YORBA LINDA CITY COUNCIL

These are the candidates running for two seats on the Yorba Linda City Council in the Nov. 6 election.

Roland E. Bigonger

Age: 63

Occupation: Incumbent; attorney

Background: Served as city’s first mayor in 1967; helped bring Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace to city; has lived in Yorba Linda for 35 years.

Issues: Wants to maintain Yorba Linda’s low density, ensure that a county jail is not built in Gypsum Canyon and begin a curbside recycling program; believes that “super-street” plan for Imperial Highway should be considered; wants to attract good commercial development to Savi Ranch and other commercial areas to ensure sales tax base.

Thomas E. Brown

Age: 37

Occupation: Salesman for valve manufacturer

Background: Involved in Little League and other youth activities; has never run for political office before; has lived in Yorba Linda for seven years.

Issues: Goal will be to listen to residents in order to do what they want; does not object to the way incumbents have managed city but thinks some council members have been in office too long; wants to get police to open an auxiliary office serving the east part of city.

Harry G. Elliott

Age: 59

Occupation: Chairman of a financial services company

Background: Chamber of Commerce president; chairman of city Redevelopment Advisory Committee and chairman of the Portola Boy Scouts chapter; has never run for office before; has lived in Yorba Linda for 13 years.

Issues: Believes elected officials and staff members should be more responsive to residents; advocates preserving city’s bedroom-community feeling; believes the “super-street” proposal for Imperial Highway would hurt city with more traffic; is against limiting number of council terms or establishing council districts.

John M. Gulixson

Age: 42

Occupation: Attorney

Background: Ran for council in 1988 and in the Republican congressional primary against Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton); has had a law office in Yorba Linda for five years; has lived in the city for six years.

Issues: Believes long-term incumbency has created arrogant council members; says council members should be limited to two terms, with at least one member elected from both the east and west sides of the city; believes the council should take more of an active interest in education issues and should work with the school district to stop busing and ensure that city has adequate school sites.

John C. Kirby

Age: 38

Occupation: Doctor of osteopathy

Background: Has never run for political office; a resident of Yorba Linda for six years.

Issues: Believes longtime officeholders on council are unresponsive to residents; thinks current council is not ensuring that the city has enough sites zoned for future schools; believes the city needs more parks; advocates that council members be elected from districts, rather than at large, to ensure equal representation.

Henry W. Wedaa

Age: 66

Occupation: Incumbent; airport environmental consultant and book marketing consultant

Background: On council since 1970; vice chairman of the South Coast Air Quality Management District; chairman of the Southern California Assn. of Government’s Aviation Committee.

Issues: Wants to maintain city’s semi-rural community feeling, make traffic improvements and start a curbside recycling program; opposes county’s proposal to make Imperial Highway into an eight-lane superstreet; opposes limiting the number of terms a council member may serve.