Incumbent Galanter Runs as an Outsider : Elections: Critics and supporters of 6th District councilwoman say she is not a player in politics. Others say she has not mastered the art of putting ‘spin’ on an issue.

It was the kind of celebration that seldom comes to Los Angeles City Hall.

Ruth Galanter cried for joy. So did many of her supporters on the day nearly four years ago when she became a member of the City Council.

Even her small acts--responding softly “here” to the council roll call--inspired shouts of support and an extended ovation from supporters who packed the council chamber.

After all, not only had Galanter unseated Pat Russell, the council’s powerful president, she had done it while recovering in the hospital after a brutal stabbing in her home nearly killed her. She had won by taking on “Big Developers” with the help of a funky band of liberals in the 6th Council District. She had become the champion of average people who, by extension, saw her as their crusader on every issue.

The size and enthusiasm of the crowd that watched Galanter’s every move that day created powerful images--and anticipation--at City Hall.

“People expected her to be some sort of Leon Trotsky on land issues,” says one council colleague.

Says another: “The expectation was of some fire-breathing anti-growther.”

But as Galanter heads into a June 4 reelection runoff against county supervisorial deputy Mary Lee Gray, City Hall colleagues and observers say two things: Those early expectations were unreasonable and the reality of her tenure has been much different.

Trained at Yale University as an urban planner, the 50-year-old Galanter is now known around City Hall as an unreformed technocrat who can pick through a committee report or dissect a proposed ordinance with the fervor of a Talmudic scholar. She seems less comfortable, sometimes almost shy, in speaking in public or lobbying for votes to support her position, both friends and foes say.

Colleagues say that she is not interested or adept at the political maneuvering that surrounds many issues at City Hall, preferring instead a “just the facts” discussion of the matters at hand. Ironically, one supporter and one critic used the same phrase to describe her style: “She is just not a player.”

And on the growth and development issues that powered her to City Hall, Galanter has proved to be far from the dogmatist that some hoped for and others feared. Doug Ring, a lawyer and lobbyist who frequently represents developers, said he is supporting Galanter’s reelection and donated $500 to her campaign because he has found her willing to discuss issues reasonably, even if she does not always support his positions.

Others in the City Hall Establishment have found Galanter reasonable as well, as evidenced by a “Max-out Party” held this year in her honor. A City Hall who’s-who of nearly 40 lobbyists and politicos sponsored the cocktail party at a downtown hotel, giving other guests the opportunity to donate the maximum legal contribution of $500.

Galanter has been a surprise at City Hall on more than just development issues. For instance, she voted against an ethics and council pay raise package that was approved last year by her colleagues and voters. She also fought against initial proposals for greater council control of the Community Redevelopment Agency, which foes have accused of favoring big developers.

If people have been surprised by her stands, Galanter says, it is often because the issues are oversimplified by her colleagues and the media.

In the ethics debate, for example, Galanter objected to the measure tying together three separate issues: limits on outside employment and income for city employees; a 40% pay raise for council members, and public campaign financing.

Supporters such as Councilman Michael Woo said that in the wake of allegations of ethical impropriety against Mayor Tom Bradley, it was important to reassure the voters of the honesty of government. Thus, despite its catch-all nature, the ballot measure was needed, Woo and others argued.

“Most of the people on the council jumped on an oversimplified, media-genic position,” Galanter says in a raspy whisper, the lingering result of the throat wound she suffered in the 1987 stabbing. “They were not willing to go through the thing in detail and look at what it really was.”

Her position has been vindicated, said Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, by continuing calls for rewriting some of the law’s confusing financial disclosure provisions.

On increasing council oversight of the CRA, Galanter said she believed the early proposals “would cause more political trouble than they would solve.” She eventually supported changes that give the council the authority to overturn CRA actions without granting the elected officials control over every routine action the agency takes.

Friends and foes alike say that even when logic is on her side, Galanter has been misunderstood because she has not mastered the game of political “spin” control.

“Tooting her own horn is not one of her strengths,” said Councilman Marvin Braude. “But that doesn’t make her any less virtuous or admirable.”

Galanter says that part of the problem is her voice, which strains after the even short speeches. “It’s emotionally painful every day to know I can’t yell back at the likes of (Councilman) Nate Holden,” Galanter said.

But others say that her reticence is just part of a personal style to which she stubbornly adheres--scolding often exasperated colleagues who fail to keep trash out of the council’s recycling bins; wearing jeans to special events, including her own primary-night party in April; whiling away dull moments of council debate by writing poetry.

Galanter has been doggedly consistent on at least one issue--affordable housing. Since her days as a member of the Regional Coastal Commission, where she served from 1977 to 1981, Galanter has made the construction of low- and moderate-priced housing a priority.

In every significant development project that comes before her, she attempts to give developers incentives to build such housing, and fewer office buildings and shopping centers. The controversial Channel Gateway project on Lincoln Boulevard, for instance, will include 109 apartments for low-income families among its more than 1,000 housing units and 300,000 square feet of offices.

Encouraging housing in all price ranges will help equalize an imbalance that has left the city, and particularly the Westside, with homes far from employment centers, Galanter said. That will reduce traffic more than building new roads, she said.

But her commitment to the issue has put her at odds with the city Department of Transportation, where officials say housing incentives are coming at the expense of desperately needed traffic improvements. Galanter’s proposed incentives to builders of low-income housing would cut as much as $34 million from a traffic improvement fund and hurt plans for keeping traffic moving along the busy corridor between Santa Monica and El Segundo, transportation officials say.

Political observers note that the housing issue is not one that is likely to win Galanter votes. Those who benefit from her efforts tend not to be high-propensity voters.

“Sometimes you have to do what you think is right,” Galanter said.

Such commitment, particularly to the details of issues, draws Galanter both criticism and praise.

The councilwoman is generally credited with being better prepared than most of her colleagues. When city staffers and council members become muddled, it is often Galanter who comes forward to try to distill the facts for both sides.

But critics say that Galanter pays too much attention to the details. “She takes a sort of academic approach. She is so interested in micro-managing,” said one City Hall aide, who asked not to be named.

Galanter seemed so distracted by the question of whether a fountain at the Central Library would use recycled water, for example, that she seemed to lose sight of the larger issue of how to finance the library improvements, the aide said.

Colleagues said Galanter’s apparent aversion to politicking sometimes leaves her on the short end of legislative power plays.

She introduced a measure in February, for instance, to stop all new water hookups in the city during times of drought.

But while Galanter’s proposal has wound slowly through council committees, Yaroslavsky subsequently introduced a similar ordinance that would reduce, but not ban, new water hookups during droughts. Yaroslavsky also got the full council to agree to having his proposal drafted by the city attorney’s office before going to committee--a step that could bring it to a final vote well ahead of Galanter’s--according to a staff member familiar with the process.

“Zev kind of stole her thunder on that,” said another council member, who asked not to be named.

Yaroslavsky’s staff said his proposal is unique and not an effort to grab Galanter’s issue.

And Galanter seems unperturbed. She even seconded Yaroslavsky’s motion, saying later: “There is utility in having a great number of proposals on the table. . . . Zev will get the headlines, but I will get the results.”

Several colleagues said earlier this year that they thought Galanter, with such disdain for the traditional political fray, would not even run for reelection. “I honestly don’t know why she does this job,” said one. “Everyone else seems to have some other political ambition or issue ambition. I don’t see hers.”

Some have suggested she might enjoy a managerial job more.

But Galanter says that she likes her job more than people think. She said she wouldn’t be happy as a bureaucrat, explaining: “I like to have a vote.”

Sampling of Galanter’s Verse

During lengthy Los Angeles City Council debates, council members find a variety of ways to pass the time. Some members talk on the phone, others eat, but 6th District Councilwoman Ruth Galanter frequently writes poetry. Galanter said she started penning her poems last summer when she was on a cruise. Many of the verses, including the following two written in January, give Galanter’s view of the political life.

“Piled Higher and Deeper”

The world of politics is full of bombast bullying and bull. It comes in carloads by the ton. It comes from nearly everyone. There are no stylistic norms, for this stuff comes in many forms.

“Incumbents Don’t Have Any Fun”

Incumbents don’t have any fun. So many things are “just not done” in playing the elective game. Y ou can’t call anyone a name-- not slime ball sleaze bag rat or bum, misguided, under someone’s thumb. The best you get is that he’s wrong. But there is no limit to the song that challengers can boldly air. It really isn’t very fair!