Candidates Focus on Revenue, Growth : Politics: At issue in Seal Beach is the delicate balance between the city’s fiscal health and residents’ concerns. Three of the five district seats are open.

Voters will go to the polls next week in a City Council election that boils down to one familiar issue: how to fatten the city’s anemic coffers without altering the seaside village’s small-town character.

It’s an issue that has long dominated Seal Beach politics, especially in recent years when residents successfully mobilized to block several developments, including one proposal that would have placed more than 300 homes on the Hellman Ranch property.

But this attitude toward growth has been put to the test over the past four years by the city’s poor fiscal health. Seal Beach has faced a string of large budget shortfalls and has been forced to balance the city’s books by laying off workers, reducing services and raising taxes. In the past three years, the city has cut spending and personnel each by about 20%.

Elections will be held March 29 in three of the city’s five council districts.

Incumbents are seeking reelection in each of the three districts. They have served on a council known for its sensitivity to the concerns of residents and its skeptical view of new development.

Challengers in the races criticize the current council for not doing enough to generate revenue and for failing to sufficiently support the city’s business community.

In District 1, which covers the Old Town and Surfside areas, Councilwoman Marilyn Bruce Hastings is running against community activist Charles Antos and real estate agent Jim Klisanin. In District 3, which covers the Marina Hill neighborhood, Mayor Gwen Forsythe faces a challenge by homemaker Kathy Parker and Main Street merchant John Baker. In District 5, Councilman William J. Doane is running against engineering manager Richard Davies to represent a district that includes half of Leisure World.

A central election issue is the council’s decision last year to raise the utility-users tax from 5% to 11%.

Challengers said increasing the tax that residents pay on their monthly gas, telephone and electric bills was wrong and that the council should have looked for other ways to make ends meet.

“There are a lot of people in Leisure World living on fixed incomes,” said Davies, who has called for the tax increase to be repealed. “When the tax more than doubles, it really hurts.”

Added Parker: “I think it’s the wrong way to raise money.”

Council members defended their decision, saying it was the only way to balance the city’s books without making deep cuts in police and other city services. They point out that the tax must be reviewed each year by the council and that it could be decreased as the city’s fiscal situation improves.

Both challengers and incumbents have suggested numerous ways of increasing revenue without another tax increase.

Antos said the city should begin billing state and federal officials for the costs of city programs that they mandate but refuse to adequately fund. Doane said the city should reopen its jail as a booking facility for nearby law enforcement agencies.

Klisanin suggested that the council enlist the help of community volunteers and private industry to raise funds for specific city projects.

Some candidates said Seal Beach’s financial problems are caused in part by the City Council’s hard line against development--especially on Main Street.

The council has spent countless hours over the past two years debating requests from various Main Street merchants to expand their businesses or stay open later into the night. Especially controversial have been requests by several alcohol-serving restaurants.

Residents who live near Main Street have complained that there are too many establishments in Old Town that sell or serve liquor. They claim such businesses sometimes attract noisy patrons and crime. The council has generally been sympathetic to the residents’ concerns--to the point of becoming “anti-business,” some critics say.

“When a business wants to move into the city, the first thing the city does is lay on all these restrictions,” Baker said. “It just discourages businesses.”

Hastings and Forsythe hotly deny that they are anti-business. Both said they are simply trying to balance the needs of residents with those of businesses and keep Seal Beach a “family-oriented” bedroom community.

“I just think we have too many liquor licenses in Old Town, and we don’t need any more,” Hastings said.

Until this week, the race had been marked by its quiet tone. But the campaign took an unusual turn Monday when about 250 of Hastings’ and Forsythe’s campaign placards were apparently stolen overnight.

Wendy Rothman, a campaign volunteer for both candidates, said the missing signs are worth about $1,000. Seal Beach police are investigating the incident.

Seal Beach Election

The candidates running for three seats on the Seal Beach City Council in Tuesday’s election:

DISTRICT 1

(Old Town and Surfside areas) Charles Antos

Age: 48

Occupation: Planner for the County of Orange

Background: Longtime community activist in the Old Town area

Issues: Describes himself as a strong proponent of “controlled growth,” especially along Main Street; says the city should find ways to improve the parking shortage on Main Street

Marilyn Bruce Hastings

Age: 65

Occupation: Incumbent; property owner/businesswoman

Background: Elected to the City Council in 1990. Longtime community activist in Long Beach

Issues: Wants the city to build a police substation inside a lifeguard station at the Seal Beach Pier; says the city should find ways to stop the erosion of sand from local beaches

Jim Klisanin

Age: 59

Occupation: Junior high school teacher, real estate agent and developer

Background: Former president of the Lion’s Club; organizer of the Main Street Christmas Parade

Issues: Wants the city to build a police substation at the pier; suggests improving the look of Main Street by adding benches and lamps

DISTRICT 3

(Marina Hill neighborhood) John Baker

Age: 50

Occupation: Main Street merchant

Background: Two-time president of the Seal Beach Business Assn.

Issues: Wants the city to do more to help businesses, which in turn would increase sales tax revenue; says the city should repair buckled sidewalks on Main Street

Gwen Forsythe

Age: 39

Occupation: Incumbent; advertising manager

Background: Elected to the City Council in 1990; served as a community activist and volunteer

Issues: Opposes a proposal to build more than 1,000 homes near the Bolsa Chica wetlands; seeks to maintain the “family atmosphere” of Main Street

Kathy Parker

Age: 47

Occupation: Homemaker

Background: Active in Seal Beach schools and local Parents-Teachers Assn.; volunteered for Seal Beach Kids Baseball and Girl Scouts

Issues: Opposed the council’s decision last year to hike the utility-users tax from 5% to 11%; wants the city to institute more police foot patrols

DISTRICT 5

(Half of Leisure World) Richard Davies

Age: 63

Occupation: Engineering manager

Background: Chairman of the Seal Beach Parks and Recreation Commission

Issues: Wants the utility-users tax repealed, saying it is an unfair burden on older residents; also seeks increased police funding

William J. Doane

Age: 72

Occupation: Incumbent; retired data processing manager

Background: Appointed to the council in 1991; previously served on Leisure World’s Golden Rain board and the Seal Beach Toastmasters

Issues: Wants the city to reopen its jail to neighboring cities as a way of increasing revenue; says the city should encourage business

Researched by SHELBY GRAD / For The Times