Typical Couple Takes Atypical Interest in City Politics

Aida and Tony Espinoza like to joke that they’re getting political activism out of their systems early so they can relax when they reach that ripe old age of 40.

The two Santa Ana natives are off to a good start.

At 29, Tony, who works with juvenile offenders in the Orange County Probation Department, has already chalked up two years on the Santa Ana City Council.

And Aida, 25, who is finishing her studies in child development at Cal State Fullerton, was elected to the Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Education in November.

“When I went to my first meeting, people were treating me like a little kid,” said Aida, whose face breaks into a broad grin at the slightest provocation. “But I had already learned a lot from Tony and I knew I had to just stay focused and get my point across.”

In a city known for the youth of its residents, it seems only fitting that a team of rising political stars should be under 30. But the Espinozas are typical of Santa Ana, their hometown, in many other ways.

Both were born to immigrant parents who came north from Mexico in the 1950s to build better lives. They were raised in working class families, where the values of education and the Catholic faith were stressed and where social lives revolved around family and close friends.

Shaped by those childhoods, the Espinozas feel they bring a needed perspective to two of the city’s most important institutions.

“I grew up in this neighborhood,” Tony said, gesturing expansively as he stood in the front lawn of the modest home he and Aida bought last year. “I went to high school two blocks from here. And here I am representing it on the council.

“It’s frustrating at times, and I don’t really enjoy the politics part of it. But this is what I’ve always wanted to do, and I think I’m making a difference.”

In fact, Tony conceded, he is often on the losing side of a 5-2 vote split on the council, a habit some view as self-defeating strong-mindedness, but which he clearly sees as honorable. In most votes, Tony sides with old friend Ted Moreno, who is two years his senior, while the council majority goes the other way.

The issue dearest to him--construction of youth centers--has not been a priority for the council, which has focused efforts lately on attempts to revive the downtown area through a planned arts renaissance. “They want the icing on the cake,” he said. “I just want the cake.”

Aida also may be entering into a tough battle on the issue she feels most passionate about--bilingual education.

“I started in the bilingual program,” she said. “I was in it through fourth grade, and I know it doesn’t work.”

Aida, who backed the board’s quick decision to require school uniforms earlier this year, said the bilingual issue is trickier for a couple of reasons: The topic itself is extremely controversial and sensitive, and it involves large sums of federal money.

She said all students who come from Spanish-speaking families are automatically put into bilingual programs, no matter what their English proficiency, and feel tremendous pressure to stay in the program, which brings in extra federal dollars.

“It’s not a truly bilingual program because most of the teaching is done in Spanish,” she said, adding that only one hour and 15 minutes of classroom exercise is conducted in English. “I’d like to see a truly bilingual program, with three-fourths of the teaching done in English, or with both languages intertwined.”

Despite their youth, the Espinozas hold conservative views on some issues that are usually associated with an older generation. Aida, for instance, favors stricter dress codes for teachers as well as students and greater use of fundamental teaching methods.

Tony is supportive of tough police actions in areas known for gang activity. He often cites the effectiveness of a 1995 police crackdown on the south end of Bristol Street, one of Santa Ana’s chief thoroughfares that was once clogged nightly by young cruisers.

“Back then, you couldn’t even cross Bristol on a Friday night without fear of being shot,” he recalled. “There were gang members out there. There were seven murders in three months. It was just a mess.”

Soon after he took office, with full council support, police began ticketing, closing parking lots and keeping a high profile in the area. “It’s been two years now, and we haven’t had a problem in that area since,” he said.

The Espinozas, who met at a neighborhood Christmas party in 1989 and married four years later, sacrifice many evenings to their public lives. But they make a point of saving weekends for each other.

“Friday night is always our date night,” Aida said. “We go to dinner or a movie, or sometimes we just take a long walk on the beach with our dogs. Saturday is our day to have fun. We go hiking or to Palm Springs. We both know that it’s important to spend time together away from politics.”

That may all change soon. Both Espinozas know already that one term isn’t enough, and they plan to run for reelection. Unfortunately, both seats come up for a vote at the same time--November 1998.

Aida smiled at the thought and leaned back in the chair that backs up against Tony’s in the home office they share. “It should be very interesting around here then,” she said, laughing, with a glance back at her husband.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Profile: Aida and Tony Espinoza

Aida Espinoza

Age: 25

Position: Santa Ana Unified School Board, elected 1996

Education: Final year of studies at Cal State Fullerton for bachelor’s degree in child development

Anticipated profession: Teacher

Quote: “I see all these problems and I want to fix them. But I’m learning to be patient.”

Tony Espinoza

Age: 29

Position: Santa Ana City Council, elected 1994

Education: Bachelor’s degree, business administration, Cal State Fullerton, 1994

Profession: Probation officer

Quote: “We joke that we’re getting politics out of our systems early, so we can relax and enjoy life later.”

Source: Aida and Tony Espinoza