LOCAL ELECTIONS : Candidates in 2 Cities File Bids for Mayor’s Post, Council Seat : Inglewood: Despite second-term setbacks, Edward Vincent will be a tough rival for four challengers.

Four challengers who range in experience from veteran officeholder to political neophyte are seeking to unseat two-term Inglewood Mayor Edward Vincent in November’s mayoral race.

Meeting Friday’s deadline for filing nomination papers for the part-time mayor’s post were three-term Councilman Anthony Scardenzan, a Vincent critic who represents the city’s 2nd District; Virgle Benson, who served one term as 4th District councilman; Carl McGill, an unsuccessful candidate in last year’s special election in the 50th Assembly District, and John Murphy, who is making his first bid for public office.

Although Vincent has suffered political setbacks during his second term, the challengers will have to overcome the strong endorsements and financial backing Vincent has won over the years from local and state elected officials.

Vincent, 56, a county probation officer running for his third term as mayor, said his administration has succeeded in instilling civic pride in Inglewood’s residents, partly because of Inglewood’s designation last year as an All-America City by the National Civic League. Vincent said another term would allow him to battle the negative reputation Inglewood has among outsiders.

Vincent’s critics, however, say the mayor himself has been partly responsible for the city’s image. They point to the fines Vincent paid to settle allegations brought in the last year by the state attorney general and the Fair Political Practices Commission that he misused more than $20,000 in campaign funds.

Vincent downplays the fines--saying “I took my lumps and I survived”--and stresses improvements he says Inglewood has made during his years in office.

“When I came, things were bad,” said Vincent, who rose from president of the school board to councilman and then became the city’s first black mayor. “We had stagnation in building, low morale among our citizens, people complaining about airport noise. After eight years, I think the record speaks for itself. The crime rate is going down. We’ve been named an All-America City. We’re strong financially.”

Scardenzan, 61, a self-employed tool-and-die maker who has served on the council since 1981, said he plans to run a clean campaign, stressing his accomplishments instead of knocking Vincent.

“My record during nine years on the council, my integrity, my honesty and loyalty--I think people know about that,” Scardenzan said. “I’m very proud of the record that I’ve established and I want to run on that record.”

Scardenzan said his goals as mayor would be to increase citizen involvement in city issues, to battle the city’s negative image and to assist Inglewood school board members in improving the school system.

“I would like to be able to say that I came here as an immigrant and worked through the system and became mayor of my city after living here for 25 years,” said Scardenzan, who was born in Italy.

Benson, 48, is a real estate appraiser who served one term as a councilman from 1983 to 1988. After announcing that he would run for reelection in 1988, Benson missed the filing deadline.

Benson, who refused to criticize Vincent, said he is seeking to return to City Hall as mayor “because I care and it’s time for a change.”

Benson said he hopes to debate the other candidates at forums in the upcoming months. He said he would be a lobbyist for the needs of the city as mayor and would bring to the office “experience, integrity and image.”

McGill, who lists his occupation as a municipal peace officer, ran an unsuccessful campaign last year to replace the late Assemblyman Curtis Tucker. He did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

Murphy, 33, an engineering technician at Hughes, is undertaking his first political campaign.

He said he does not expect to win the race but will be able to bring issues of importance into the debate as a candidate. He said he will run a low-budget campaign and will not accept campaign contributions from anyone because “people tend to buy you politically.”

“Inglewood has made a lot of improvements but there’s room for more,” said Murphy, a nine-year Inglewood resident. He mentioned absentee landlords who do not keep up their property as one of his concerns and criticized the council for meeting on Tuesday afternoons when most residents are working.