Running in Orange
Two candidates--including the incumbent--are seeking to become Orange mayor, while 13 (one an incumbent) are running to fill two City Council vacancies. Here’s a look at those in both races:
MAYORAL RACE
Joanne Coontz
Age: 67
Occupation: Incumbent mayor
Background: Former planning commission member; councilwoman for eight years; member, American Businesswomen’s Assn.; member, Orange Historical Society; endorsed by police and firefighters unions.
Major issues: Expand libraries and recreational activities for youth; continue promoting new businesses; oversee ongoing development projects such as Mill Corp. Mall.
Nick Lall
Age: 38
Occupation: Business owner
Background: Board member, Orange Taxpayers Assn.; former Scout leader; member, Building Industry Assn.; endorsed by Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn.
Major issues: Support existing businesses; stop “corporate welfare”; improve accessibility to City Hall; attack blight.
CITY COUNCIL RACE (2 SEATS)
Michael Alvarez
Age: 40
Occupation: Real estate investor; president of Army-Navy Store’s corporation
Background: President, Friends of the Library; director on Orange Chamber of Commerce; served on Orange Police Department gang task force; former planning commission member.
Major issues: Initiate full disclosure of all city taxes on utility bills; oppose subsidizing developers with redevelopment funds; raise pay for police officers.
Steven Frank Ambriz
Age: 26
Occupation: Community services leader in city’s Community and Library Services Department
Background: Orange native.
Major issues: Make city services more user-friendly; involve young people in government; spread funds to all areas of city; encourage night life in Old Towne.
Barry I. Besser
Age: 44
Occupation: Civil, family attorney
Background: Member, Chamber of Commerce; past president, Orange County Barristers; past member, board of directors Orange County Bar Assn.; judge pro tem; arbitration panel of Orange County; mediator.
Major issues: Beef up police equipment and encourage officers to live in city; cut red tape for business; keep east Orange development from creating traffic problems.
Bernie W. Dennis
Age: 59
Occupation: Engineer
Background: City engineer for 33 years; fellow in Institute of Traffic Engineers; member, American Public Works Officials.
Major issues: Improve youth services; build community center; pay more attention to fiscal policies; create Heritage Park; encourage community participation in east Orange development.
Robert L. Douglas
Age: 38
Occupation: Maintenance worker for federal government
Background: Former member, special education advisory committee for Tustin Unified School District; former member, Reserve Police Assn. in San Bernardino County.
Major issues: Reduce city spending; use redevelopment to create affordable housing for seniors; hire more police; bring leadership to City Hall.
Jonathan Andrew Dumitru
Age: 25
Occupation: Fire communications dispatcher
Background: Eagle Scout; associate advisor of Explorer Post 540; member, Orange Community Chorus.
Major issues: Maintain police standards; improve transportation for seniors; reopen City Hall on Fridays; direct redevelopment funds to low-density housing.
Betty I. Nauer
Age: 42
Occupation: Office manager
Background: Board of directors, National Junior Basketball.
Major issues: Improve services for seniors; improve maintenance of streets and sidewalks; control east Orange development.
Adolfo Perez Jr.
Age: 24
Occupation: Finance
Background: Unavailable
Major issue: Unavailable
Kevin Rice
Age: 38
Occupation: Civil attorney
Background: President, Orange-Villa Park Republican Assembly; former chairman, Taxpayers Against Maintenance Assessment District; endorsed by Assemblymen Mickey Conroy and Jim Morrissey, County Treasurer John Moorlach, Orange Unified School Trustees Marty Jacobson, Maureen Aschoff and Bill Lewis.
Major issues: Promote public safety; control spending; reduce city involvement in some areas and offer basic services; encourage more community involvement.
Juan Pablo
Serrano-Nieblas
Age: 57
Occupation: Retired laborer
Background: U.S. Air Force veteran
Major issues: Use redevelopment entirely for affordable housing; impose moratorium on east Orange development; represent working classes.
Richard W. Siebert
Age: 53
Occupation: Pharmacist
Background: Huntington Beach city councilman, 1976-1979; Orange Park Acres board of directors for 16 years; former chairman, Orange Park Planning Committee; endorsed by Orange Taxpayers Assn.
Major issues: Represent east side; ensure adequate controls on east Orange development; explore uses for redevelopment other than enticing businesses to city.
Mike Spurgeon
Age: 54
Occupation: Chief of staff for Supervisor William G. Steiner
Background: Incumbent since 1991; former businessman and Chamber of Commerce officer; former director of flight operations for Pan Am; former captain, U.S. Army; endorsed by Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., police, fire and marshals union.
Major issues: Continue to help large and small businesses with redevelopment; remove blight; create more efficient and accessible City Hall.
Jim Wronski
Age: 49
Occupation: Owns recumbent bicycle shop
Background: Fund-raiser and donor for various charities; law degree from Western State University College of Law.
Major issues: Make parking and street sweeping more compatible; open City Hall 5 1/2 days per week; offer low-interest loans to homeowners; explore bringing in a card parlor.
Source: Individual candidates
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