<i> A behind-the-scenes look at Orange County’s political life</i> : El Toro Airport Foes Gird for Tax Fight

If an all-out county war between cities in the north and south wasn’t underway already, it definitely broke out last week with the announcement from the Department of Defense that the Board of Supervisors--without South County officials--would be the planning authority for the future of El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

The anti-airport forces in South County have already drafted a ballot initiative to overturn Measure A, last November’s initiative that directs the county to build a commercial airport at the base when it closes by 1999. Most South County officials want no part of any airport near their community.

Now they are threatening to use their ammunition to defeat Measure R, the initiative on a June special election ballot that would add a half-cent to the sales tax to help bail out the county’s finances--unless the supervisors bring Lake Forest and Irvine to the planning table for the Marine base.

“Why should we give them our money to shove an airport down our throats?” Laguna Niguel Mayor Mark Goodman asked on Thursday, shortly after he and other South County mayors met with Supervisor Marian Bergeson and Board Chairman Gaddi H. Vasquez at the Dana Point Hilton.

“(The supervisors) just don’t understand the passion in the South County on the airport issue,” Goodman said. “They better get their heads together real quick. This will kill that sales tax.”

*

Help wanted: The teachers of the Orange Unified School District want Board of Education President Maureen Aschoff gone--so bad they are posting “help wanted” ads for candidates to run against her.

The Orange Unified Education Assn. bought a newspaper ad seeking a candidate who will, among other things, “believe in public education,” “be able to put children’s needs ahead of political beliefs and aspirations” and “want to work cooperatively with a dedicated staff.”

Teachers union officials are concerned in particular about privatization of the schools and other issues that Aschoff and the seven-member board’s majority consistently bring up, union President David Reger said.

Aschoff, who is ending her first term in November and will be up for reelection, along with colleagues Bill Lewis and Robert H. Viviano, “is being directed consciously or unconsciously by (state Sen.) John Lewis (R-Orange) and (Assemblyman) Mickey Conroy (R-Orange),” Reger said. “We are beating the bushes, looking for candidates to run against her because we want her gone.”

Aschoff said that the union’s move was “quite expected” and that she is proud of her connections to Lewis and particularly Conroy, who made her “Woman of the Year” in his 71st District last month.

“I’ve been targeted (by OUEA) since the day I was elected,” she said. “We have some basic philosophical differences. I’m in favor of a balance of power between parents, teachers and the local community.”

*

City power: The three Republicans lining up to seek the 72nd Assembly District seat that Ross Johnson will vacate if he is elected to the state Senate next month have two things in common.

First, they have deep roots in Orange County city government. Barbara Kiley is a Yorba Linda councilwoman, Chris Norby is a Fullerton councilman and Richard C. Ackerman served on the Fullerton City Council for 12 years before stepping down in 1992.

Second, all three say they will do their best to make life easier for cities. They all have agreed to work to cut back unfunded state mandates and give local leaders more control over how they spend city money.

“I think we should follow the federal lead,” said Ackerman, referring to efforts by the Republican Congress to limit unfunded federal mandates.

Johnson (R-Placentia) will be the GOP candidate against Democrat Madelene Arakelian in a May 9 runoff election for the vacant 35th state Senate District seat.

*

Birthday wish: As he looked to the future and his upcoming presidential campaign, Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) celebrated his 62nd birthday last week by remembering the time he almost died after ejecting from a fighter jet six miles off the California coast near Point Mugu.

The site of his cake and champagne birthday gathering was on the grounds of the U.S. Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home in Washington, where an F-86H plane is displayed. The model is like the jet Dornan was transporting to Arizona in 1960 as a member of the Air Force Reserves when the engine failed, forcing him to bail out over the Pacific Ocean.

After delivering a suspense-filled, second-by-second account of the incident, Dornan, who was dubbed “B-1 Bob” because of his support for the costly bomber jet, announced his “B-1 Bob” days were over. “I don’t want my nickname ‘B-1 Bob’ to follow me (to New Hampshire),” he said.

Dornan officially kicks off his presidential campaign on Thursday at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington. On Saturday, he will travel to New Hampshire, the nation’s leadoff primary state, and then stop in New York City next Sunday, where he and his wife, Sallie, will renew their wedding vows on their 40th anniversary.

*

Beach, blanket . . . : Even before House Republicans gathered on the steps of the nation’s Capitol on Friday to celebrate the completion of their “contract with America,” Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) was already planning a bigger bash. He plans to end the three-week April recess with a “major beach party” in Southern California.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Wednesday: Rep. Ron Packard (R-Oceanside) will speak about the first 100 days of the Republican-controlled Congress at a meeting of the Professionals in Human Resources Assn.; Holiday Inn, 25205 La Paz Road, Laguna Hills, starting at 7:30 a.m. Information and reservations: Vicky Jentges at (714) 587-9077.

Compiled by Times staff writer Len Hall, with contributions from staff writers Gebe Martinez and correspondents Lesley Wright and Shelby Grad.

Politics ’95 appears every Sunday.