Wilson Rallies South County Support After Flap Over Vote

Several South County community leaders offered support and campaign dollars Friday to Supervisor Tom Wilson, who has been criticized by some opponents of a commercial airport at El Toro over a controversial vote he cast earlier this week.

One political contributor, Ronald Cedillos, stopped payment on a $500 check to Wilson’s campaign and questioned the supervisor’s loyalty to the anti-airport cause.

But on Friday, the Leisure World Republican Club voted to replace Cedillos’ donation with a $500 contribution of its own.

“We have worked with him and know he is a committed opponent of the airport,” said Ward Payne, president of the club. “We still back him up on this.”

Wilson is scheduled to meet with angry supporters today to explain his vote, which centered on the contract of a private attorney representing the county in the airport fight.

At issue was whether County Counsel Laurence M. Watson violated state law by hiring attorney Michael Gatzke without receiving authorization from the board.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer contended that state law requires the board to approve all outside litigation contracts by a four-fifths vote. Watson defended his decision as legal and within board policy.

The board, including Wilson, ratified Watson’s action Tuesday.

Wilson said he cast his vote with Watson after the board’s attorney produced a state deputy attorney general’s opinion backing his legal interpretation.

“This vote was in no way endorsing Gatzke and in no way indicates any change in my opposition on El Toro,” Wilson stressed Friday.

But some airport foes don’t see it that way, including Spitzer, who said he was “deeply disappointed” by Wilson’s vote and is now less committed to his reelection.

In addition to withdrawing his $500 contribution to Wilson, Cedillos said he was canceling plans for a campaign fund-raiser. On Friday, Cedillos said he had talked about the fund-raiser with neighbors but had not scheduled it with Wilson’s campaign.

Other South County officials questioned Wilson’s loyalty and accused him of not being willing to fight the airport plan.

Wilson acknowledged that his office has received numerous calls from residents and community leaders unhappy with his stance. But he said Friday that he has also received calls of support and believes the issue will be resolved once he explains himself.

Wilson also said he believes some of the criticism directed at him is less than spontaneous. “I think this is being promoted by the 3rd District,” he said, referring to Spitzer’s office. “I think these are unfounded allegations that serve the 3rd District.”

Spitzer strongly denied any role in drumming up pressure on Wilson, and Cedillos agreed.

“I don’t know what [Wilson] is talking about,” Spitzer said. “It’s insulting to Tom’s constituents that he doesn’t think they are smart enough to understand what his vote meant.”

Spitzer and Wilson both represent the South County and are usually allies on El Toro and other issues concerning the area.

Wilson also won a vote of confidence Friday from Supervisor William G. Steiner, an airport supporter. Last year, Wilson convinced Steiner to switch sides and allow a nonaviation proposal for El Toro developed by airport opponents to be included in the county’s base plan.

“It was Tom Wilson’s quiet determination that got me to be the swing vote, not Todd Spitzer’s intimidating tactics,” Steiner said.