Term limits issue might surface in council race

One issue sure to surface in the Nov. 4 contest for a majority of City Council seats is term limits, especially since three of the nine contenders will have spent a total half century on the five-member panel by the end of the year.

Incumbent Councilman Hank Wedaa has the most time at the dais, totaling a bit more than 30 years, when his current term expires in December. Former Councilman Mark Schwing finished 12 years, and Mayor Jim Winder will complete eight years.

But the city’s term limit law, which applies to terms “beginning after the effective date of the ordinance,” Dec. 13, 1996, covers only Winder’s two terms because Wedaa’s seventh and Schwing’s third began Dec. 3, 1996.

Wedaa’s eighth term starting June 2007 also doesn’t count, since the law bans more than three “full” terms, and Wedaa was elected to an 18-month “short” term.

And the law’s only exception—defining an unexpired term longer than one-half of the original term as a full term for appointees—also doesn’t apply to Wedaa’s current term.

Yorba Lindans twice recorded a wish to limit council members to two terms and once approved a lifetime three-term limitation, with all three votes of landslide proportions.

A 1992 advisory vote for a two-term limit won by 78.5 percent, 17,064 to 4,817, but the council didn’t act for four years, until two measures were placed on the 1996 ballot: one called for a two consecutive term limit and the other a lifetime limit of three full terms.

The two-term limit earned a 60.4 percent positive response, 13,008 to 8,517, but the three-term limit became law because of a larger 68.6 percent yes vote, 15,087 to 6,906.

The measures were put on the ballot by then-council members John Gullixson, Barbara Kiley and Dan Welch, who argued for a “yes” vote on both “if you generally favor term limits” or “yes on the one you prefer” but warned “a no vote could act to defeat both.”

Gene Wisner, who was appointed to one partial term and elected to four terms, wrote the ballot arguments against both measures.

Interestingly, voters turned down Irwin Fried’s bid for a fifth term, while voting for the two-term limit in 1992, but re-elected Wedaa to a seventh and Schwing to a third, while favoring the two- and three-term limits in 1996.

A correction to last week’s column: Keri Wilson ran 1,456 votes, not 757, behind John Anderson in the 2006 council race. And news in the water board race: Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta didn’t file for the contest, despite earning the YLRRR endorsement.

A FINAL NOTE

No surprise: This year John McCain has raised more money than Barack Obama from Yorba Lindans: $23,575 to $12,650 in contributions of $200 or more through June 30.

Deja vu all over again in upcoming election

Yankee baseball great Yogi Berra’s “This is déjà vu all over again” remark could apply to this year’s City Council election: six of the nine candidates seeking three positions at the dais have appeared on Yorba Linda ballots a total of 28 times in past years.

Here’s a rundown of the veterans and their won-loss records to date:

Hank Wedaa is 8 and 2. He won eight council races, dating to 1970, placing first three times and second five times. In 2000, he lost a water district election, placing fourth of five candidates seeking two positions, and a Republican Central Committee contest, placing 10th of 16 candidates for six seats.

Mark Schwing is 9 and 3. He won three council races, placing second in 1988 and first in 1992 and 1996, and six straight two-year terms on the GOP Central Committee starting in 1998. He lost twice for council, 100 votes behind Allen Castellano in 2000 and 3 behind Keri Wilson in 2002, and once for water board, 657 votes behind Ric Collette in 2004.

Jim Winder is 2 and 0. He won twice for council, placing first of 10 candidates for three seats in 2000 but dropping to third of five contenders for the three slots in 2004.

Mark Abramowitz is 1 and 1. He defeated an incumbent in a water board race in 1998 but lost to a former director, Bill Mills, in 2002 by 268 votes.

Ed Rakochy is 0 and 1. He lost for council in 2004, placing fourth of five candidates for three seats, 4,307 votes behind Winder.

Doug Dickerson is 0 and 1. He lost for council in 2006, placing third of seven candidates for two seats, 781 votes behind John Anderson.

Rookies in the race are Michael Marien, Nancy Rikel and Richard Wolfinger, all 0 and 0.

Retiring from the field is Allen Castellano, who holds the record for most votes in a council contest (16,879 in 2004) and is 2 and 1. He lost in 1998, placing fifth of six candidates for two seats, but won in 2000, placing third of 10, and 2004, first of five.

Left on the bench are six prospects who picked up but did not return nomination papers: Jeri Bailey, Scott Bourdon, Shannon Eggers, Bob MacCulloch, John Roberts and former Councilwoman Keri Wilson, who has $13,266 in campaign cash from past races.

Wilson stays at 1 and 2. She won for council in 2002, placing second of eight candidates for two positions, ahead of Schwing by three votes, but she ran behind Anderson in 2006 by 1,456 votes and lost to Wedaa in 2007 by 805 votes.

A total of 185 names have appeared on the ballots for the 22 past council elections. A chronology of all candidates with vote totals is at www.yorbalindahistory.blogspot.com.

Currently, 41,592 residents are signed up to vote Nov. 4. Last day to register is Oct. 20.

Campaign accounts at different levels

The political action committee Yorba Linda Residents for Responsible Representation needs to raise some serious cash if the grassroots group hopes to repeat successes from the past two city council elections.

At the end of the most recent reporting period, YLRRR had $53.60 in the bank. In the prior three years, the group raised $65,619 in cash—$28,247 in 2005, $33,068 in 2006 and $4,304 in 2007, all from local residents.

That money was spent on successful petition drives for Measure B—giving residents a vote on major changes to city planning documents—and to overturn the higher density Town Center zoning council approved in anticipation of a pro-B vote.

Also, YLRRR cash supported the council candidacies of winners John Anderson and Jan Horton in 2006 and Hank Wedaa in 2007, and the Measure B initiative, approved by 299 votes in 2006, despite $174,150 raised by developers to fight the proposal.

This year, the YLRRR board has set even higher electoral goals by endorsing three council candidates—Ed Rakochy, Nancy Rikel and Mark Schwing—and two water district director candidates—Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta and Dave Rosenberger.

Other items from the recently filed campaign finance reports include the following:

--Former Councilwoman Keri Wilson has the most cash-on-hand with $13,266 left from past campaigns and an outstanding, self-made $9,200 loan.

--Eighth-term Councilman Hank Wedaa has a $10,000 self-made loan and $11,532 from an April fundraiser with 38 named local contributors and a few out-of-town participants.

The latter included Lyle and Joan Overby; he’s a Shapell Industries consultant who runs “Committee for Improved Public Policy,” a developer-funded political action committee.

--Two council members whose terms expire in 2010—John Anderson and Jan Horton—have self-made loans totaling more than their cash-on-hand: Anderson has $6,633 and a $7,000 loan, while Horton has $3,560 and a $5,950 loan.

--Allen Castellano is the only debt-free council member with $3,453 cash. Mayor Jim Winder has $1,382 and a $2,000 self-made loan. Former Councilman Ken Ryan maintains $3,312 in his account.

A FINAL NOTE

Sue Fenwick adds to my recent column about oldtimer and newcomer experiences in Yorba Linda:

Old: the freshly squeezed lemonade her parents purchased at the original, rustic Knowlwood’s on Imperial, and LBJ and Goldwater signs posted in town—“I was interested in politics even way back then.”

New: her family still enjoys Knowlwood’s and notices signs for council candidates, “since some are already up again for November’s race.”

Political buzz around Yorba Linda

Short notes on the current political scene:

--First-term state Assemblyman Mike Duvall’s first legislative measure has been signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bill allows county transportation officials to use a “design-build” process for security projects by lowering a previous $25 million threshold.

Duvall, who came to Yorba Linda with his parents 40 years ago, twice served as mayor and Chamber of Commerce president. He’ll be on the Nov. 4 ballot seeking re-election to the 72nd District seat representing central and west Yorba Linda and six other cities.

His rival is La Habra resident and Fullerton teacher John Macmurray, the same Democrat he trounced by 20,000 votes two years ago.

--Ah, politics. Mayor Jim Winder signed arguments supporting an initiative barring eminent domain use for private development, after casting a lone vote against putting the ban on the ballot because it would “bind the hands” of future City Councils.

The arguments, written by John Anderson and Jan Horton, will be mailed to voters before the election in which Winder may seek a third council term. Also signing the sure-to-be-popular arguments are Allen Castellano and Hank Wedaa, who also may be on the ballot.

Interestingly, the three incumbents with expiring terms all cast votes giving eminent domain powers to the city’s Redevelopment Agency during prior council terms.

--Just two council members and one of 20 council-appointed commissioners reported receiving gifts on this year’s state-required economic interest filings.

Horton listed a $99 dinner from the Bob Huff for Senate campaign and a $30 breakfast from Government Leaders Prayer Breakfast, Winder a $65 golf outing from land developer Aera Energy and Planning Commissioner Mark Abramowitz $350 worth of hockey tickets and food from American Honda Motor Company.

--Former three-term Councilman Mark Schwing should snag the county Republican Party endorsement in his sixth council race this year, since he was elected in the June primary to his sixth two-year term on the committee that makes the endorsements.

Doug Dickerson and Keri Wilson nabbed the GOP nod in 2006 but lost to Anderson and Horton.

A FINAL NOTE

Question: Why doesn’t the 1972 ethics code, reaffirmed in a recent 5-0 council vote, effectively protect residents from unsavory government practices?

Answer: The “file-and-forget” document lacks enforcement provisions and failed to prevent secretive management staff bonuses revealed in 1999 or Town Center tactics involving council members, staff and developers in closed-door meetings in 2005-06.

Are you a Yorba Linda oldtimer or newcomer?

How do you classify yourself? Are you an old-time Yorba Lindan or a relatively new resident? Here’s how to tell:

Oldtimer: You bought refreshing root beer floats at the A&W drive-in at Imperial Highway and Yorba Linda Boulevard.

Newcomer: You enjoy the poppy blooms on the vacant field at the same location.

Old: You remember horn blasts calling volunteer firefighters to the Lemon Drive station.

New: You hear horn blasts from trains and errant car alarms.

Old: You saw Hank Wedaa’s name on City Council election ballots.

New: You see Hank Wedaa’s name on City Council election ballots.

Old: You signed PATCH (Prevent an Airport Through Chino Hills) petitions.

New: You signed YLRRR (Yorba Linda Residents for Responsible Redevelopment) petitions.

Old: You participated in civic discussions at the Village Café on Main Street.

New: You participate in civic discussions at Java Joe’s on Yorba Ranch Road.

Old: You shopped for necessities at stores in what is now called Old Town.

New: Where’s Old Town?

Old: You visited Dr. Richard Cochran’s office/home on Olinda Street for medical needs.

New: Your HMO or PPO shuffles you from office to office throughout the county.

Old: You recall when every Yorba Linda Boulevard intersection had a service station with a kid who ran out to pump your gas, check your oil and wash your windshield.

New: You stop along Yorba Linda Boulevard for quickie oil changes.

Old: You hitched a ride to Fullerton Union High School for grades 9 through 12.

New: Your mom drives you to Esperanza, El Dorado or Valencia highs.

Old: You boarded the Pacific Electric Railway at the Imperial Highway station.

New: You enjoy Polly’s fresh-baked pies in the reconstructed train building.

Old: You walked to work to sort citrus at the packing plant on Yorba Linda Boulevard.

New: You drive your car to workouts at the fitness center in Packing House Square.

Old: You visited Main Street’s City Hall, rented from the Masonic Lodge, to watch the foolishness at City Council meetings.

New: You watch the foolishness at City Council meetings from your Laz-E-Boy lounger or computer desk chair at home.

Old: You kept chickens, goats, horses or other animals.

New: You call Code Enforcement to complain about crowing roosters, clucking hens and horse manure.

Old: You got mad at wrongheaded political columns penned by publisher Bill Drake in the weekly Yorba Linda Star.

New: You get mad at wrongheaded political columns in the print Yorba Linda Star and online at ocregister.com/yorbalinda.