LOCAL ELECTIONS TUSTIN CITY COUNCIL : Voters in City With Growing Pains Tell City Hall to Listen : Candidates talk of the tollway, North Tustin annexation, crime, police work schedules and problems facing business.

Whether the political talk around town concerns the Eastern Transportation Corridor or the need for traffic signs in a neighborhood where a pedestrian was killed, city voters are pinning their frustration on one key question: Does City Hall listen to them?

Voters’ demand for accountability has become the key issue confronting the six candidates, including three incumbents, as they compete for three City Council seats in Tuesday’s election.

Tustin, with a population of 52,000, is experiencing growing pains as increasing traffic, crime and other big city problems threaten to spill across its borders and stress the city’s resources.

Questions posed to the candidates during a recent forum reflected some of the community’s concerns, including a lack of citizen input during the early planning stages of the tollway; costly bureaucratic regulations that hurt much-needed business development, and the need to improve communication with the local school board.

The sense of frustration among voters is a ready-made issue for the three challengers: Jeannie Jackson, 46, who works in word processing; Thomas R. Saltarelli, 44, an attorney, and Jeffrey Thomas, 36, a business executive.

“We need a council willing to get involved in these issues,” Saltarelli said at the forum last month.

Two of the three incumbents seeking reelection--Jim Potts and Earl J. Prescott, both 39 years old--have responded by pointing to their voting records on key issues that set them apart from the usual three-vote majority on the council.

“I would like to see more public input and less intimidation,” said Prescott, who was first appointed to the council in 1987 and reelected the following year to a four-year term.

The third incumbent in the race, Richard B. Edgar, 69, a retired engineer, said he is proud of his council record, which spans 16 of the last 18 years.

The lack of public review on the Eastern tollway, which Thomas generally supports, is what propelled his increased community involvement, he said.

“It’s terrible that people were not included,” Thomas said, criticizing the council for practicing “reactive politics” instead of being “proactive.”

The $630-million, six-lane tollway would start at the Riverside Freeway in the north and split into two legs as it heads south into Irvine. The eastern leg would funnel traffic onto the Laguna and Santa Ana freeways, and the western leg would skirt the eastern limits of Tustin before ending near Jamboree Road and Irvine Center Drive.

Saltarelli and Prescott agree that citizens need to be kept better informed about the tollway’s development.

Jackson opposes the tollway project, saying that hiking and bike trails should instead be developed and encouraged. Potts has been vocal in his opposition to the leg of the tollway that would send traffic to Jamboree Road, because it would worsen Tustin’s traffic, he said.

But Edgar, who supports the proposal, said the traffic will come to Tustin whether or not the road is built.

Other issues in the campaign have also drawn sharp disagreement among the candidates.

With increasing crime often mentioned as a major concern, most of the candidates agree that the Police Department needs improvement. About two-thirds of the force is under 30 with less than two years’ experience.

But the candidates differ over how to increase benefits to keep Tustin’s officers from moving elsewhere.

Potts, a police sergeant in Irvine, proposed that Tustin follow other cities in adopting a 10-hour, four-day-a-week schedule to improve officer morale.

“I am not going to tell you that we have the best Police Department, because we don’t,” said Potts, who has served on the council for two years.

Prescott also favors the “10-4”--10-hour days with four-day workweeks--schedule for police officers and Thomas leans toward the plan.

But Edgar said the move would cost the city about $500,000 per year. The money would be better spent on salaries, such as the recent 4% pay raise, and other benefits, he said.

“I think we have the best Police Department around,” he added.

Saltarelli said he would support another pay raise for officers but is not convinced that the shorter workweek is a good economic move for the city.

Jackson, a single mother of four who said she entered the race because she favors local government intervention in the area of child support, also supports the “10-4” plan for police officers. “I don’t see what costs $500,000,” she said. “I don’t understand why you just can’t go in and do it.”

Another issue for candidates this election is whether North Tustin should be annexed by the city.

The Local Agency Formation Commission recently denied North Tustin residents the chance to vote on incorporation, and Tustin officials are waiting to see if they will be asked to annex the unincorporated area.

Because most of the area is residential, it would bring in little sales tax revenue while increasing city costs to provide basic services.

Edgar, Prescott and Jackson agree that if the residents of North Tustin want to be annexed, they should not be denied.

Saltarelli and Thomas are more cautious, saying they want more information about costs and benefits.

But if the city grew in size, Saltarelli added, the city “would have a stronger voice.”

Potts opposes annexation, calling the current status the “best of all worlds” because North Tustin residents shop in the city and contribute to sales tax revenue but the city does not pay for their services.

Despite the differences among candidates on the issues, the campaign is absent the acrimony and turmoil that accompanied the council election two years ago.

One sign of the friendlier times came a few weeks ago when Jackson received donations from four people--including two of her opponents--to pay a $100 fee that allowed her to participate at a business forum.

Jackson said she promised not to disclose the names of those who helped her. They helped her, she said, “because they are really neat people, I guess.”

Also appearing on Tuesday’s ballot is City Clerk Mary E. Wynn, 69, who is running unopposed. She has served as city clerk since 1980.

Tustin City Council Election

Here are the candidates running for the three seats on the Tustin City Council in Tuesday’s election. Richard B. Edgar Age: 69 Occupation: Incumbent; retired Background: Elected to the council in 1974, serving continuously except for a period between 1978 and 1980; chairman of the Orange County Sanitation District; member of the Measure M Growth Management Committee. Issues: Favors the Eastern Transportation Corridor; opposes the 10-hour, four-day workweek for police officers; opposes term limits and a cap on campaign contributions; generally favors annexation. Jim Potts Age: 39 Occupation: Incumbent; police sergeant in Irvine and business owner Background: Elected to council in 1990. Issues: Supports the Eastern Transportation Corridor, but opposes a plan to send traffic to Jamboree Road because it would adversely impact Tustin; is a sponsor of the “10-4” workweek for police officers; supports campaign finance and term limits; opposes North Tustin annexation. Thomas R. Saltarelli Age: 44 Occupation: Lawyer Background: Member of the California Trial Lawyers Assn., the American Bar Assn. and the Orange County Bar Assn. Issues: Favors the Eastern Transportation Corridor; supports improvements to the Police Department but is undecided about the “10-4” plan; favors local political reform; opposes the North Tustin annexation. Jeannie Jackson Age: 46 Occupation: Word processor Background: Volunteer with the Tustin Food Bank and former Scout leader; political novice who entered the race because she favors local intervention for child support collection. Issues: Opposes the Eastern Transportation Corridor and instead favors hiking and biking trails; believes the Police Department needs improvement but has no specific proposal; favors local political reform; generally favors annexation. Jeffrey Thomas Age: 36 Occupation: Business executive Background: Serves on the board of directors for the Orange County Philharmonic Society; member of the California Municipal Treasurers; member of the CHOC Padrinos. Issues: Supports the Eastern Transportation Corridor with some modification; favors the “10-4” work plan for police officers; supports local political reforms; opposes North Tustin annexation. Richard B. Edgar Jim Potts Thomas R. Saltarelli Jeannie Jackson Jeffrey Thomas Earl J. Prescott Age: 39 Occupation: Incumbent; real estate manager Background: Appointed to the council in 1987, elected in 1988; member of the Santa Ana Flood Control Authority. Issues: Supports the Eastern Transportation Corridor; favors the “10-4” work plan for police officers; favors proposals to limit council terms and campaign contributions; supports annexation.

Compiled by MALAIKA BROWN / For The Times