Anaheim Official May Run for Board

Anaheim Councilwoman Shirley McCracken, an El Toro airport advocate, confirmed Thursday that she is considering a run for the Board of Supervisors to replace Todd Spitzer, who plans to run for Assembly in 2002.

“I’m keeping my options open,” said McCracken, who mentioned her interest privately to associates at a Kiwanis breakfast Thursday.

McCracken has been on the City Council six years, three as mayor pro tem. Because of the city’s bylaws, she is ineligible to run for mayor in the next election. Her term expires in 2004 and because of term limits, she cannot run again.

She also serves on the board of the Orange County Sanitation District, as a representative to the Southern California Assn. of Governments and on a statewide committee on housing for the League of California Cities.

“I know the regional issues and I’m up to a challenge,” said McCracken, a Republican and retired schoolteacher.

The new supervisorial district boundaries approved this week by the Board of Supervisors have moved Irvine, which has led the fight against an El Toro airport, from Supervisor Tom Wilson’s 5th District to Spitzer’s 3rd District.

Spitzer and Wilson make up the five-member board’s anti-airport minority.

Although it’s too early to take out candidacy papers, McCracken is not the first to declare interest in a seat on the board.

Assemblyman Bill Campbell (R-Villa Park) also has expressed a desire to succeed Spitzer, should Spitzer win election to Campbell’s seat in the Legislature and voters approve Measure V. That measure would, in part, allow for a district election if Spitzer wins.

Campbell, who is losing his Assembly seat because of term limits, prefers an urban park, the so-called Great Park, over an airport at El Toro.

“Candidly, I have not made up my mind” whether to run,” Campbell said. “For right now, I want to do my best to represent the people in the 71st [Assembly District], and now I’m keeping my options open.”

Voters still must approve Spitzer’s Measure V, the charter initiative on the March ballot that would allow 3rd District voters to elect his successor if he wins. Under existing law, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis would appoint Spitzer’s replacement, possibly a Democrat. Spitzer is a Republican, as are the other four supervisors. The position is officially nonpartisan.

This week, Fullerton Councilman Chris Norby, an El Toro airport opponent, also said he is thinking about a run for supervisor. The change in district boundaries moved Norby’s Fullerton residence from Spitzer’s district into that of board Chairwoman Cynthia P. Coad, who is pro-airport.