O.C. Supervisor Race Is Off to a Spirited Start

By GEBE MARTINEZ

Feb. 15, 1994 12 AM PT

TIMES POLITICAL WRITER

SANTA ANA —

The top three contenders to replace retiring Orange County Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder bolted out of the starting gate Monday, hurling barbs and challenges in a three-way cross-fire.

It was the first day for county and congressional candidates to announce for the June 7 primary election and the last day for candidates to file for two hotly contested Assembly seats, those being given up by Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) and Assemblyman Tom Umberg (D-Garden Grove), the county’s only Democrat in the Legislature.

If there was any doubt that the nonpartisan District 2 contest to replace Wieder would be spirited, it was erased Monday when the three main contenders--all from Huntington Beach--crossed swords. The city’s mayor, Linda Moulton-Patterson, fired the first shot, followed by developer Haydee Tillotson and Councilman Jim Silva.

During a news conference outside the registrar of voters office that drew about 45 supporters, Moulton-Patterson said that her opponents are standard-bearers of “business as usual”--business that is driven by “special interests” and the local development community.

Moulton-Patterson said Tillotson, who was recruited by Wieder, is a candidate who would “see things more from the developer’s point of view.”

In a speech that was as much a criticism of the county’s current leadership as a statement of her positions on the issues, Moulton-Patterson said she favored deportation of illegal immigrants, welfare limits, no new taxes and term limits for supervisors, even pledging to limit her service to eight years.

But even before Moulton-Patterson finished her speech, a Tillotson campaign statement was distributed among the crowd, calling on Moulton-Patterson and Silva not to seek or accept political contributions from “any business or individual who has sought, or is seeking, their vote” on the City Council or commissions on which the two candidates serve.

Tillotson also called on Moulton-Patterson to resign from the California Coastal Commission.

“I resigned from the Orange County Planning Commission when I decided to seek election to the Board of Supervisors to avoid even the appearance of any conflicts of interest,” Tillotson said in the statement. “I am now calling upon Linda and Jim to take a first step in rejecting the ‘business as usual’ fund-raising tactics of the past.”

In her statement, Tillotson also said she has raised about $60,000 “from individuals, friends and concerned Orange County citizens who had nothing to gain except good government in California.”

Moulton-Patterson and Silva, who held his own news conference later in the day, both rejected Tillotson’s demands, saying they would abide by the campaign financing rules that apply to county officials.

And they pointed out that Tillotson also has received money from the development community.

In fact, all three candidates have received campaign funds from the Koll Real Estate Group or its top officials, according to campaign finance statements filed earlier this year. The development company has raised the ire of Huntington Beach environmentalists by proposing that 4,286 homes be built on 400 acres in the Bolsa Chica wetlands area.

However, Moulton-Patterson said she quit receiving donations from the Koll Co. after 1990, even though they were non-paying members of an honorary host committee for a political fund-raiser she held last April.

While she has accepted financial contributions from the development community in general, Moulton-Patterson said, “I will not be beholden to them.”

Silva did not apologize for campaign contributions he has received from the Koll Co. or any other group or individual. “I feel I am representing them, and they have a right to put money in my campaign,” he said.

During his own campaign speech at the Huntington Beach pier, which drew about 55 supporters, Silva listed issues similar to those of his opponents: making law enforcement the county’s top budget priority, opposing higher taxes and increased fees and preventing illegal immigrants from receiving welfare benefits.

Silva characterized the race as a choice between “a candidate that’s never been elected to an office” but runs on promises--a reference to Tillotson--and candidates who have established records.

Turning his attention to Moulton-Patterson, a Democrat, Silva criticized her for supporting President Clinton, and for being one who “supports the tax-and-spend philosophy of the Democratic Party (and) supported cable television tax and trash fee increases” in Huntington Beach.

In wrapping up his speech, Silva said, “May the best man win.”

Standing at his side were Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) and Supervisor Roger R. Stanton.

Stanton said Silva was “too much of a gentleman” to contrast himself to his opponents, so he would take on the task.

“It takes logic, common sense, a deep, sincere concern for the community above a concern for one’s individual ego and one’s individual image,” Stanton said.

Other Republican leaders who are backing Silva include Rep. Christopher Cox of Newport Beach, Rep. Robert K. Dornan of Garden Grove, Rep. Ed Royce of Fullerton, state Sen. John Lewis of Garden Grove, Assemblyman Curt Pringle of Garden Grove and Assemblyman Gil Ferguson of Newport Beach.

Candidates for county offices, including the 2nd, 4th and 5th districts on the Board of Supervisors, sheriff-coroner, district attorney and the county Board of Education, as well as congressional candidates, have until March 11 to file their declarations of candidacy. If the incumbent does not file, the deadline to file is extended to March 16.

Meanwhile, the races in the two Assembly districts without incumbents took final shape Monday, the last day for candidates to file their declarations of intent to run in the primary.

In the 69th Assembly District race to replace Umberg, both the Democratic and Republican primaries have drawn a long list of candidates.

Four Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination: Latino political activist Zeke Hernandez; Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce President Michael Metzler; Santa Ana Councilman Ted R. Moreno; and Santa Ana contractor John Patterson.

The Republicans are: Martin Ageson, a Costa Mesa business attorney and member of the conservative Republican Lincoln Club who moved into the district to seek the Republican nomination; Santa Ana school board member Rosemarie I. Avila; businesswoman Judy Buffin-Edge; Republican Party activist and businessman Jim Morrissey and businessman Virgel L. Nickell.

The Libertarian candidate is George Reis of Santa Ana.

In the 70th Assembly District, considered the most Republican district in the state, the only contest will be in the Republican primary.

The Republican candidates are Marilyn C. Brewer, an aide to county Supervisor Thomas F. Riley; Irvine attorney Phillip B. Greer; Irvine Councilman Barry J. Hammond; Irvine resident Scott McDougle; Irvine attorney Bruce E. Peotter; and Newport Beach attorney Thomas G. Reinecke, son of a former California lieutenant governor.

Costa Mesa lawyer Jim Toledano is the only Democrat to file for the primary.

In the statewide race for insurance commissioner, three Orange County Republicans will be on the ballot. They are former Huntington Beach Mayor Wes Bannister, who was the 1990 Republican nominee for the office; Glen J. Dulac, also of Huntington Beach, and Jack Harden of La Habra.

Candidate Filings

The filing deadline for the following races in the June 7 primary was extended to Monday because the incumbents chose not to seek reelection. Here are the candidates who filed at the Orange County registrar of voters office to run in those races.

STATEWIDE

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER

Republican

* Wes Bannister, Huntington Beach

* Glen J. Dulac, Huntington Beach

* Jack Harden, La Habra

American Independent

* A. Jacques, Santa Ana

ASSEMBLY

69TH DISTRICT

Democrat

* Zeke Hernandez, Santa Ana