Hefty costs involved in forcing recall election

The surprising fact that Yorba Linda's Oct. 7 recall ballot will be the first in city history – considering the sizable number of controversies arising the past 47 years – is easier to understand when the costs involved in a successful petition drive seeking a recall are examined.

Most recall threats haven't gotten past the talking stage, and the low-budget 2012 effort targeting John Anderson fell short in signature numbers and didn't make the ballot.

But a record amount of cash has been spent to force the special election to decide if Tom Lindsey will remain in office for the final month of his four-year term and if Craig Young will be allowed to complete the two years left on his term.

Chief sponsor of the Lindsey-Young recall effort – the political action committee Yorba Linda Residents for Responsible Representation – spent $35,896 to qualify the issue for the ballot, according to state-required filings for the first six months of this year.

One committee opposing recall – Residents for a Better Yorba Linda – spent just $7,564 during the same time period, although the group collected an added $30,000 earlier this month.

Also, the largely business- and builder-funded independent expenditure committee Southern California Coalition of Businesses and Taxpayers spent $16,409 supporting Lindsey and Young in May with several mailers.

Biggest expense for recall supporters was $17,175 for gathering a portion of the signatures on the two petitions targeting Lindsey and Young – $1,201 to pay three city residents collecting names and $15,974 for 11 individuals from other cities.

Petition printing cost $1,197, newspaper ads $5,001 and computer-generated “robo calls”--so popular with the city's registered voters--$4,873.

Expenses also included $2,990 for distributing flyers, $1,290 for signs and banners, $411 for phone lists, $174 for web hosting and $120 for mailbox rental, with printing worth $2,600 donated by 2012 council candidate Ken Peterson.

The money was raised from 41 Yorba Linda residents ($20,686), one city business ($500) and two businesses and one individual from other cities ($1,418). Eight Yorba Lindans loaned a total $9,500 to the committee and a June garage sale raised $2,388.

The Residents for a Better Yorba Linda opposition group spent $3,600 for campaign paraphernalia, $1,726 for postage, $701 for campaign services, $684 for a Yorba Linda Country Club fundraiser, $600 for information technology and $476 for newspaper ads.

The money was raised from the business-oriented Orange County Jobs Coalition ($10,000), four Yorba Linda residents ($1,100), two residents from other cities ($700) and various donations under $100 ($1,393).

The two Aug. 4 contributions came from John Dalton, a city resident and owner of a document storage and recycling firm ($20,000), and the business-oriented Orange County Taxpayers Association political action committee ($10,000).