Activist Says Silva Owes Explanation for Decision to Keep Ill-Given Gains

What about the money? That’s the question county activist Shirley Grindle insists remains to be answered by Supervisor Jim Silva in the county’s case against Aradi Inc., the owner of a controversial residential development called Saddleback Meadows, proposed for Trabuco Canyon.

The Century City developer recently agreed to pay a $14,000 fine to settle accusations from the district attorney that it broke state campaign finance law when it reimbursed four employees who donated $1,000 each to Silva’s 1994 campaign. By law, the company should have disclosed that it was the actual donor.

To Grindle, who helped the district attorney’s office investigate the case, the question of whether Silva will return the illegal money remains to be answered.

“I think Mr. Silva should do the honorable thing that others have done in this situation and return the money,” Grindle said.

Silva, formerly a longtime high school civics teacher who was not charged with any wrongdoing in the case, did not return repeated calls for comment last week.

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Back in O.C.: This is the third trip to the county in recent years for the Santa Monica-based law firm of Fred Woocher, the attorney hired by the county Democratic Party Central Committee for advice on handling the controversy over an 11th-hour campaign contribution of $10,000 to the party through its chairman, Jim Toledano.

The contribution was made by the sister of Jim Prince, an unsuccessful party candidate in the 46th Congressional District primary. It became controversial because it might have exceeded federal campaign contribution limits and also was used in a mailer crafted by Toledano without consulting other party officials.

Woocher’s firm, Strumwasser & Woocher, successfully represented Huntington Beach in 1994 against a lawsuit brought by a citizens group that challenged the city’s $300 campaign contribution limit.

Previously, the firm represented a group that sued University of California regents in the early 1990s, hoping to preserve some land on the campus of UC Irvine earmarked for the San Joaquin Hills toll road. The group prevailed in trial court, only to lose in appeals court, Woocher said.

“There’s not a lot of call for Democrats in Orange County,” Woocher said.

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Elizabeth and Dan: Two weeks ago it was Elizabeth Dole quietly slipping into the county for a reception. Last Monday it was former Vice President Dan Quayle, who stopped by the Village Crean for a $1,000-a-couple gathering as part of a 30-city tour.

Quayle was stumping for Campaign America, an organization founded by Sen. Bob Dole, the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee, dedicated to raising funds to “help GOP congressmen get reelected,” said Thomas A. Fuentes, chairman of the county Republican Party.

This week’s guest is scheduled to be Gov. Fife Symington (R-Ariz.).

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New posts: Assemblyman Dick Ackerman (R-Fullerton) was last week appointed by Assembly Speaker Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove) to serve on the seven-member California Law Revision Commission. The commission, formed to eliminate antiquated laws, will allow him to “contribute my ideas and 29 years of law experience to the process of making government make more sense,” Ackerman said.

At the County Hall of Administration, Supervisor Don Saltarelli appointed A.J. “Tony” Coco to his staff as executive assistant and senior advisor. Coco, an attorney and, like Saltarelli, a former Tustin councilman, will offer “exceptional political insight,” Saltarelli said.

UPCOMING EVENTS

* Today: Supporters of Fullerton Councilwoman Jan M. Flory will have a Cinco de Mayo fund-raiser from 2 to 5 p.m. in the banquet room of Coco’s restaurant, located at State College Boulevard and Chapman Avenue in Fullerton. Information: (714) 529-5969.

* Tuesday: John A. Peschong, executive director of the California Republican Party and a media consultant, will be the guest speaker at a meeting of the Republican Associates of Orange County from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Newport Beach Marriott. Information: (714) 760-6109.

* Thursday: A birthday celebration is planned for Assemblyman Jim Morrissey (R-Anaheim). Information: Betty Presley or Wendy Cantor at (714) 540-0461

* Compiled by Times staff writer Len Hall, with a contribution from staff writer Gebe Martinez.

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No Thank You

Despite their conservative reputation, most Orange County voters supported Proposition 203, the $3-billion statewide school bond measure, in March. The measure passed countywide by about 50,000 votes.

The measure was rejected, however, by voters in three cities here: Garden Grove, Villa Park and Westminster.

Villa Park Mayor Joseph S. Barsa suggested one reason the residents of his upscale city of 6,600 people were not keen on the measure is that few of them are young families with school-age children. Villa Park is also 98% built-out.

“That’s definitely part of it,” Barsa said. “Also, this city is generally very conservative. People here haven’t been happy with the way the state has been running things.”

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City Yes No Garden Grove 49.9% 50.1% Westminster 49.9 50.1 Villa Park 49.2 50.8 Orange County 55.3 44.7

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Source: County registrar of voters