8 Term-Limit Votes Headed to Easy Wins

Measures imposing term limits on Orange County supervisors as well as council members in seven cities were heading toward easy victories Tuesday, as was an Anaheim hotel tax needed to help fund improvements for the massive Disney Resort development.

Measure A, which limits county supervisors to two consecutive four-year terms in office, was leading by a 4-to-1 ratio. Similar term-limit measures were also ahead in Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, Orange, Laguna Niguel, La Palma and Yorba Linda.

Anaheim voters were backing a 15% hotel bed tax that is a crucial element of Disney’s $1.9-billion theme park expansion as well as the city’s plan to renovate the Anaheim Convention Center.

Without the tax revenue, city officials said, the Disney project would be threatened because Anaheim would lack the funds needed to make a variety of infrastructure improvements required under its agreement with the entertainment giant.

Disney officials said they were pleased with the results.

“We see the process moving forward,” Disneyland spokesman Tom Brocato said. “We’re anxious to get going.”

The tax would cover the city’s nearly 18,000 hotel beds. The City Council established the 15% hotel tax last year. But Proposition 218, a measure on Tuesday’s ballot written by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., would require voters to approve such levies.

Among key city council races, Santa Ana Mayor Miguel A. Pulido Jr., who in 1994 became Santa Ana’s first Latino mayor, appeared to be winning over Leah DuPont, a small-business owner. Pulido has emerged as a prominent figure in Orange County politics, hosting President Clinton at two Santa Ana appearances.

In Orange, Mayor Joanne Coontz was leading community activist Nick Lall in her bid for reelection. In 1994, Coontz became Orange’s first female mayor.

Irvine Councilwoman Christina Shea was leading former Mayor Sally Anne Sheridan in the tight race for mayor.

In Fullerton, City Councilwoman Julie Sa was struggling to win reelection in a crowded field. Earlier this year, some activists questioned whether the councilwoman was a U.S. citizen and mimicked her accent during a council meeting.

All but two of Orange County’s 31 cities held municipal elections Tuesday.

An unusual number of veteran council members opted not to seek reelection this year, while existing term limits prevented others from doing so. No incumbents were on the ballot in Villa Park, Cypress and Buena Park.

The Fullerton race was dominated by a 2% utility tax that has been the source of political upheaval in the city for more than two years.

In 1994, voters recalled three council members who had imposed the tax, and the new city council promptly repealed the levy. This year, several recall leaders, including Hume, sought seats on the council, promising if elected to refund all taxes collected before the levy was repealed.

In the race for Fullerton city clerk, incumbent Audrey Culver, an 18-year city employee, was holding off a challenge from another recall leader, Stuart Stitch. Stitch raised more than $43,000 for the campaign, compared with $6,000 for Culver.

The election marked the first time in 40 years that the city clerk’s position was contested.

The Huntington Beach City Council race was also acrimonious. Eighteen challengers accused the three council incumbents of not doing enough to boost the city’s economy and generate tax revenue.

The Huntington Beach Police Officers Assn. aggressively campaigned against the incumbents. The union criticized Tom Harman, Dave Sullivan and Victor Leipzig for stalled contract negotiations and for approving cutbacks in the Police Department. The union has also criticized the council for ending the association’s longtime lease of a police shooting range.

Officers walked door-to-door opposing the incumbents and supporting two union-backed candidates.

The outcome in Los Alamitos was clear even before election day because incumbents Charles E. Sylvia and Ronald Bates ran unopposed for two open council seats.

Contributing to this report were Times staff writer Davan Maharaj and correspondents Mimi Ko Cruz, Lori Haycox, John Pope, Lesley Wright and Jeff Kass.