City Election May Signal Shift in Power : Politics: Latinos, now 51% of the local population, could win the mayor’s office and a majority of the City Council seats for the first time. Campaign issues include billboards and a plan to disband the fire department.

Latinos officially became the majority of the population here in the 1990 U.S. Census, and they could win the mayor’s office and a majority of City Council seats for the first time in the March 2 municipal election.

Candidates insist that ethnicity is not an issue. Instead, they are debating a controversial deal allowing new billboards in Pomona, a plan to disband the city’s Fire Department and contract with the county, and various proposals to combat crime, promote economic growth and curb graffiti.

But the election’s historic significance could be the completion of a transfer of political power in a city that for years was dominated by Anglo business and professional interests.

Just eight years ago, Latino and black plaintiffs sued the city, charging that Pomona’s elections discriminated against them because council members were elected citywide, instead of by district, thus diluting minority voting strength. The city won the suit, but voters changed the system anyway by adopting a 1990 ballot measure that created six council districts, leaving the mayoral seat as the only office voted on citywide.

The current council contains one black and two Latinos.

This year, two of the three leading mayoral candidates are Latino; one Latino council candidate, Marco A. Robles, is running unopposed, and another, Cristina Carrizosa, has a strong chance of defeating incumbent Boyd Bredenkamp. A sweep would give Latinos four council seats, counting the mayor who sits as a council member.

The 1990 Census put Pomona’s population at 51% Latino, 28% Anglo, 14% black, 6% Asian and 1% other groups. Anglos are believed to outnumber Latinos in voter registration, although figures were not available.

The candidates universally praise the city’s diversity, but ethnic solidarity could play a role March 2.

“It’s an undercurrent out there,” mayoral candidate Paul D. Geiger said. “I’ve heard the theme, ‘This is an Hispanic town; it ought to have an Hispanic mayor.’ ”

Another mayoral candidate, city Planning Commissioner Eddie Cortez, said some Anglo voters resent the demographic changes in Pomona “and will go to their grave without ever voting for a Latino.”

But Geiger, Cortez and the other front-runner, Councilman Tomas Ursua, say they are trying to appeal to the whole community, not just their own ethnic groups. Geiger is Anglo; Cortez and Ursua are Latino.

Cortez and Ursua are the only contenders among the eight candidates for mayor who have ever run for office in Pomona before. Geiger is a political novice, but he has the backing of outgoing Mayor Donna Smith and a number of other community leaders.

Others in the field are Kevin (Mr. P) Ausmus, the leader of a rock band, who is campaigning to become the “rock ‘n’ roll mayor”; James Robert Reynolds, a former horse trainer whose credentials include an understanding of the problems of the homeless that he acquired by being homeless part of last year; Ramon P. Romero, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy, whose campaign has focused on public safety; David W. Smith, an engineering administrator who says he is planning an innovative youth center that would include automotive training and a teen night club, and James Wilkins, an associate minister at a Montclair church who has been a city planning commissioner for nearly two years.

Unless a candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, a runoff will be held April 20 among the top two finishers.

Three council seats are at stake.

Robles, who administers a substance abuse program, is the only candidate in District 2, which takes in a southern portion of Pomona, mostly between Garey Avenue and the Corona Expressway.

As leader of the Latino Forum, Robles has worked to promote political participation among Latinos and has encouraged immigrants to seek citizenship. This election, he said, may show that “a community that has demonstrated apathy is coming to life.”

In District 3, which takes in southeastern Pomona, Bredenkamp, who won election in 1990 as the successor to recalled Councilman C. L. (Clay) Bryant, is facing Carrizosa, a bilingual resource teacher at a local elementary school. After failing to qualify for the ballot, Albert J. Midgette, who publishes a black business directory, is running a write-in campaign.

Carrizosa, who immigrated to Pomona from Mexico 29 years ago, is portraying her own struggle and achievements--including college degrees, a family machine shop business and a teaching career--as examples of what can be accomplished by starting with very little.

The candidate has accused the city of squandering money on redevelopment projects and failing to respond to the needs of the community. She said people have no confidence that the Police Department will respond to their calls in a timely manner.

But Bredenkamp said: “As long as we have council members that bash the Police Department, we’re going to have trouble getting cooperation from anybody.”

The incumbent said the city is making progress and he wants another term to carry out current economic growth programs.

The Pomona Firefighters Assn., which has encouraged the council to pursue the agreement with the county, has endorsed Carrizosa, who thinks the city might save funds by contracting. Bredenkamp is skeptical that any money can be saved, although he said he is willing to investigate the possibility.

Bredenkamp and Carrizosa are divided on the controversial billboard issue. The council has tentatively approved a billboard company plan to tear down 30 signs in exchange for the right to erect 10 larger ones along Pomona area freeways.

Bredenkamp voted against the plan, saying it would generate little revenue and would destroy scenic views on the Orange Freeway. The councilman said the city was especially wrong to agree to a contract written by the billboard company.

Carrizosa said the impact on the view is a small price to pay for a deal that will provide badly needed revenue, estimated at more than $500,000 over 20 years.

The same issues divide Councilman Ken West and his challenger, Elliott Rothman, a business student and former traffic school operator, in the 5th Council District, which includes Phillips Ranch and the Westmont area.

West voted for the billboard deal and the fire merger study and has been endorsed by the firefighters union. Rothman said the billboard issue should have been put to the voters and that West should not accept campaign help from firefighters while issues of concern to them are before the council.

In the mayor’s race, Ursua, a third-generation Pomona resident, is the only candidate who has held elective office. He won his council seat in 1988 and came close to defeating Smith for mayor in 1990.

Although his political orientation is liberal Democrat, Ursua said he has often found himself to be the most conservative council member. He has repeatedly called for reducing the size of city government and has resisted redevelopment proposals he thought were too generous to developers.

The councilman said he wants to simplify government processes to make the city more hospitable to business and to expand the community policing concept by asking residents to volunteer to patrol their own neighborhoods one night a week in exchange for health insurance.

Ursua, endorsed by the firefighters union, believes the city should contract with the county for fire service if it can save money. He also voted for the billboard deal.

Both Cortez and Geiger oppose billboards and favor retention of the Fire Department.

Cortez, a service station owner and a planning commissioner for six years, bases his campaign on a record of community service built up over 30 years in Pomona. He is founding president of the Latino Chamber of Commerce and president of Community Action for Peace, an anti-gang effort. He has accused city officials of poor leadership and has said that government has been paralyzed by bickering over minor problems while more important issues have been left unresolved.

Geiger, an engineering manager for Northrop Corp., is emphasizing his business background as a key asset in dealing with the city’s financial problems. He advocates working with neighboring cities to pool resources on such services as sanitation and street maintenance to save money. He said the city also should investigate the possibility of offering the services of the Pomona Fire Department to other cities to generate revenue.

Although Ursua, Cortez and Geiger seem to have the most support, Romero also is waging a vigorous campaign. A 17-year Sheriff’s Department veteran, he is stressing a commitment to making Pomona a safe place to live. He said the city should explore contracting with the county for both police and fire services.

Council Candidates

Here are profiles of Pomona City Council candidates in the March 2 election:

DISTRICT 2

Marco A. Robles

Age: 35

Occupation: Director of a substance abuse center

Personal: Married. Two children.

Education: College course work in psychology. No degree.

Experience: Works for Hispanic Alcoholism Service Center of Orange County. Member of Pomona Community Life Commission and heads Latino Forum.

No opposition

COUNCIL DISTRICT 3

Boyd Bredenkamp (Incumbent)

Age: 51

Occupation: Owner of a Pomona doughnut shop

Personal: Married. Two children.

Education: No college

Experience: Involved in community and youth organizations for 15 years. Elected to City Council in special election in 1990.

Cristina Carrizosa

Age: 50

Occupation: bilingual resource teacher

Personal: Married. Three children. Two foster children.

Education: Associate in arts, Mt. San Antonio College. Bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Cal Poly Pomona.

Experience: Ten years as bilingual resource teacher at Philadelphia Elementary School. Member of Pomona library board.

COUNCIL DISTRICT 5

Ken West (Incumbent)

Age: 41

Occupation: Financial administrator with Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Personal: Married. Two children.

Education: Numerous courses at Rio Hondo College and Cal State Northridge, but no degree.

Experience: More than 18 years as government accountant. Former president of homeowners association in Phillips Ranch. Elected to City Council in 1991.

Elliott Rothman

Age: 34

Occupation: Student at University of La Verne

Personal: Married. One son.

Education: Nearing bachelor’s degree in business

Experience: Owned and operated traffic school for several years.

Mayoral Candidates at a Glance

Here are profiles of Pomona mayoral candidates in the March 2 election:

Kevin Ausmus

Age: 33

Occupation: writer/performer/musician

Personal: Single

Education: Attended Mt. San Antonio College. No degree.

Experience: Leads a rock band called Desperation Squad. Worked in family trading stamp business and as census taker and messenger.

Eddie Cortez

Age: 52

Occupation: service station owner

Personal: Married. Seven children. Nineteen grandchildren.

Education: No college degree

Experience: Business owner in Pomona for 20 years. Member of Pomona Planning Commission for six years.

Paul D. Geiger

Age: 35

Occupation: Engineering manager for Northrop Corp.

Personal: Married. Three children.

Education: USC. Bachelor’s degree.

Experience: Four years in Air Force, now major in Air Force Reserve. Served on city long-range planning committee.

James Robert Reynolds

Age: 57

Occupation: Horseman

Personal: Single

Education: Attended Kansas State University. No degree.

Experience: Disabled veteran served in the Army. Worked as a horse trainer. Spent six months homeless last year.

Ramon P. Romero

Age: 42

Occupation: Los Angeles County deputy sheriff

Personal: Married. Four children.

Education: Associate in arts degree, Mt. San Antonio College

Experience: Employed by Sheriff’s Department 17 years. Manages a logistics unit of 40 deputies at the main central jail near downtown Los Angeles.

David W. Smith

Age: 48

Occupation: Engineering administrator and designer

Personal: Single

Education: Grand Canyon University and Arizona State University. No degree.

Experience: Served in Navy during Vietnam War. Designs circuits for telephone company. Also owns drug and alcoholic treatment center near San Diego.

Tomas Ursua

Age: 37

Occupation: Owner-builder

Personal: Single. One daughter.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, UC Riverside. Graduate work, but no degree, in urban planning at UCLA.

Experience: Worked as labor and community organizer. Builds houses. Grew up in Pomona; elected to City Council four years ago.

James Wilkins

Age: 52

Occupation: Minister

Personal: Married. Three children.

Education: Attended Mt. San Antonio College, University of La Verne. No degree.

Experience: Worked as weapons assembler. Managed service station. Regional president of church youth program. Member of city Planning Commission.