CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS : Supervisors Oppose Gann, AIDS, Toxics Plans

With Supervisor Bruce K. Nestande leading the charge, Orange County supervisors voted Tuesday to oppose statewide initiatives on the November ballot dealing with state spending, AIDS and toxic chemicals.

Nestande contended that the three initiatives “have significant adverse impacts on Orange County residents and employees.”

He said Prop. 61, known as the Gann initiative after its author, Paul Gann, would harm the county’s ability to contract with private industry for various services and would have “a devastating effect” on the county’s ability to deliver fire services and Sheriff’s Department services.

Prop. 61 would cap the salary of the governor at $80,000 and limit salaries of local officials to $64,000. Orange County supervisors now get $55,000 a year, but some county officials get more than $64,000.

The proposition would set a maximum of $64,000 a year on government employment contracts and limit any contract to four years. County officials said they have awarded numerous contracts exceeding the $64,000 figure. They also said the limit of $75 an hour on outside contractors, such as attorneys, would make it impossible to get first-rate assistance.

Nestande said Prop. 64, sponsored by backers of political extremist Lyndon H. LaRouche, is opposed by medical doctors and public health workers across the state.

The initiative would force public health officials to test suspected carriers of the AIDS virus and remove those with the virus from jobs involving contact with the public, such as teaching and handling food.

Supervisor Roger R. Stanton abstained from the vote on the propositions, saying that, while he will explain his individual positions on various items, he does not believe in elected bodies taking official public stances on statewide initiatives.

The other four supervisors backed Nestande on the opposition to Prop. 61 and 64, but Ralph B. Clark, the board chairman, abstained from the 3-0 vote opposing Prop. 65, saying that he had not gathered enough information on it.

That initiative, sponsored by environmentalists and Democratic political leaders, is designed to restrict discharges of toxic chemicals into drinking water and increase penalties for polluters.

It would also allow private citizens to bring court suits seeking enforcement of the law, which Nestande said would take toxics law out of the principal purview of local government, where it belongs.