A New Voice for South County

Gov. Pete Wilson’s selection this week of Laguna Niguel Councilman Thomas W. Wilson as a county supervisor will bring representation at last to South County.

The new supervisor of the 5th District, which stretches from Newport Beach south to San Clemente, will be the only member of the five-member board who lives in the south, where many residents have long felt neglected or imposed upon by county government.

The issue of residence is not merely parochial. The region south of the El Toro Y is ground zero for such important issues as the proposed expansion of the James A. Musick Branch Jail and the proposed conversion of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station to an international civilian airport. Though both proposals are of immense importance throughout the county, because of location the jail and airport have sparked especially strong feelings in South County.

Wilson was appointed to replace Marian Bergeson, who was tapped several months ago to become state education secretary. Wilson will be joined next month by two other new supervisors, who were elected in November. It will be rare for a majority of the supervisors to be rookies.

An unfortunate aspect of the makeup of the new board is its failure to reflect other diversities in the county. It is disappointing that the governor did not select a woman; all five members are men for the first time in nearly 20 years. And although Orange County’s makeup is increasingly Latino and Asian, neither group is represented on the board.

With three new supervisors, the climate should be right for a fresh look at how county government operates. The bankruptcy two years ago forced cuts in personnel and services and severely damaged public faith in the supervisors.

The new members need to assure themselves and their constituents that the county is back on the right track, has made the right cuts and has eliminated inefficiency.