DECISION ’94 : Orange County Contests

The Los Angeles Times sent questionnaires to candidates for the nonpartisan Orange County Board of Supervisors, asking them about themselves and posing several questions. Here are the questions:

* Do you favor or oppose development of a commercial airport at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station?

* How can the county solve the jail overcrowding problem?

* What can the county do to prevent the exodus of businesses?

* Please list two other issues you feel are important to voters.

(Only candidates in contested races are listed here. For a complete ballot see Page V12.)

SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 2

Costa Mesa, Cypress, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and Stanton

*

Raymond Thomas Littrell

Age: 59

Occupation: President, Midway City Sanitary District

Background: Former Garden Grove city councilman, 1982-1990; member of 1991-92 Orange County Grand jury; retired supervisor at Long Beach Naval Shipyard. Democrat.

Issues: Supports commercial airport at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station; seeks development of additional sites across the county for location of major county jail expansion.

*

Linda Moulton Patterson

Age: 50

Occupation: Mayor, Huntington Beach

Background: Huntington Beach Union School District board member, 1983-90; California Coastal Commission member; Huntington Beach councilwoman since 1990. Democrat.

Issues: Favors more careful examination of commercial airport at El Toro; supports deportation of illegal immigrants to reduce overcrowding of local jails; seeks to expand her city’s job- and business-retention program to apply countywide.

*

Jim Silva

Age: 50

Occupation: High school economics and civics teacher; Huntington Beach city councilman

Background: Huntington Beach planning commissioner, 1987-88; Huntington Beach mayor, 1992; city councilman since 1988. Republican.

Issues: Supports commercial airport at El Toro; believes city of Santa Ana should provide additional jail space; seeks simplification of permit processes and reduction of sales tax rate to pre-1992 levels to keep businesses from leaving Orange County.

*

John A. Thomas

Age: 54

Occupation: Founder, Thomas Crane and Trucking Co., Huntington Beach

Background: Huntington Beach city councilman, 1978-86. Republican.

Issues: Supports conversion of El Toro to youth sports complex and area for commercial development; favors construction of new county jail in east Orange County.

*

Haydee V. Tillotson

Age: 55

Occupation: Partner in Huntington Beach property management and transportation companies.

Background: Orange County planning commissioner, 1993; chairwoman of Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce, 1991-92. Republican.

Issues: Favors conversion of El Toro to commercial airport, provided that concerns over traffic and air safety are resolved; supports creation of site-selection process for new jail; proposes to keep businesses in Orange County by voting against additional taxes.

SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 4

Anaheim, Buena Park, La Palma, Orange and Placentia

*

William G. Steiner

Age: 57

Occupation: Orange County supervisor

Background: Orange city councilman, 1988-93; Orangewood Children’s Foundation executive director, 1986-93; Orange Unified School District treasurer, 1983-1988. Republican.

Issues: Favors commercial airport at El Toro; favors expansion of existing jail facilities; supports “one-stop” permit process for local businesses.

*

Phillip L. Knypstra

Age: 57

Occupation: El Camino College professor

Background: Anaheim Police Department officer/detective/ sergeant, 1961-69; El Camino College police chief, 1969-73.

Issues: No position on El Toro; favors creation of planning process for new jail construction or expansion of existing facilities; favors reduction in government costs that apply to business regulation.

ASSESSOR

(Countywide)

*

Bradley L. Jacobs

Age: 62

Occupation: Orange County assessor

Background: Assessor since 1975. Says he has a background as a physicist. During past year, has been criticized when his office experienced delays in processing a backlog of appeals from residents seeking property value reductions; county officials have moved to correct problem. Republican.

Issues: Says first priority will be to ensure that every taxpayer is treated fairly and equitably. Vows to continue introducing tax-saving legislation and to use technology to serve people and save money. Says tax reform legislation that he has proposed could help retain business. No position on El Toro or jail overcrowding.

*

Larry L. Bales

Age: 51

Occupation: Auditor appraiser with Orange County assessor’s office

Background: U.S. Navy veteran, including a year’s service in Vietnam. Has worked 25 years in assessor’s office, and had made a previous unsuccessful bid for the top office. Republican.

Issues: Says fair taxation will stem business exodus. Plans to correct overassessed properties; wants to make taxpayers more aware of their rights to appeal high tax bills. Favors development of El Toro to increase the tax base. Supports cities building own jails to help solve overcrowding.

*

David J. Holbert

Age: 48

Occupation: Deputy assessor with Orange County assessor’s office

Background: Joined assessor’s office 22 years ago and has run for assessor two times before. Chairman of Mission Viejo Traffic and Transportation Commission. Republican.

Issues: Says fair taxation will keep businesses and bring prosperity. Top priority would be to lower all tax assessments on all properties that have been overassessed. No position on El Toro or jail overcrowding issues.

CLERK/RECORDER

(Countywide)

*

Lee A. Branch

Age: 57

Occupation: Orange County recorder

Background: Recorder since 1978, joined office as office clerk in 1956; active in various civic organizations. Censured this year by Board of Supervisors for misconduct in office following investigation of sexual harassment and mismanagement allegations. Has said allegations are politically motivated. Republican.

Issues: Wants to continue efforts to improve customer service and public access to records; supports efforts to modernize computer equipment. No position on El Toro, jail overcrowding or business retention issues.

*

Gary L. Granville

Age: 65

Occupation: Orange County clerk

Background: County clerk since 1985. Championed merger of clerk’s office and recorder’s office last year--in effect eliminating his own position--in an effort to save money. Active in such groups as United Way and Salvation Army. Republican.

Issues: Seeks more automation in recorder’s office and wants to improve service and employee morale in recorder’s office. No position on El Toro, jail overcrowding or business retention.

*

Christopher J. Leanders

Age: 39

Occupation: Real estate attorney

Background: More than 13 years’ experience as attorney; served since 1991 as board member for the Trabuco Canyon Water District. Republican.

Issues: Stresses streamlined and efficient government. Supported merger of clerk and recorder offices. Wants further automation of records. Questions need for airport at El Toro but supports review of option. Supports a new jail and using home-jailing alternatives. Supports cutting regulations and lowering taxes to keep businesses.

*

Ella M. Murphy

Age: 51

Occupation: Assistant county recorder

Background: Has worked as assistant county recorder for 15 years; a lawyer who teaches community college classes. Democrat.

Issues: Wants to make public more aware of services available through clerk/recorder office. Stresses development of public transportation systems. No position on El Toro or jail overcrowding. Believes businesses should be given credit for good things they are doing, instead of pounding them with regulations.

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR

(Countywide)

*

William A. Baker

Age: 52

Occupation: Public administrator

Background: Public administrator, public guardian and community services agency director since 1985. Republican.

Issues: Favors changing some environmental regulations and workers’ compensation laws to ease restrictions on businesses. Undecided about airport development at El Toro. Says he supports sheriff and supervisors in solving jail overcrowding. Supports changing laws and regulations to keep businesses.

*

Michael K. Stark

Age: 31

Occupation: Executive vice president

Background: Since 1988 has worked with El Monte Iron and Metal Co. Inc., a recycling firm. Received El Monte’s Business of the Year Award. Lives in Newport Beach. Was a Republican candidate in the 57th assembly district in 1992.

Issues: Says public administrator’s office could be more “user-friendly” and supports efforts to eliminate waste to create more efficiency. No position on El Toro, jail overcrowding or business issues.

*

Mitchell T. Tracy

Age: 30

Occupation: Vocational guidance counselor

Background: Counselor for two years. Says he is experienced in business and conservatorships. Ran unsuccessfully for city council in La Habra and Huntington Beach. American Independent Party.

Issues: Says he wants more police, tougher laws for gang members. Believes airport at El Toro would bring jobs and revenue but sensitive to concerns. Favors new jail. Supports lower fees, eased regulations to keep business.

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

(Countywide)

*

John F. Dean

Age: 67

Occupation: Orange County superintendent of schools

Background: Orange County superintendent of schools since 1990; former elementary school teacher and professor of education at Whittier College. Republican.

Issues: Wants to create safer, crime- and drug-free schools. Wants to improve programs for students who do not intend to go to college. No position on El Toro airport or jail overcrowding. Believes improved public schools can help prevent the exodus of businesses.

*

Darrell Opp

Age: 53

Occupation: Chief education officer for county Department of Education

Background: Involved in regional occupation and vocational education programs; once owned and operated a contracting and construction company. Republican.

Issues: Says improved schools, tougher discipline and better job training can ease jail overcrowding. Better educated work force and business-education partnerships can stem business exodus. Wants to reinforce English proficiency and revamp audit procedures to prevent fraud. No position on El Toro.

TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR

(Countywide)

*

Robert L. Citron

Age: 68

Occupation: Treasurer-tax collector

Background: County’s treasurer-tax collector for 23 years. Manages $7.5-billion county investment portfolio involving 187 government agencies. Democrat.

Issues: Says wise tax investments will help pay for jail needs, and that alternatives to incarceration must be explored. Must promote “business friendly” environment and provide elements for a productive work force. Favors development of El Toro.

*

John M.W. Moorlach

Age: 38

Occupation: Certified public accountant

Background: Accountant since 1976; past president of Costa Mesa Republican Assembly and active in local Republican campaigns.

Issues: Says he supports conservative investment strategies. Says treasurer should be taxpayers’ advocate in deciding uses at El Toro. Supports exploring privately operated prisons to deal with overcrowding. Says lowering tax rates will help retain businesses in the county.