Santa Ana Jail Ban Is Pledged by Thierbach

Christian F. (Rick) Thierbach, the Democratic nominee in the 72nd Assembly District race, said Tuesday that if he is elected, his first act in Sacramento will be to introduce legislation to prevent a county jail from being built in Santa Ana.

“Kids ought to be able to go to school without a jail right next door,” Thierbach said at a press conference outside his campaign headquarters in Santa Ana.

Thierbach, 38, a prosecutor with the Riverside County district attorney’s office, is locked in a battle for the Assembly seat held by Richard E. Longshore (R-Santa Ana) until his death the day after the June 7 primary. The Republican Party selected Curt Pringle of Garden Grove, 29, to run in Longshore’s stead.

Flanked by Santa Ana Councilmen Miguel A. Pulido Jr. and Ron May, Thierbach said at the press conference that he would author a bill prohibiting construction of a jail in any city or within a mile of any public or private school. That would prevent another jail in Santa Ana, essentially forcing Orange County to follow through on construction of a jail in Gypsum Canyon, outside the 72nd Assembly District.

Mayor’s Effort Supported

In a political mailer sent two weeks ago to 70,000 district voters, Pringle endorsed an effort by Santa Ana Mayor Dan Young to qualify an initiative for the 1990 countywide ballot to block construction of a new central jail in any incorporated area. The mailer included a copy of Young’s petition and a letter from Pringle urging voters to sign and return it.

Young launched his initiative drive after the Board of Supervisors voted last week to put a measure on the June, 1990, ballot that would restrict new county jail facilities to the county seat. The initiative was the result of a successful petition drive by Anaheim Hills-area residents to prevent the jail from being built in nearby Gypsum Canyon.

Thierbach said, however, that “it makes no sense” to build a jail in a residential or commercial area such as Santa Ana.

“It’s not a question of ‘not-in-my-back yard,’ ” Thierbach said. “The purpose of this is to protect our kids.”

Thierbach also took a swipe at his opponent, claiming that he is “following the lead of others” by endorsing Young’s petition drive.

Thierbach said he supports Young’s initiative, but “I think state legislation is a better idea.” He said his proposal could become law as early as next year. Pringle, he added, “has again demonstrated his inability to propose meaningful solutions to the problems facing our community.”

In his mailer, Pringle, referring to Young’s initiative, told voters that the measure “is critical to the future safety of our community. . . . There is already another initiative on the ballot, and if it wins, the new jail will be built in the heart of one of our cities.”

Pringle said Tuesday that his campaign has received more than 765 of the petitions back, with more than 2,500 signatures.