The Politics of O.C. in the First Person

A month ago, I ran for Orange County supervisor against incumbent Charles V. Smith in the 1st District. As a 28-year-old first-time candidate with a budget of $15,000, I received 25,000, or 40%, of the votes. My campaign relied on the hard work and support of family, friends and neighbors, who before this experience were largely apolitical.

Many of my supporters understandably were concerned about challenging an incumbent who had the support of the Orange County establishment. After all, we had fewer than 12 weeks to campaign. Among Smith’s advantages were: He was chairman of the board; this was one of the most conservative counties in the nation; he was the leading advocate of an El Toro airport; he had a $40,000 fund-raising advantage; and he benefited from the perception that he was moderate because he was “not Bob Dornan.”

Furthermore, no one seemed particularly outraged at the decision at that time to use the national tobacco settlement funds for jails. But as an elementary school teacher, high school baseball coach and lifelong resident of Orange County, I was. After many discussion with supporters, it was agreed that it was irresponsible and cowardly to not speak up and call attention to this important issue. Our community doesn’t need more jails, but it does need better health care.

My volunteers consisted of my students and their parents from Wallace Davis Elementary as well as the Westminster High School baseball team that I coach. They braved pouring rain to put up my signs. Students from Savannah, Mater Dei and Century schools volunteered tirelessly. Old classmates and teammates from Orange Coast College, Mater Dei High School, Chapman University and Cal State Fullerton spent hours stuffing envelopes, working phone banks and walking precincts. My best friend and his wife would come to work at their “third job” after working a 14-hour day.

The most inspirational moment was when my neighbor chose to breast-feed her baby while explaining to voters why they should vote for me. Initially she was going to leave, but felt so strongly that she forever changed an American political axiom about mother’s milk and politics. These and other countless sacrifices of time and money motivated me during the long hours of campaigning against overwhelming odds.

Today, the feelings of pride in our humble electoral effort have given way to the sobering reality that the greatest challenge facing Orange County is not health care or an airport at El Toro. The greatest challenge is reconciling stark differences between the urban core, working class, ethnically diverse Central County, composed of Santa Ana, Anaheim, Garden Grove, Stanton, Westminster, Buena Park and outer suburbs of Newport Beach, Villa Park, Irvine and Cypress.

Demographic, economic and social changes have led to the emergence of a new political agenda, one based on public health, housing, transportation, crime and education. They have yet to find a true advocate behind what is now a seriously frayed “Orange Curtain.”

Current county leadership is caught between opposing views of government. On the one hand is the do-nothing, indifferent night watchman. On the other is the very serious need to address the complex issues of a dynamic urban region. These are changes the Board of Supervisors simply does not understand. In the balance, the diverse needs and major policy concerns of Orange County residents are ignored until they reach a crisis stage. Then actions taken are forced and shortsighted, such as the idea of using health care funds for jail construction.

Some will not believe Orange County has places where inoculation rates are lower than some Third World countries. Furthermore, there have been serious bouts with tuberculosis and hepatitis.

The affordability of housing is a major issue, yet of minor importance to the supervisors. The Times reports that the median home has risen from $272,100 to $306,000. This suggests that a minimum household income of more than $86,300 is needed to buy a typical home in Orange County.

Crime is at an all-time low, but because age is the greatest predictor of crime and central Orange County has a large youth population, crime most certainly will increase. Yet, jail construction is the extent of the response by the Board of Supervisors.

In the coming years, community-based efforts must fill the vacuum created by a listless board. Life in central Orange County is different than in suburban Orange County, but that doesn’t mean we are powerless; it does mean we have a lot of work to do. Fortunately, the work has begun.