Silva Is Poised to Become Chairman of County Board

He took office in time to face the worst public wrath against county government in decades, though he had nothing to do with the bankruptcy of one of the nation’s wealthiest counties.

On Tuesday, Supervisor Jim Silva is positioned to become the new chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, the first post-bankruptcy politician to hold the title. The one-year chairmanship will be voted on by the board.

His first day as chairman promises to be as contentious as his first day on the job. He will preside over a public hearing where supervisors are poised to boost a requirement that welfare recipients work 32 hours a week, up from a previous board vote favoring 26 hours.

The hearing was a going-away present from current Chairman William G. Steiner, who was miffed that Silva and Supervisor Todd Spitzer held up final passage of welfare reform last month while insisting on the higher work requirement. So Silva will find himself in charge Tuesday while streams of welfare recipients and others plead with him and Spitzer to change their minds.

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It’s not likely. Silva, a conservative Republican, has built a reputation as “Dr. No” on government spending. He is a consistent vote against money for urban parks, against what he considers disguised tax increases, and in favor of diverting surplus funds to early repayment of the county’s staggering bankruptcy debt.

Government observers are waiting to see how Silva handles the gavel. Uncomfortable with public speaking, he seldom adds spontaneous discussion to county board meetings. When asking questions, he reads from a prepared text while his staff follows along silently.

His halting personal style and occasional befuddlement have led to snickering by some who see Silva as politically inept. But supporters of the low-key former high school economics teacher say it would be a mistake to judge him merely on mannerisms.

“There’s nothing free-flowing about him, and that gives the impression that his mind isn’t free-flowing, but it’s just his style,” said County Clerk-Recorder Gary L. Granville. “He’s not a great socializer, he’s not a climber and he doesn’t work a room. In that sense, he’s broken the mold of supervisors past. He’s not flashy, but he never leaves a doubt as to where he stands or what his position is. Jim’s a guy who stays the course.”

Government activist William Mitchell, former head of the county’s Common Cause chapter, said Silva is not a “naturally crafty person” and will approach his job without the maneuvering, the back-stabbing or the guile of some past board chairs.

“He’s very thorough, and I can’t fault him for that,” Mitchell said. “He’s a decent person, and he can be very engaging. Slick is not his thing. He’d probably be as comfortable leading a Boy Scout troop as the Board of Supervisors.”

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Silva was an unlikely candidate for the job to begin with. In 1992, as mayor of Huntington Beach, he announced his intention to run for Congress against Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach). But GOP officials quickly doused that idea, persuading him to drop out before even pulling candidacy papers.

A year later, he announced he would run for supervisor when longtime Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder retired in 1994, this time with strong backing from the Republican establishment. He won a runoff against council colleague and former Mayor Linda Moulton-Patterson, a Democrat.

Silva’s chief cheerleader and mentor during the campaign was Supervisor Roger R. Stanton, who retired in 1996. So tied were the two during Silva’s first years on the board that they earned the nickname “District 12,” a blending of Stanton’s 1st District and Silva’s 2nd District.

But Silva asserted his independence, particularly in defying Stanton’s insistence that he support an audit of Dist. Atty. Michael R. Capizzi, who at the time was pressing misconduct charges against Stanton and Steiner. The charges eventually were thrown out by a judge.

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Among his colleagues, Silva now finds himself part of board majorities for several major county initiatives, including a commercial airport at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. He has consistently supported Chief Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier against attacks by Spitzer. He was successful in getting approval for a resolution calling for an end to automatic citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants.

He said he hopes to use his leadership position, if elected as expected Tuesday, to “keep the debate on a positive note.” His definition of a leader is someone who does what is right, not necessarily what is popular.

“I try to always keep in mind that decisions by elected officials must be based upon sound public policy rather than how a headline may appear the next day,” he said.

Cal State Fullerton political science professor Barbara Stone said the role of the chairman of the board is to put together solid majorities for good public policy. That can be accomplished in different ways, she said, including using the job as a bully pulpit or quietly lining up votes behind the scenes.

“Being chairman with the bankruptcy behind him gives Jim Silva an opportunity to shine or an opportunity to fade into the background. It’s really up to him.”

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Profile: Jim Silva

Age: 53

Hometown: Fullerton

Residence: Huntington Beach

Occupation: Orange County supervisor

Constituency: District 2, including Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Seal Beach, Cypress, Los Alamitos, Stanton, Rossmoor, Sunset Beach, and portions of Garden Grove and Santa Ana

Education: Bachelor’s degree, San Jose State University; master’s degree, Chapman University

Background: Huntington Beach Planning Commission, 1987-88; Huntington Beach City Council, 1988-94; mayor, 1992; high school economics teacher, Garden Grove Unified School District, 28 years

Family: Married 27 years to wife, Connie; son, Chad, 22, Air Force lieutenant; daughter, Donna, 19, second-year cadet at the Air Force Academy

On the changing board: “I think the mind-set of the board has come a long way since the bankruptcy. The public is well-served by constructive debate among elected officials. I intend to do what I can as chairman to keep the debate on a positive note.”

Source: Jim Silva; Researched by JEAN O. PASCO / For The Times