Who to Appoint? O.C. Leaders Make Pitches

Their ideas include choosing a financial wizard to guide bankrupt Orange County and bringing in someone who would stand tall to fight new taxes.

One leader suggests Gov. Pete Wilson seek out an environmentalist for the embattled Board of Supervisors. Another wants a newcomer who can garner widespread community support without always keeping an eye on the next election.

From a Latino activist group to a local police chief to political action groups, leaders across Orange County offered advice Monday to the governor about filling the shoes of Board of Supervisor Chairman Gaddi H. Vasquez, who will leave office Sept. 22.

Some offered pet candidates. Others spoke of the kind of person they would like to see on the county’s reigning board. Still others threw up their hands.

Here is some of their advice:

* “Gov. Wilson should appoint someone from outside of government to bring in fresh ideas, fresh blood and new innovations--preferably someone from business with a management background,” said Van Tran, executive director of the Vietnamese-American Voters Alliance.

“There has been a lack of solicitation from the Vietnamese community, which makes a sizable population in Orange County. I think the governor should form a search committee that could come up with a list of recommendations from various organizations and backgrounds. The committee should be made up of local community leaders from various ethnic groups with one or two slots for Vietnamese Americans.

“Since the main complaint over the past year has been that the citizens have no input, this would give the entire community an opportunity to have a say.”

* “I hope the governor gets input from a wide perspective of people and not the usual Rolodex,” said Patricia A. Callahan, Orange County representative of the Human Rights Campaign Fund for gays and lesbians.

“You need someone in there who understands that if you make cuts here, it will affect people there. If you are doing downsizing, upsizing--regardless of politics--any policies and changes and restructuring should consider all the communities they will affect.”

* “I wouldn’t even presume to give advice to the governor,” said William J. Popejoy, former county chief executive officer.

“He’ll have all sorts of people doing that. I remember something that Harry Truman said when J.F.K. was assassinated and he was asked, ‘What kind of advice would you give the new President?’ Truman said, ‘If he wants my goddamn advice, he’ll ask for it. I think that’s probably appropriate.’ ”

* “I would suggest to Gov. Wilson that he appoint a businessman, perhaps the likes of Mr. Popejoy, who showed a lot of business acumen for the problems facing the county,” said Amin David, chairman of Los Amigos of Orange County.

“We are looking for someone who will depart from the usual political posturing that has always happened in the supervisor medium. And also someone who knows very well the intricacies of Orange County. A local person. Someone who will work through the bankruptcy in a businesslike manner rather than a political manner.

“We need someone who would consider the devastation caused by bankruptcy on low-income people--that is an interest that cannot be shoved aside.”

* “We want someone to step in who is willing to make rapid changes and could join forces with supervisors [Jim] Silva and [Roger R.] Stanton,” said Bruce Whitaker, spokesman for the Committees of Correspondence, a citizen group opposed to new taxes.

“This would be a real good opportunity for someone not afraid of offending the bureaucracy. Perhaps someone who is not part of the apparatus and could effect a turnaround. I’m not sure we can have much effect on Wilson. He will be affected by the Irvine Co. and [Republican Party Chairman] Tom Fuentes.

“We have been thinking along the lines of a trustee. We have thought of [former Republican Assemblyman from Ventura] Tom McClintock. He is interested in rapid change, in downsizing and privatizing and restructuring government into a more limited place. Although a lot of people preached this, you get the feeling that he means it.

“The governor tends to appoint people who are not that opposed to taxes. We would like someone with a strong backbone on tax issues. We know what we would like, but we also know what he is likely to do--and it probably won’t be someone we will approve of.”

* “I would like to suggest that if the governor is serious about becoming President, he must be a strong environmentalist,” said Bruce Monroe, member of the Sierra Club’s task force on coastal protection. “One way of demonstrating that is to appoint an environmentally sensitive supervisor. Gaddi Vasquez failed to vote in ways that demonstrated any long-term concern for our future generations. He consistently favored massive development and he did not stop the destruction of the coastal wetlands, which is mandated by the state and federal government.

“I recommend someone whose voting records have been balanced with some development and some concerns for the future--someone who is concerned about quality of life and well as the economic future of county.”

* “Clearly whoever is appointed ought to be someone who agrees not to run” in the next election, said Jim Toledano, chairman of the Orange County Democratic Party.

“It ought to be someone who would be accepted on a bipartisan basis as someone qualified for the job. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of anyone.

“It would be helpful if the selection process were thrown open for public hearing. The reason we are where we are today is that these decisions were made behind closed doors.”

* “Obviously we think it would be nice to have another woman on the board,” said Jean Askham, a member of the Orange County League of Women Voters board.

“Whether it’s a woman or not, we would like someone who has experience in local government, someone who supports and understands the role of government in serving the public and is not bent on eliminating its functions.

“We would like someone who will listen to those who have no political clout as well as business interests, and we would like to see someone who will make decisions based on what they see as the merits of the issues and not on how it will affect their chances of reelection.”

* “The neat thing about Gaddi is that he is a reserve police officer,” said Charles S. Brobeck, Irvine police chief and secretary of the Orange County Police and Sheriff’s Assn.

“He made attempts to attend as many law enforcement functions as possible. He understood the real needs that it takes to do the job. He supported a variety of collective programs that cross various jurisdictional lines, including Project No Gangs and the introduction of DNA technology to the sheriff’s lab. That’s what we need in a replacement--someone who can walk in and understand the serious nature of public safety needs in Orange County.

Advice for the Governor

“We need someone who would consider the devastation caused by bankruptcy on low-income people. That is an interest that cannot be shoved aside.”

AMIN DAVID, LOS AMIGOS CHAIRMAN

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“This would be a good opportunity for someone not afraid of offending the bureaucracy.”

BRUCE WHITAKER, ANTI-TAX ACTIVIST

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“It would be helpful if the selection process were thrown open for public hearing. The reason we are where we are is that these decisions were made behind closed doors.”

JIM TOLEDANO, O.C. DEMOCRATIC PARTY