FOUR IN TIGHT RACE FOR 3 SEATSRABINOWITSH, BLANCHARD NECK AND NECK ATOP FIELD

Incumbent Steve Rabinowitsh and fellow Santa Rosa Junior College instructor

Bob Blanchard were headed to victory in the contest for three Santa Rosa City

Council seats early today, with one of two other incumbents almost certain to

be ousted.

With 107 of 115 precincts counted, Rabinowitsh and Blanchard were running

neck and neck with 14 percent of the vote. Virtually tied for the third seat

were incumbents Janet Condron and Marsha Vas Dupre, both at about 13 percent.

Condron held a lead of less than 80 votes over Vas Dupre with eight precincts

and many absentee ballots still to be tallied.

Just behind at 12 percent was news store owner John Sawyer, followed by

westside neighborhood leader Carol Dean at 11 percent and small business owner

Lee Pierce, both at 10 percent.

Organic grocery store owner John Romano and disabled veteran Terry Tinagero

trailed the pack.

Neither Rabinowitsh nor Blanchard was surprised by their showing.

''People know who I am,'' Rabinowitsh said, alluding to his years of

involvement on the council, on the county's Open Space District and in efforts

to restore Santa Rosa Creek.

Blanchard said private polls had him, Rabinowitsh and Condron finishing on

top. ''These results are parroting what our polls were telling us,'' he said.

While his campaign broke fund-raising records, Blanchard credited his

showing on walking 65 of the city's 115 voting precincts. ''I think that is

the key to success in this town. A lot of people said they'd only vote for

people who came to their door,'' he said.

The candidates themselves described the campaign as low-key, except for two

memorable events.

Those were Blanchard's record-smashing fund-raising pace and a last-minute

dust-up between Vas Dupre and Sawyer over a Sawyer campaign mailer.

Blanchard raised more than $80,000, largely from business and development

interests, in his effort to secure a $600-a-month council position.

The flap between Vas Dupre and Sawyer reached a peak when Sawyer sent out a

mailer critical of the councilwoman for vacating the council dais during an

impromptu recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance months ago. Vas Dupre accused

Sawyer of playing ''dirty politics'' and a day later Sawyer apologized for

what he conceded was a ''mistake.''

A half-dozen voters who were interviewed Tuesday said, however, that it

wasn't growth, public safety or record campaign fund-raising -- the most

publicized issues of the campaign -- that guided their decisions.

Instead, they said, their choices were largely based on personal contact

with the candidates, the visibility of their campaign signs or their name

recognition.

Victory Fox, 34, was typical of those interviewed. Vas Dupre was her former

high school counselor, Blanchard is a teacher at the junior college she

attends and Condron, a two-term incumbent, easily has the most name

recognition.

Besides the council race, Santa Rosa voters had three amendments to the

city's charter, the blueprint that outlines how city government should

operate, to consider. Two were headed to certain victory, one to certain

defeat.

Measure M, which would raise the monthly pay of council members from $600

to $1,500 and the mayor from $900 to $2,250, was being resoundingly defeated

61 percent to 39 percent.

Kathleen Adams, 25, voted for the pay boost as a means to expand the field

of those who can hold office. ''It would help people who don't have the

financial means to be part of the council.''

But Bill Bullard, 67, said he saw the measure as a money grab. ''I don't

think they need it. There are enough people who want to volunteer who are

dying to get the job,'' he said.

Just as resounding was the support for Measure O, which was winning 62

percent to 38 percent in late returns.

Measure O would set limits on individual and corporate campaign

contributions below the current $1,000 maximum and establish a public

financing system that would give candidates a more equal chance that their

campaign messages will be heard.

Voters, by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin, also were voicing support for

Measure L. The proposal was intended to increase the diversity of

participation in city government by creating an advisory commission appointed

by neighborhood districts.

You can reach Staff Writer Mike McCoy at 521-5276 or

mmccoy@pressdemocrat.com.