ELECTIONS / 42ND ASSEMBLY DISTRICT : Margolin Anticipates Smooth Ride

On paper, it seems that Assemblyman Burt M. Margolin should be out hitting the campaign trail as the election nears in the 42nd Assembly District. Many of his current constituents haven’t even heard of him, he’s running in a new district with even more unfamiliar voters and he’s made a lot of political enemies in Sacramento.

But as always, Margolin (D-Los Angeles) expects to coast to an easy victory Tuesday, and has done little active campaigning.

Margolin’s main challenge comes from Republican Robert Davis, a West Hollywood swimming pool contractor and self-described “student/philosopher of government” who wants to reform the state Legislature. But even Davis, who is caustic in his analysis of elected officials, has few specific criticisms of Margolin.

“He’s a pleasant man without much record of accomplishment,” Davis said of the veteran assemblyman. “He’s never had a job outside of government, and he doesn’t have much of a record in government.”

Margolin concedes that he is not the most well-known politician, but he says voters always return him to the Assembly by large margins because of his accomplishments. The new district includes Westwood, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hollywood and extends across the Hollywood Hills to Sherman Oaks and Studio City.

“My focus is on my work, in taking on the difficult and important issues,” Margolin said. “I’m less focused on the kind of symbolic activities and ceremonial aspects of the job than some of my colleagues. But I’d stack my record up against anyone’s.”

First elected to the Assembly in 1982, Margolin is considered by his colleagues to be a masterful legislative technician with a clear liberal agenda. A former protege and chief of staff to Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles), Margolin’s career has benefited from significant backing from the influential Democratic organization aligned with Waxman and Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City).

Margolin, 42, engineered the compromise between the bottling industry and environmentalists that led to the state bottle redemption bill in 1986, and he has been a leader on insurance and workers’ compensation reform efforts in recent years as chairman of the Assembly Insurance Committee.

In 1989, he succeeded in shepherding through the Legislature a reform law that raised benefits to injured workers while cutting down on fraud and abuse. This year, he has continued his efforts on an even more wide-ranging workers’ compensation reform measure.

As a point man on such a politically charged issue, Margolin also has borne the brunt of some opponents’ attacks. In the last days before the June primary, conservative businessmen opposed to Margolin’s proposed changes in state workers’ compensation laws waged an “incredibly sleazy smear” campaign to discredit him in the primary election, the assemblyman says.

He trounced attorney and gay-rights activist John J. Duran (65% to 35%) despite mailers accusing him of being corrupt and responsible for the shortcomings of the workers’ compensation system.

Davis, 47, is a human services commissioner for West Hollywood. He has never held elective office and wants to streamline and decentralize government, including breaking up the Los Angeles Unified School District, a move Margolin opposes.

“We have to find better ways to deliver services,” said Davis. “People already send lots of money to Sacramento, but it is being eaten up.”

Davis also wants to set up a bureau of budget control to identify wasteful spending and provide state tax credits for those providing AIDS research and care.

Also running are Peace and Freedom candidate Timothy Burdick and Libertarian Andrew S. Rotter.

Times staff writer Jeff Kramer contributed to this story.