Money spent to run for office

Barbara Diamond

Candidates for city office filed their last campaign expenditure

statements until January. Independent expenditure committees will

continue to file.

“We are getting them almost daily,” city clerk Verna Rollinger

said.

A new name popped up in the statements, which cover Oct. 1 to 16.

Laguna Terrace Park reported spending $5,314.29 on Oct. 21 to

defeat candidate Jane Egly and $6,013.48 on Oct. 21. No committee had

filed with the state as of Friday and no source of revenue was

reported.

A committee formed to defeat Wayne Baglin reported spending

$28,493. 22, from contributions that totaled $36,000, as of Oct. 16.

The Citizens for Good, Honest Government and Civility in Local

Politics and Therefore Against Wayne Baglin committee also reported

in a separate statement a $15,000 contribution from Ohana Holdings in

Los Gatos.

Village Laguna reported raising a total of $21,310 for the year to

date, more than $5,000 in nonmonetary contributions, and spending

$21,502. Contributions of three paintings, one print, one photograph

and a pair of earrings were valued at a total of $2,570. No cash

contributions were reported.

Laguna Beach Firefighters Public Awareness Group reported spending

$3,000 on behalf of candidate Cheryl Kinsman.

The political action committee of Laguna Beach Taxpayers Assn.

reported receiving no donations of more than $100 each between Oct. 1

and 10 and spent nothing. Total contributions for the year total

$4,790.

Laura Parisi, an unopposed candidate for city treasurer, collected

no money and spent none.

Martha Anderson, running unopposed for city clerk, also collected

no money, but spent $140.08 since the previous campaign statement was

filed, the period up to Oct. 1.

The Baglin for City Council committee corrected omissions in

previous filings, which failed to add accrued expenses to the list of

debts.

Baglin’s committee collected $3,019 from Oct. 1 to 16, making a

total of $25,180 since July 1. The committee had spent $18,480.38 up

to Oct. 16, with an outstanding debt of $3,000.

The Kinsman for Council committee added $2,254 to its war chest,

for a total of $34,292, with expenditures of $22,974.27.

Jane Egly for City Council reported the most money raised and the

most spent on the year, with $2,752 raised between Oct. 1 and 16 for

a total of $37,831. The committee spent $3,302 during the filing

period for total of $23,969.

An amended filing covering July 1 to Sept. 30 reported

expenditures of $14,302 and expenditures of $20,667 for the year, as

well as contributions of $35,079 from July 1 to Sept. 30.

The Village Forum, held Oct. 21 at South Coast Medical Center, was

filmed to be shown on https://www.Lagunabroad

casting.com.

Reporters questioned City Council candidates Jane Egly and Wayne

Baglin. Candidate Cheryl Kinsman did not attend.

Some of the questions came from the audience.

Both candidates were given three minutes for opening statements.

Baglin and Egly denounced campaign mailers, described as hit

pieces. Baglin said he learned late last week that Montage Resort and

Spa had laundered money into a committee that opposes him.

Telephone calls to the resort and to a committee spokesman had not

been returned by deadline.

Questions included asking how the candidates could justify a

$35,000 expenditure by the city for holiday lighting Downtown, the

fate of City Manager Ken Frank if they were elected, what issues

needed a closer watch and what they would do to encourage more

citizen participation in city affairs and decisions.

Being civil and listening to the public is the key to community

participation, according to Egly, who is running on a platform of

civility.

“I would listen more than I would talk,” Egly said.

Both candidates said the resident’s community should attend budget

workshops -- it’s there money. Baglin said if the budget were easier

to understand, maybe more people would attend.

Baglin and Egly both said they approved of the holiday lighting.

As for Frank’s future, Baglin said he has long been on record for

the ouster of the city manager. Egly said that Frank has been in the

job for a long time and maybe it’s time for a change.

About 50 people attended the forum, ranking it just behind the

Laguna Beach Alliance for Arts forum, but ahead of all the forums for

refreshments.

EARLY VOTING

There is no early voting at City Hall in Laguna Beach because

Deputy City Clerk Martha Anderson is on the ballot and the Orange

County Registrar of voters vetoes a candidate working at a polling

place.

However, Albertson’s Market has an early voting site inside the

store.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Cox Cable will air a taped City Council candidates’ forum at 6:30

p.m., tonight, and at 3:30 a.m., Sunday, on channel 30.

Tuesday at 8 p.m. is the deadline for absentee ballots to be

delivered to any polling place or the registrar’s office, 1300 S.

Grand Ave., Santa Ana. For more information, visit

https://www.oc.ca.gov/election, or call (888) OCVOTES or (714)

567-7600.

FUNDRAISERS

The last scheduled fund-raiser for the City Council race was held

Sunday at Madison Square and Garden Cafe.

Cafe owner Jon Madison hosted get-togethers for all three City

Council candidates.

“Seventy people attended, some of them came as supporters, some

out of curiosity, but they all left as supporters,” said Michael

Kinsman, the official greeter and people counter for his wife’s

fund-raiser.

The candidate said her top priority was to keep South Coast

Medical Center in Laguna Beach -- it must stay to keep the top-notch

emergency department in town.

Wednesday was ground-breaking day for the rocket ship at Bluebird

Park. The new rocket ship was funded by residents and the city.

“We are so lucky to have people in this town who worked so hard to

make this happen,” Kinsman said. “The rocket ship is the tie between

Laguna’s past and its future.

“It represents everything good about Laguna: imagination, hope for

the future, dedication, persistence and community spirit.”

For more information about Kinsman, visit https://www.LoveLaguna

Beach.com or call (949) 499-2900.

ONGOING

* Saturday night at the Movies, 7 p.m., Saturday at the Democratic

Club Headquarters, 1212 South Coast Highway. Popcorn and soft drinks

provided or take your own refreshments. Seating is limited. Beach

chairs suggested.

The headquarters is open from noon to 8 p.m. weekdays, noon to 9

p.m. weekends.

Volunteers will be kept busy through the election. New volunteers

would be welcomed.

For more information, call (949) 497-7027.

* Art Exhibit. “Meant Times Back Home,” through Nov. 2 at BC Space

Gallery, 235 Forest Ave. For more information, e-mail

bcspace2@mol.net , visit https://www.bcspace.com or call (949)

497-2880.

* Contributions to ELECTION ’04 NOTEBOOK are welcomed. Write to

Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach, 92652; hand-deliver to

384 Forest Ave., Suite 22; call (949) 494-4321 or fax 494-8979.