., Pomona.