LAGUNA BEACH : Top 2 Vote-Getters Were Top Spenders

Final spending reports for the most expensive City Council campaign in this city’s history reveal that two of the three top spenders in the November election won public office.

Kathleen Blackburn, who spent $27,729, and Wayne Peterson, who spent $22,318, came in first and second respectively, snagging the two available seats.

The biggest spender, former Los Angeles Rams linebacker Mel Owens, a relative unknown in Laguna Beach politics until last year, spent $41,202 and placed third in election returns.

Planning Commissioner Norm Grossman, who had been considered a front-runner in the race, spent $18,962 and came in fourth. Grossman was targeted by a political action committee formed to defeat him and to elect Blackburn and Peterson.

That committee--Citizens for Responsible Government, A Coalition of Concerned Citizens, Property Owners, Mobilehome Parks, Taxpayers and Homeowners--poured $53,432 into the campaign.

Most of that money--$50,220--was contributed by Richard A. Hall Co. Hall, a Costa Mesa businessman, is co-owner of Treasure Island Mobilehome Park.

Park owners have played an active role in Laguna Beach politics since mid-1991, when the city attempted to enact rent control at mobile home parks. Voters rejected the rent-control ordinance in November 1991.

Village Laguna, historically the city’s most powerful political action committee, spent $37,254 on the most recent election. That group had endorsed candidates Grossman and Blackburn for City Council and incumbent Verna Rollinger for city clerk.

Rollinger spent $8,311 in her successful reelection bid while her opponent, R. Elaine Smith spent $6,270.

Candidates were required to file final spending statements with the city clerk’s office by last week.