City Council Race Dominated by El Toro

Mayor Christina L. Shea may not be facing a challenger in her bid for reelection, but the same can’t be said of the race for two City Council seats.

Councilman Greg Smith, first elected in 1993, and seven others are vying for the positions in a race dominated by the El Toro airport issue. Barry Hammond is leaving the council because of term limits.

All candidates--except one--have made opposition to proposed conversion of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station into a commercial airport their top campaign issue.

Businessman Savvas Roditis is the lone airport supporter, saying such a facility is needed with growth in the city and county.

The remaining candidates--including anti-airport group Project ’99 founders Larry Agran and Ned E. Kassouf--oppose the airport.

Self-dubbed the Millennium Team due to their support of an airport alternative, the Millennium Plan, Agran and Kassouf said the airport must be stopped to ensure Irvine’s survival.

Shea, George M. Gallagher, Don Irvine--no relation to the Irvine Co. family--Carolyn McInerney, Smith and Jack Wu round out the anti-airport candidates.

Gallagher served as a planning representative to the Millennium Plan, which is centered around a university and research center and would include housing, a museum and commercial development.

The candidates vary more widely on other issues.

Though no candidate voiced support for a football stadium, three candidates--Irvine, Roditis and Wu--have stressed anti-stadium stands. Irvine and Roditis said taxpayers should not fund such an effort.

Meanwhile, Shea and Smith have stood united against a James A. Musick Branch Jail expansion. Roditis has again separated himself by supporting an expansion.

Another issue attracting attention is the preservation of open space. Agran, Gallagher, McInerney and Wu have made the issue central to their campaigns. Gallagher and McInerney vowed to uphold the city’s open-space agreement. Agran, who wrote the open-space agreement in his previous council stint, listed the hills above Northwood, Quail Hill, the San Joaquin Hills and the marshlands.

In a related issue, Kassouf and Roditis have called for slower growth.

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Irvine City Council Candidates

Here are the candidates seeking the Irvine mayoral post and two City Council seats in the Nov. 3 election:

MAYOR

Christina L. Shea

Age: 48

Occupation: Irvine mayor

Background: Associate degree in liberal arts, Irvine Valley College; political science course work at Cal State Fullerton; Irvine board member, American Cancer Society; board member, Irvine Barclay Theatre; board member, Transportation Corridor Agencies; volunteer, Habitat for Humanity and Irvine Temporary Housing

Issues: Anti-airport; supports public safety measures; remain fiscally conservative

CITY COUNCIL

Larry Agran

Age: 53

Occupation: Attorney/environmental activist

Background: Bachelor’s degrees in economics and history, UC Berkeley; law degree, Harvard Law School; co-founder and co-chair of Project ‘99, an anti-airport group supporting the Millennium Plan; former Irvine councilman and mayor (12 years overall; six as mayor)

Issues:Stop El Toro airport; complete community park work, especially in Westpark and Woodbridge; preserve Irvine’s open space, especially in the hills above Northwood, Quail Hill, San Joaquin Hills and the marshlands

George M. Gallagher

Age: 37

Occupation: Biotechnology project manager

Background: Bachelor’s degree in social science, UC Irvine; president, Irvine Conservancy; former member, Irvine Planning Commission; director, Taxpayers for Responsible Planning; member, Orange County Transportation Authority community participation group; Irvine chair, Yes on Measure S

Issues: Anti-airport and supports implementation of Millennium Plan; protect open-space agreement; ensure city remains one of nation’s safest cities

Don Irvine

Age: 47

Occupation: Retired Los Angeles Police Department lieutenant; Irvine Unified School District substitute teacher

Background: Bachelor’s degree in political science, UCLA; serves on Westpark PTA’s legislative action committee

Issues: Anti-airport; anti-stadium; supports city establishing its own fire department

Ned E. Kassouf

Age: 76

Occupation: Unpaid president, charitable foundation

Background: Bachelor’s degree in political science, Columbia University; supports Santa

Ana-based Recording Studio for the Blind and Dyslexic; supports International Dyslexic Assn.; supports Washington, D.C.-based Fight Crime, Invest in Kids; co-founded Project ‘99, the anti-El Toro airport group

Issues: Anti-airport and supports Millennium Plan; supports balanced growth; would take only $1 per year as council salary

Carolyn McInerney

Age: 45

Occupation: Executive assistant to O.C. Supervisor Tom Wilson

Background: Bachelor’s degree in economics, University of Denver; former Southern California Edison planner; founder and trustee, Irvine Public Schools Foundation; Irvine Community Services commissioner; president, Junior League of Orange County; volunteer, Chamber of Commerce

Issues: Anti-airport, though she would like region to solve long-term air travel dilemma; protect open-space agreement in Northwood and Turtle Rock areas; improve relationship with Irvine Unified School District board

Savvas Roditis

Age: 49

Occupation: Businessman

Background: Greek Naval Academy graduate

Issues: Supports international airport at El Toro because of city’s and county’s growth; supports slow development in

city; does not favor a stadium or convention center unless they are privately funded with no use of tax money

Greg Smith

Age: 49

Occupation: Business owner/incumbent

Background: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Cal State Fullerton; former board member, Irvine Unified School District; co-chair, Irvine Safe Community Task Force; member, Laguna Greenbelt Authority; member, O.C. Library Advisory Board; member, O.C. Private Sector Task Force; council’s liaison to Irvine Ranch Water District and Irvine Unified School District; AYSO volunteer referee

Issues: Anti-airport; anti-Musick jail expansion; supports more cooperation between city and Irvine Unified School District

Jack Wu

Age: 28

Occupation: Bookkeeper

Background: Bachelor’s degree in social ecology, UCI; volunteer, American Cancer Society in Long Beach; board member of his homeowners association; former member, Irvine Southern Open Space Citizens Committee

Issues: Anti-airport; supports preservation of open space; wants to push for more youth involvement in city government

Source: Individual candidates; Researched by JAMES MEIER / For The Times