SIMI VALLEY : Dantona Quitting City Council Race

Simi Valley businessman Jim Dantona has announced that he is dropping out of the race for City Council because of commitments he has made to other campaigns, including that of Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton.

Dantona, who announced his candidacy in November, said he is too busy working and raising money for Clinton’s campaign to run for City Council. He said he also plans to work on state Senate leader David A. Roberti’s (D-Van Nuys) reelection bid in November.

“I have my hands in so many things,” Dantona said. “I just don’t feel I would be able to give 110% to the council race.”

Dantona raised eyebrows in November when he held a $250-a-plate fund-raiser at a Marina del Ray yacht club for his campaign. Local officials said they could not recall any other Simi Valley candidate ever holding such an expensive fund-raiser.

Dantona said he had raised about $10,000 for his campaign, some of which he spent on polling and on a political consultant. He said he is unsure exactly how much money he has left or what he will do with the remainder of it.