Pack of Former, Current and Would-Be Mayors in Irvine Top Dog Fight

Candidate filing doesn’t even open until July, but the City Council race in Irvine is already underway. Councilwoman Christina Shea launched her campaign first, announcing last month that she will run for mayor. Shortly thereafter came the announcement that former Mayor Sally Anne Sheridan is coming out of retirement and challenging Shea.

Sheridan, a real estate executive, will run as a team with current Mayor Mike Ward and Bruce Peotter, a city finance commissioner. Ward and Peotter are seeking council seats.

Former Mayor Larry Agran sought to dismiss speculation that he too might seek the mayor’s seat, although he conceded he hasn’t completely ruled out the prospect.

Agran said he thinks it is too early for candidates to start campaigning, given the more than $100-million loss Irvine experienced in the county bankruptcy and the threats of a commercial airport and potential jail construction in the area.

“It’s disheartening,” Agran said. “Those should be the focus of civic attention.”

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Waiting for a treasurer: Orange County Democratic Party Vice Chair Jeanne Costales was not the only party Central Committee officer who resigned in protest of Chairman Jim Toledano’s handling of a $10,000 campaign contribution in the days before the March primary. So did party treasurer David J. Levy of Irvine, who resigned when the news broke in April that Toledano had taken a contribution and spent it without party authorization.

Levy agreed to remain in office on an interim basis because the party cannot legally function without a treasurer, but he said last week that his patience in waiting for a replacement is wearing thin.

“At some point I’m going to have to go no matter what the consequences,” Levy said. “I don’t feel good about that, but it’s kind of pointless to resign and stay on indefinitely.”

Party officials said a replacement will be discussed at a Central Committee executive board meeting in June.

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Rising registrations: It must be an election year, judging by the increase in registration figures for Republicans and Democrats in just the short time since the March 26 primary. As might be expected, Republicans, who outnumber Democrats by nearly 2 to 1 in the county, have experienced a much larger rise.

Of course, officials from the two parties put a different spin on the increases.

Said Howard Klein of Irvine, a state GOP Central Committee member: “Being an election year, there is a heightened awareness of the political process, but it also shows that the predictions of the crashing and burning of the Republican Party are way premature. The party message still resonates very solidly here in Orange County.”

Said Democratic Chairman Jim Toledano of Costa Mesa: “I would expect Republican registrations to climb faster than Democrats because they have had contested primaries and we have not. We have noticed a significant amount of re-registrations from Republican to Democrat.”

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Who gave what and when? Many politicians and political consultants welcomed the move by state officials to shift the primary from June to March this year to allow California to play a larger role in the presidential elections.

But the same people are now suggesting that a similar shift should have been made in the deadlines for campaign finance reporting.

State and local candidates still are operating on the old deadline of July 31 to file reports listing such information as who and how much was contributed to their campaigns.

“I think it’s outrageous to have to wait until four months after the primary to see how much a candidate spent,” said Dan Wooldridge, a veteran county political consultant based in Santa Ana. “People often do fund-raising strategies based on who gives their opponent money.”

Alfie Charles, a spokesman for Secretary of State Bill Jones, said it would take special legislation to change those post-primary filing deadlines.

UPCOMING EVENTS

* Thursday: A reception is planned for county Democratic Assembly candidates Jack Roberts and Robert Wilberg from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the union hall of Local 787 of the Service Employees International Union, 1633 E. 4th St., Suite 144, Santa Ana. Information: the union office at (714) 954-0280 or Wilberg at (714) 493-5696.

* Thursday: Orange County Young Republicans have their May mixer at 6:30 p.m. Information: (714) 754-5955.

* Friday: Dan Carrison will be the guest speaker at the meeting of the Ivy Baker Priest Republican Women Federated at 11 a.m. at the Tustin Ranch Club House. Information: (714) 832-4140.

Compiled by Times staff writer Len Hall.

* Politics ’96 appears every Sunday. Items can be mailed to Politics ‘96, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, or faxed to (714) 966-7711.