Board’s Newcomers Should Seize Chance for Change

The Orange County Board of Supervisors sails into the new year with a five-man lineup that is about as close to consisting of all rookies as has happened since the county was formed more than a century ago.

Supervisors Todd Spitzer and Charles V. Smith are brand new. Thomas W. Wilson was appointed by the governor this month. Jim Silva was elected two years ago. William G. Steiner, the elder statesman, took office in 1993.

The newcomers have a chance to provide a refreshing change in how the county operates. But they are hamstrung by that occurrence of two years ago--the bankruptcy.

Orange County became the biggest government in U.S. history to file for bankruptcy when its investment fund lost $1.64 billion. The price of recovery was high and the mechanism chosen is now being challenged in the courts.

When voters rejected a temporary sales tax increase, the county was forced to issue bonds to get the money needed to battle back from insolvency. To induce people to buy the bonds, the county diverted enormous sums from bus service and flood control. Bus operations took it in the neck with the diversion of $38 million a year for 15 years from transportation funds. Flood control and recreation funds were tapped for another $12 million a year for 20 years. The county’s parks are not going to be the oases of the past because of the cutback in funding. Flooding is likely unless the county somehow manages to avoid heavy rains for 20 years, a highly unlikely scenario.

In yielding his office to Smith, Supervisor Roger R. Stanton promised some day to tell “the real story” of how the county plunged over the financial cliff. We look forward to hearing it. So far Stanton has pushed the blame off onto county staff. This from a man who in his 16 years on the board was the most vigorous of the supervisors in questioning county staff about matters large and small, occasionally hectoring them severely.

One Stanton legacy was the creation of a strong chief executive officer, but here too Stanton’s enthusiasm depended on who held the post. He crossed swords with William J. Popejoy, the interim CEO, but was a strong supporter of the current CEO, Jan Mittermeier.

Some of the new supervisors have questioned whether the CEO has too much power. That is a topic worth exploring. But as we have noted, changing the title from the former administrative officer to the current executive officer will not ensure good government. Nor should it absolve the supervisors of doing their jobs. It is up to the elected officials to set the policy and see that it is carried out.

That does not mean micro-managing. But it does mean paying attention to matters like the impact of federal welfare reform on the county and determining who will get the reduced amounts of money available. It means scrutiny of budgets of various departments and questioning whether taxpayers are getting their money’s worth.

The lawsuit challenging the state and county legislation to recover from the bankruptcy is worrisome because a similar suit aimed at Los Angeles County was successful. Still, with the enormous legal fees Orange County spent to get out of bankruptcy, it is not too much to expect that the lawyers made the package bullet-proof. Even if the courts decide otherwise, it should not be difficult to craft a nearly identical plan, but insert wording to bring it in line with the state constitution.

One of the board’s key tasks will be working to improve public confidence in county government. The bankruptcy was a severe blow to confidence. So were the votes to continue planning for an expansion of the Musick jail and for a commercial airport at El Toro, a bitterly divisive issue. The proposed airport has sparked threats of secession and business boycotts by South County residents.

The newly elected supervisors will be the first ones limited to two four-year terms under a measure passed in November. All have served on school boards or city councils, so the learning curve should not be great. Eight years should be enough time for a supervisor to establish the policies to be followed, see that they are executed, and grapple with the changing face of Orange County as it becomes more urban and cities assume more of the duties done in the past by the county.