LOCAL ELECTIONS / ANAHEIM MAYOR : Focus Is on Taxes, Special Interests

In a sharp, contentious debate Thursday, Mayor Fred Hunter and his challenger in the Nov. 3 election, Councilman Tom Daly, each tried to portray himself as a strong leader and his opponent as a pawn of special interest.

Daly came out swinging in his opening statement to the crowd of 75 people at Loara High School saying, “the incumbent mayor has not kept his promises to the residents of this city, and we need a mayor who is a stable and careful decision-maker.”

Hunter responded: “I must be doing something right because the firefighters and police officers associations endorsed me over my opponent, the lobbyist Tom Daly.”

The debate was sponsored by Anaheim HOME, a homeowners group of about 1,500 residents primarily in the central and western portions of the city. It was the first head-to-head clash between the two candidates for the mayor’s seat in the November election.

Hunter, a 50-year-old attorney, is seeking his third two-year term as mayor.

Daly, a 38-year-old executive for the Building Industry Assn., a builders trade group, is simultaneously trying to unseat Hunter while seeking reelection to a second four-year-term on the City Council.

Anaheim’s mayor acts as chairman during council meetings and represents the city on various functions but has no power that other council members do not have. Hunter and Daly said the title is important, however, because the mayor often sets the city government’s tone.

Daly repeatedly attacked Hunter for heading the drive that led to the council’s passage of a 2% utility users tax last year.

The utility tax, which expires in September, 1993, was passed to balance the city’s budget and is applied to the gas, water, electric and telephone bills of residents and businesses alike. Hunter originally wanted a 4% tax in order to hire more police officers, while Daly opposed the tax entirely, saying it would hurt businesses and residents.

“Two years ago, in writing, my opponent said he would never raise your taxes,” Daly said. “Seven months later, he led the charge to impose a $10-million tax increase.”

Hunter countered that if the tax hadn’t been imposed, it would have been necessary to lay off dozens of public safety personnel.

“I will never, ever give pink slips to policemen and firemen, which we would have had to do if the temporary 2% tax had not been put into place,” Hunter said.

Hunter, in turn, accused Daly of being soft on developers “because they are the ones who sign his paycheck.”

Daly said that the council seat does not conflict with his job as building industry representative and that he does not consider a developer’s affiliation when he votes on their projects.

“I ask developers the toughest questions about their projects of any member on the council,” Daly said.

CRIME IS TOP ISSUE

Four City Council candidates gather at Anaheim forum. B2