ELECTIONS : Council Race Has Less Emphasis on Growth

It used to be the candidates’ cries for controls on runaway development that galvanized voters in this rapidly growing, ethnically diverse city.

But the tide is turning. The only initiative on Tuesday’s ballot, a proposal to relax building standards to help a shopping mall developer, is being supported by the city’s predominant slow-growth group, as well as all nine candidates for City Council.

And none of the candidates has made a platform of curbing development. In fact, several candidates have accepted generous contributions from developers with projects in the city.

Most of the candidates are focusing their campaign speeches on other issues, such &as; crime, the Garvey Reservoir and the city’s financial woes. For the most part, they advocate stronger Neighborhood Watch programs and believe the cracked reservoir should remain closed.

The top two finishers will win four-year terms:

* Francisco Alonso, 48, a retired schoolteacher, said he would consider rescinding salary raises for department heads to ease a $675,000 city budget shortfall this year that has forced the council to make cuts in services.

* Frank J. Arcuri, 51, who led an unsuccessful 1985 campaign to make English the city’s official language, finished next to last in the 1988 council race, and last in 1986. He prints his own newspaper, The Citizen’s Voice, in which he has attacked Chinese-Americans and declared himself the front runner.

* John Casperson, 54, who moved to Monterey Park in December, is emphasizing his strong business experience and commitment to fighting crime. He and his wife produce a Chinese-language television program for KSCI, Channel 18, and have aired Monterey Park Police Department programs on it.

* Incumbent Judy Chu, 38, is campaigning on the accomplishments of her first term, such as bridging the gap between ethnic groups, pushing for the expansion of the Langley Senior Citizen Center, initiating city-sponsored child care and supporting quality commercial development.

* Andy Islas, 31, a frequent speaker at council meetings, has been critical of the council’s response to residents’ complaints about the expansion of Garfield Medical Center and would press for a ballot measure about abolishing the redevelopment agency.

* Rita Valenzuela, 55, chairwoman of the city’s Art and Culture Commission, says she would like to encourage more residents to get involved in the community through volunteer work. She wants to balance the budget, perhaps by consolidating city departments, so more monies can be steered toward park programs and senior citizens.

* Bonnie Wai, 29, an attorney, sits on the city’s Residential Design Review Board. She acted as spokeswoman for a coalition of Asian-American groups pushing for a controversial program to hire Chinese- and Spanish-speaking emergency dispatchers and firefighters. A number of Chinese-American activists have joined her campaign.

* Charles Wu, 62, heads an El Monte real estate sales company, and said he has the strong management experience needed on the council. He favors a quota of employees from each ethnic group based on their percentage in Monterey Park’s population and has focused his campaign efforts in the Chinese-American community.

* Raymond Wu, 56, a former pastor, practices immigration law in Monterey Park and is not related to Charles Wu. He said he would be a voice for the local Taiwanese-American community, but he added that articles he wrote years ago criticizing Taiwan’s Kuomintang Party may have alienated some who support it.

Councilwoman Betty Couch is not seeking reelection.

Even as most council candidates steer talk away from slow growth, development has emerged as a divisive issue among three candidates.

Chu, the only incumbent, has been criticized for voting with the council majority to continue the renovation of Atlantic Square, a project requiring land condemnation and an investment of $14 million by the city’s redevelopment agency. Her stand probably cost her the endorsement of the Monterey Park Democratic Club, said president Irv Willner.

Chu said Monterey Park needs Atlantic Square’s mainstream stores, such as Ralph’s and Radio Shack, to lure back local shoppers who deserted the city long ago. But she conceded it will take many years to recoup the city’s investment.

Meanwhile, Chu is criticizing candidates who have received thousands of dollars from developers, stressing that she has refused contributions from any developer with a project in Monterey Park. Islas and Wai, both first-time candidates, received some of their largest contributions from developers Douglas Bao, Kenny Mar and his father Kim Mar, who all have projects pending before the city.

Islas and Wai strongly denied the money would influence their votes.

But, Islas added, “I do see that developers are treated unfairly.”

Wai said she cannot afford to refuse developers’ money because, unlike Chu, she does not enjoy high profile status in Monterey Park.

In other city races, Treasurer Louise Davis, 67, is being challenged by Chester Chau, 39, an accountant, and City Clerk David David Barron, 50, is unopposed.