Republican Replaces Democrat on Del Mar Fair Board

A Del Mar Republican will replace a Rancho Santa Fe Democrat on the Del Mar Fair board, Gov. Deukmejian’s office confirmed Thursday in announcing the appointment of real estate broker Jan Richard Anton.

Quinn Martin, unanimously elected as board chairman in January, was not reappointed. Martin said earlier he did not think his politics would be a factor in his reappointment, but he acknowledged Thursday that the fact that he was “a lifelong Democrat” had done him in.

Martin said he was told Wednesday that he would not be reappointed but was not given a reason for the decision.

“It’s not a big deal,” Martin said. He praised Anton, his successor, as “a good choice” who would “do a fine job” on the fair board.

Anton, 42, is a senior marketing associate with Iliff Thorn & Co., a real estate brokerage with offices in California, Arizona and Denver. He also serves on the Centre City Development Corp., the City of San Diego’s redevelopment agency.

“I feel that I can contribute on the board because of my expertise in real estate,” Anton said. “The fair board controls the fairgrounds and there are some very valuable real estate assets there that should be looked at in terms of long-range planning.”

Anton said that he was notified last week of his appointment but was asked to remain silent about it until the formal announcement was made. He said he will meet with Roger Vitaich, fair general manager, to learn more about the job.

His name was proposed to the governor by several prominent Republicans, including San Diego financier Kim Fletcher and state Assemblywoman Sunny Mojonnier (R-Encinitas), Anton said.

Martin, 62, a television producer with a string of hit crime series, was appointed to the Fair Board in November, 1982, by former Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. He first was elected chairman of the board in January, 1984.

He and other board members won an economic battle against local labor unions during last year’s fair when they held out against union pickets and boycotts to end the longstanding practice of hiring union members at premium wages for temporary positions during the Southern California Expo in June. Temporary workers were recruited and hired at wages prevailing in the area.

Raymond Saatjian, a Republican whose term also expired in mid-January, was reappointed to the Fair Board for a four-year term, the governor’s office confirmed. Saatjian is a cousin of Deukmejian’s wife.