Political Notes : Patterson Delivers His Sharpest Attacks Yet

Former Rep. Jerry Patterson on Wednesday delivered his strongest attack to date on two principal opponents in the race for county supervisor, accusing each man of allowing irresponsible development in the city of which he is mayor.

“Let’s stop irresponsible development,” Patterson told a Rotary Club meeting in Santa Ana, reiterating what has become the main issue in his campaign. “There’s been too much irresponsible development in Orange County.”

Patterson charged that Anaheim Mayor Donald R. Roth and Orange Mayor James H. Beam have allowed such development in their cities, but he was short on specifics.

In response to Patterson’s only citation against Beam--involving a swim club relocated to make way for an auto agency--Beam later produced a letter from the swim club’s attorney praising the city development agency’s handling of the matter.

Patterson also criticized Roth for supposedly allowing a site next to Anaheim Stadium to be chosen as a county jail site, which would reduce parking at the stadium, and for spending $4 million in taxpayers’ money on a lawsuit involving the California Angels, “our hometown team.”

Beam, who followed Patterson to the podium, referred to the attack by noting that although the three candidates have appeared together often, the sharp criticism of other candidates is a new phenomenon.

Beam, Patterson, Roth and candidate Manuel Mendez, who has not been invited to most of the candidates’ forums put on by various groups, are on the June 3 ballot for the 4th District supervisorial seat. If no candidate receives 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will vie in a runoff in November.

Following his appearance Wednesday, Roth agreed that it was “ludicrous” to spend taxpayers’ money on the lawsuit involving the Angels but said that it was the Angels who sued the city over concessions to the Rams and that the city was forced to defend itself.

“My position is saying constantly I want to settle the lawsuit yesterday,” Roth said. He criticized Patterson for having moved to Anaheim only last January and for entering the race late, arguing that Patterson is unfamiliar with issues because “when you’re only here five months, there’s only so much to catch up with.”