Irvine Co. to Cut Back Sharply on Election Gifts

The Irvine Co., one of the most politically active corporations in California, will be cutting its campaign contributions about 25% over the next 12 months, a spokesman said.

The disclosure came in the wake of the firm’s announcement earlier this week that it is laying off 240 workers as part of a corporate restructuring.

The giant real estate developer was the top corporate contributor to California legislators and constitutional officers in 1985, according to state figures. Although it was a non-election year, the Newport Beach-based company, which owns a sixth of the land in Orange County, contributed $182,029 to Sacramento politicians.

The company gave an additional $134,000 to political parties, independent committees and local candidates in 1985, while $28,792 went to U.S. Senate and House candidates.

Entertainment Tab

In addition, the company spent $225,739 in 1985 to entertain influential capital staff members and to employ a small army of lobbyists.

“I can’t give you a precise dollar figure, but I would estimate that we would be cutting back by about a fourth,” said Mike Stockstill, the Irvine Co.’s public affairs director.

One factor in the reduced spending will be the fewer number of workers available to contribute to the Irvine Co. Employees’ Political Action Committee, which raises money for federal races.

However, most observers said the decision to reduce campaign contributions will hardly be noticed in the political arena.

Orange County Supervisor Bruce Nestande, Republican nominee for secretary of state and a major beneficiary of Irvine Co. campaign contributions in past years, said the cutbacks “might not be a negative thing,” because it could help focus attention on how badly “things have gotten out of hand” in Sacramento, with “legislators holding up bills for campaign contributions.”

‘We’ll Survive’

John Seymour of Anaheim, state Senate GOP Caucus chairman, said, “I think we’ll survive.”

Seymour noted that despite the company’s ability to nurture such politicians as U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.) and Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ed Zschau, a Los Altos congressman, before they became household names, there are others who fare just as well without the company’s support.