Tough Issues, Big Price Tags

Orange County donors poured more than $1 million into local and state political races in the last 10 days, including $200,000 from Cynthia P. Coad to help her own hard-fought race for reelection to the Board of Supervisors, campaign reports show.

The money paid for mailers, television advertisements and telephone banks as campaigns mobilized precinct walkers and other volunteers for the final weekend push before Tuesday’s primary election.

State law requires that contributions of $1,000 or more be reported to election officials within 24 hours during the last two weeks leading up to election day.

Coad’s latest loan to her campaign for reelection to the 4th District supervisorial seat is more than double what she loaned the campaign through Feb. 21. The money was budgeted for late in the race, her husband and chief strategist, Tom Coad, said Saturday. Coad spent $600,000 of her own funds to win the seat in 1998.

“I think it’s going to be a close election but we’re enthusiastic,” Tom Coad said as the couple organized precinct walkers.

Tom Coad said the campaign has had to spend money to counter advertising financed by South County supporters of Chris Norby, Coad’s challenger. Norby is a Fullerton City Council member who opposes an airport at the closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, while Coad has been among the proposed new airport’s supporters.

Norby said he is supported by residents around the county who are tired of the battle over what to do with the 4,700-acre base. “They’re very worried,” Norby said of the Coads.... Mine is a vast grass-roots effort trying to change the way of county government.”

The Measure W campaign, meanwhile, attracted donations on both sides, with Yes on W forces reporting more than $100,000 in late contributions from several donors and No on W proponents reporting $25,000 from John Vedder Croul of Newport Beach.

Groups working to defeat Measure W had raised nearly $300,000 by Feb. 21. Groups in favor of Measure W reported raising nearly $1 million and have said their contributions and pledges will total $2.5 million by election day.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer was among those who gave money to the Yes on W campaign. Spitzer, one of the board’s two anti-airport supervisors, covered $28,000 in mailing expenses. He is running for Assembly. Other donations to the Yes on W effort included $12,500 from Medix Ambulance of Mission Viejo and $10,000 from businessman Pat DiCarlo in Newport Beach. DiCarlo is a high-profile supporter of Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas, who is facing a tough reelection fight against Assistant Dist. Atty. Wally Wade. Wade has courted anti-airport support, while Rackauckas, who angered anti-airport forces in the past, has endorsed Measure W.

In other contributions reported, the union representing Orange County prosecutors gave $5,000 to Wade for an upcoming mailer. The union has voted to give Wade $50,000 for his race.

The largest local donation listed for the period was from American Sterling Inc., an Irvine investment firm, which gave $500,000 to Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Riordan.

Other late money for Riordan included $25,000 from developer William Lyon and $10,000 from CKE Restaurants, the parent company for Carl’s Jr.

Other donations reported include $63,000 from several out-of-county law firms, Los Angeles radio stations and the California Teachers Assn. for Measure Z in the Anaheim Union High School District. The measure would authorize the sale of $132 million in bonds with the goal of attracting $125 million in state matching funds for building classrooms and a new junior high school, upgrading fire and electrical systems, and other school repairs.

The largest contribution to Measure Z--$12,500--came from Bank of America in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, in the race to unseat Orange County Superior Judge Ronald C. Kline, who stands charged with child molestation and possession of child pornography, write-in candidates are digging into their pockets.

Only Kline’s name will appear on the ballot, prompting write-in candidates to spend thousands of of their own money on publicity.

Karen Robinson, a Costa Mesa city councilwoman, has loaned herself $25,000.

Gay Sandoval, who took three months off work to run against Kline, said she has about $25,000 in loans from her husband.

Leading the pack in spending is Dana Point attorney John Adams, who has loaned himself $38,000.

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Times staff writer Jack Leonard contributed to this report.