Times Endorsements in Today’s Election

The Times’ policy is to endorse selectively, on a case-by-case basis. Here are our recommendations on statewide propositions and local nonpartisan contests for Los Angeles and Orange counties. Propositions Proposition 192 (Seismic Retrofit Bonds): YES. Authorizes the state to spend $2 billion to protect state bridges and highway overpasses against earthquakes.

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Proposition 193 (Property Tax Exemptions): YES. Amends the state Constitution to add grandparent-to-grandchild property sales or transfers to the list of transactions exempted from Proposition 13 requirements.

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Proposition 194 (Parole-Unemployment): YES. Corrects a defect in a 1990 measure, prevents prisoners who participate in the joint venture work program from collecting unemployment benefits.

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Proposition 195 (Death Penalty-Carjacking): NO. Adds first-degree murder committed during a carjacking to the list of special circumstances that can be punished by the death penalty. Robbery and other special circumstances already apply, thus this measure is unneces- sary.

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Proposition 196 (Death Penalty in Drive-by Shootings): NO. Permits the state to impose the death penalty for first-degree murder committed during a drive-by shooting. See Prop. 195.

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Proposition 197 (Hunting Ban Repeal): NO. Billed as a tool to manage the state’s mountain lion population, but it would open the door to sport killing of the big cats.

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Proposition 198 (Open Primary): YES. Removes party registration as a condition for voting in partisan primary elections.

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Proposition 199 (Mobile Home Rents): NO. Repeals local rent control for mobile home parks, where many elderly people live.

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Proposition 200 (No-Fault Insurance): NO. Would virtually eliminate the right to sue in most vehicle accidents.

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Proposition 201 (Loser Pays): NO. Would scare off legitimate lawsuits by requiring the loser or loser’s attorney to pay winner’s expenses in shareholder lawsuits against corporations and in class-action suits based on securities law violations.

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Proposition 202 (Attorney Fee Cap): NO. Would limit the contingency fees that attorneys customarily charge in damage lawsuits. But would also penalize individuals who had legitimate claims.

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Proposition 203 (School Facilities Bonds): YES. Provides $3 billion for construction, reconstruction and modernization projects for California K-12 schools, colleges and universities.

Los Angeles County Offices

(Nonpartisan) Supervisor District 2: YVONNE BRATHWAITE BURKE. Burke, running unopposed this year, has made good use of her legislative experience.

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Supervisor District 4: GORDANA SWANSON. Swanson, a former Rolling Hills mayor and Rapid Transit District board member, represents a sharp break from the clubby, old-fashioned politics personified by retiring Supervisor Deane Dana.

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Supervisor District 5: No endorsement.

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District Attorney: JOHN F. LYNCH. As the head deputy of L.A. County district attorney’s branch office in Norwalk, Lynch has demonstrated he has the temperament and judgment necessary to do the job.

L.A. County Superior Court

Office No. 18: RONALD S. SMITH. Smith received a “well-qualified” rating from the Los Angeles County Bar and is preferable to Judge Ronald M. Sohigian, whom the panel regarded as “not qualified.”

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Office No. 25: MICHAEL S. LUROS. Luros has grown as a Municipal Court judge and after an unsuccessful run for an open Superior Court seat in 1984 deserves a chance this time.

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Office No. 39: REGINALD A. DUNN. Judge Dunn is being challenged by an attorney unhappy with the jurist’s behavior in a past case. That’s not a compelling reason.

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Office No. 58: KARL W. JAEGER. For a seat for which three sitting Municipal Court judges are running, we endorse Jaeger.

Orange County Offices (Nonpartisan)

Supervisor District 3: SUSAN WITHROW. Withrow, a Mission Viejo City Council member, would be the first South County resident on the Board of Supervisors.

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Superior Court Office No. 1: BARBARA SCHUMANN. Schumann is a highly rated Municipal Court judge who deserves to be elected to the Superior bench.

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Superior Court Office No. 17: CLANCY HAYNES. Haynes has more than a decade of experience as a Juvenile Court referee and five years as a commissioner.

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Superior Court Office No. 22: RICHARD W. STANFORD JR. He is a good administrator and experienced Municipal Court jurist.

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County Board of Education (Trustee Area 1): FELIX ROCHA. Rocha, who faces two local businessmen, deserves another term.

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County Board of Education (Trustee Area 3): JOAN PRIMROSE. Primrose brings classroom experience to the board. Should be reelected.

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County Board of Education (Trustee Area 4): DEAN McCORMICK. The incumbent is the clear choice for his experience over three challengers.

Orange County Measures

Measure S (El Toro Airport): NO. In their zeal to defeat a commercial airport at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, proponents have included language that removes any middle ground. It would be irresponsible to bar an airport as an option, which is what the measure effectively would do.

Measures T & U (Orange County Bankruptcy): YES on Measure T. NO on Measure U. Measure T’s change to a charter county from a general law county wouldn’t guarantee better government, but it does hold out some promise. Measure U would increase the size of the Board of Supervisors to nine members from the current five if Measure T passes. That change would further balkanize county government.

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State Assembly, 67th District, Republican Primary: CECILIA AGE. With many questions swirling around incumbent Scott Baugh, who won the recent special election for the seat held by Doris Allen, the Cypress City Council member gets the nod.