Community honors civic leader's 90th birthday

A memorable gathering of a couple hundred mostly longtime Yorba Linda residents celebrated civic leader Hank Wedaa's 90^th birthday at the Community Center last week, recalling his involvement with events that helped shape this community's present-day identity.

Wedaa holds three city records, unlikely to be matched unless voters overturn a term-limit law adopted 18 years ago: 30 years City Council service, five times mayor and three council retirements--twice voluntarily and once by voter choice.

Wedaa entered the political scene during the city's second municipal election in 1970 as part of a slate of slow-growth candidates who won a majority of seats on the governing body. The new council members quickly embarked on crafting the city's first low-density General Plan.

Since the 1970s, development and housing density have remained hot-button issues in council campaigns, except disagreements over two versus three homes per acre have segued into conflicts regarding apartments and condominiums at levels from 10 to 30 units per acre.

A second controversy erupting in the 1970s has faded from most memories today, but the possibility of a regional airport on 25,000 acres in the Chino Hills initially supported by the Anaheim City Council galvanized Yorba Lindans into opposition.

Wedaa, a few leaders in nearby cities and newly arriving residents worked to prevent a four-runway behemoth with 500,000 annual commercial and private flights from becoming reality by forming a citizen action group, Prevent Airport Traffic in Chino Hills, or PATCH.

Although the Federal Aviation Administration gave conditional approval to a smaller project in 1972, the agency ruled in 1974 that federal funds wouldn't be available. PATCH continued to play whack-a-mole as powerful airport proponents tried to revive the plan for several years.

Wedaa's council service ran until a first retirement in 1994. He returned to win a seventh term in 1996 and retired a second time in 2000. His final stint came when he won a special election in 2007, but voters nixed his bid for a ninth term in 2008.

His position as a longtime leader at the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Southern California Association of Governments, especially for that group's Aviation Committee, allowed Yorba Linda outsized influence on regional issues, including the airport matter.

Since leaving government, Wedaa frequently has been honored for his environmental work, involving air quality and alternate fuel technology. His latest honor will come March 12 at the Nixon library, when the Coalition for Clean Air presents him a Lifetime Achievement Award.

A recent DVD, “Flight to War,” recounts some of Wedaa's World War II experiences as a survivor of 30 bomber missions over Europe by the 467^th Bombardment Group of the 8^th Air Force.

And Wedaa recently donated his collection of rare aviation posters and other war-time memorabilia for a permanent exhibit at March Field Air Museum in Riverside. 

Pitfalls await City Council candidates

A couple of pitfalls await individuals who plan to compete in an already aggressive campaign for majority control of Yorba Linda's City Council, whether for a general election in November or a potential recall ballot that could come this summer or early fall.

Frequently in this city's 47-year history, contentious issues, such as density and development, have drawn large fields of candidates for council positions, and the prospect of two governing body elections in a single year has the political pot boiling with an acrimonious intensity.

A four-week sign-up period for the Nov. 4 election for seats now held by John Anderson and Tom Lindsey doesn't begin until July 14, but a recall vote on Lindsey and Craig Young could come before November, if petitioners gather 8,100 signatures from 40,498 registered voters by May 14.

But snares in the form of election laws designed to create a transparent and fair playing field can entrap even experienced candidates, as opponents try to catch adversaries for occasional innocent infractions of sometimes complex state and local campaign rules.

Gene Hernandez, who was elected in 2012 and in 2013 raised $11,399 for his 2016 re-election run, returned $1,639 in donations from eight individuals and businesses in October, December and January, after what his treasurer called an “internal review.”

State law requires candidates to report campaign fundraising activity twice each year, and a Yorba Linda ordinance prohibits candidates from taking contributions from individuals or businesses with city contracts.

The local law also places restrictions on the timing of donations of $250 or more to council members who've participated in a decision involving the contributor, but sadly can't bar “independent expenditures” for candidates.

So, while candidates aren't allowed to accept money from city contractors or their labor associations, these groups can independently spend cash supporting a candidate, as the Sheriff's deputy union did with $78,839 for Ken Peterson, Nancy Rikel and Mark Schwing in 2012.

The five-page ethics ordinance, 2010-940, should be reviewed carefully by potential candidates and their supporters, and they should also check the city's guidelines for temporary signs outlined in the zoning code to avert a more common pitfall.

Although less serious than a money mistake, the display of so many signs touting the same candidates and causes irks many residents who view numerous repeat placards as a blight.

Restrictions on temporary political signs are allowed because such signs don't meet the structural standards of permanent signage and so pose a potential hazard to public and property.

The most common violations are signs posted in roadway medians and within 15 feet of intersections, driveways and fire hydrants, along with rules on size and identifying the owner.

Already, an illegally posted sign advocating the recall of Lindsey and Young was removed from the Yorba Linda Boulevard median in front of the Nixon library after a few days.

Raising campaign funds is never-ending chore

Raising money to finance the next campaign is a never-ending chore for politicians at all governing levels, but the task is especially challenging in such small-pocket environments as the biennial contests for positions on Yorba Linda's five-member City Council.

I've been examining this city's state-required campaign finance documents for close to 20 years, and I've never seen more than a tiny fraction of Yorba Linda residents and businesses contribute to the election effort of any candidate seeking to set the city's future direction.

The city's latest filings were due by Jan. 31, covering the second-half of 2013, with a section summarizing the full year's activity, and again only a couple dozen residents and businesses are listed among donors.

Sadly, the small number of locals who financially support candidates leaves some contenders underfinanced, while others who accept cash from special interests, such as builders, political action committees and so-called “independent expenditure” groups, have a clear advantage.

Given the rough nature of this city's politics, it's not surprising one incumbent was raising funds last year for an election three years ahead. Gene Hernandez, running for a second term in 2016, pulled in $10,339 in contributions of $100 or more.

Of that total, $1,234 came from residents and businesses in Yorba Linda, with the remainder from individuals, businesses and political action committees outside the city. Another $1,060 came in donations of $99 or less that don't have to be listed individually.

Hernandez had $6,574 remaining Jan. 1, after expenditures, including repaying himself $3,000 from a loan he made his 2012 campaign. Generally, candidates loan rather than contribute money to their campaigns, hoping to repay themselves from future donations.

Tom Lindsey, seeking a second term in this year's ballot for two positions, took in $6,899 in contributions of $100 or more, with $6,099 from Yorba Linda residents and businesses and an additional $543 in donations of $99 or less. He had $5,535 on hand Jan. 1.

John Anderson, who completes a second term this year, folded a fundraising committee early last year. Mark Schwing, whose fifth term ends in 2016, has said he won't run then.

Craig Young is raising cash for his campaign for one of 80 state Assembly seats, but he did take in $198 in council donations of $99 or less, with a $1,395 balance Jan. 1 and an outstanding $21,500 loan from his Lincoln Partners firm from his 2012 campaign.

Of local Assembly candidates filing reports, Young is third in funds, with $30,758 raised last year and a $9,830 balance Jan. 1. Phillip Chen led with $513,772 and a $459,609 balance, with Ling-Ling Chang second with $303,306 and a $276,459 balance.

Current Assemblyman Curt Hagman raised $195,303 for a 2016 state Senate run and has $91,974 in another campaign account. Senator Bob Huff raised $323,345 for an Assembly race in 2016 and has $162,498 in two other accounts.

Young has rocky start for term as mayor

Yorba Linda City Council members have named one of their colleagues to serve as mayor 50 times since incorporation in 1967, but none has had a rockier start in the position as the most recent choice, Craig Young.

Young's troubles are partly due to a steep learning curve commonly encountered by first-time occupants of the mayor's chair, but they also can be attributed to this city's prevailing take-no-prisoners political environment.

The travails began just after Young's 2012 election to the council, when he was chosen mayor pro-tem on a 3-2 vote, and the governing body devolved into factions, with Young often in an alliance with Gene Hernandez and Tom Lindsey opposing John Anderson and Mark Schwing.

When Young became mayor on the same 3-2 tally, he dumped Schwing as the city's rep on the toll roads board and named himself to the post. (Schwing, as mayor in 2008, had dropped Jan Horton from the fire authority board and replaced her with his ally Nancy Rikel.)

On occasion, Young has been unable to muster support from his allies. He cast lone votes against Community Block Grant funding and a matter involving a citizen panel working on landscape issues, although he won unanimous backing for a $720 expenditure for gifts for foreign leaders on his China trip.

And one of his first actions as mayor--a proposal to “update” the order of business on the council's twice-monthly agendas--was “received and filed” on a 4-1 vote. Even residents who usually support Young spoke against this item during public comments.

Young needs to revise his meddling new policy on procedures for the public to address the council, but one element of his failed agenda plan that would have served a worthy goal of voting on key issues early in the meeting should be adopted.

The mayor wanted the time for comments by council members moved to the end of the session. Presently, this self-serving section in which they frequently extol their offspring, praise supporters and settle political scores, comes before more important business.

Of course, a bigger obstacle to a smooth-sailing mayorship for Young is an attempt to recall Young and Lindsey. Even if advocates don't gather 8,100 valid signatures by May 14, plethoric negative publicity will hurt Young.

One of four candidates--so far--for a state Assembly seat, Young had an advantage as the only Orange County contender in a district with 47 percent of voters in Orange County and the remainder in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.

But now, the three Los Angeles County candidates, including two Diamond Bar councilmembers, Ling-ling Chang and Steve Tye, profit from Young's problems.

Interesting to residents who remember the acrimonious switch from Brea police to the county Sheriff's Department, is an endorsement from Sheriff Sandra Hutchens for a Young opponent, Walnut Valley school trustee Phillip Chen.