City races could get ugly, costly

Although candidates have until August to file for Newport Beach City Council seats, two things about the upcoming races are already clear: They’ll cost a lot of money, and they could get ugly.

An unprecedented six of seven council seats will be on the November ballot, and the field already looks interesting.

In three of the districts, two-way races look likely. And while incumbents in the three other seats are uncontested so far, they may not stay that way ? for example, former Councilman John Heffernan resigned in January but is now considering another run for his seat, if the city charter allows it.

“I left work undone. I had to do it [resign] because of the reasons I’ve said, but I think some of the reasons are squared up,” Heffernan said Thursday. His resignation letter said family and work obligations had clashed with the huge amount of time required to serve on the council.

This fall’s races will carry big price tags too. The past spending record appears to be $57,652 by Councilman Tod Ridgeway in the 2002 election cycle, but observers expect some races to cost nearly twice that.

For one thing, Councilman Steve Rosansky said, most candidates have begun raising money, and the election is still five months away. Rosansky holds the only seat that’s not up for election.

“Some of these races are going to be over $100,000,” he said. “I didn’t start raising money [in 2004] until August. Leslie [Daigle] started last year.”

Daigle, an appointed incumbent, said recently that she’s raised more than $50,000. First-time candidate Jack Wu, a controller for a Corona del Mar design firm, plans to raise about $70,000, and he’s calling on friends in the GOP to help him.

In this election, voters can expect every issue to come out of the bag.

Development is always big in Newport, but the fall ballot may include parts of the city’s general plan update as well as Greenlight II, a measure that would put more voter controls on new development projects and essentially gut the general plan update.

Three incumbents ? Daigle, Ed Selich and Keith Curry ? can expect any opponents to point out that they were appointed to their seats, a process for filling vacancies that’s a sore spot with some voters. A few residents have suggested changing the city charter so an election must be held when a council member resigns.

Which issues are discussed may depend on who’s controlling the campaigns. Gossip has already been making the rounds that consultant Dave Ellis will work for some of the candidates, and not everyone is happy about that.

Ellis, who once described politics as a “combat sport,” has helped at least half a dozen past and present Newport council members win their seats ? including termed-out Ridgeway and Mayor Don Webb, who is seeking reelection.

Ellis said Wednesday it’s possible he will work on some races this fall but no one has hired him yet. But even the possibility has Heffernan anxious.

“I have a very strong opinion about Dave Ellis,” Heffernan said Thursday. “I guess that things should not be just ‘anything goes’ in a campaign.”

In 2002, candidate Richard Taylor accused Ellis of creating a deceptive phone message that cost him votes, and the same year Heffernan told the Daily Pilot that Ellis had suggested he misrepresent himself to win a council seat. Ellis disagreed with Heffernan’s claim, and though the Orange County District Attorney’s office investigated the phone messages, Ellis was never charged or disciplined.

One possible Ellis client is Daigle, who said she will hire a consultant but hasn’t yet.

Asked whether she has concerns because of Ellis’ reputation, Daigle said, “I think you have to look also at the results that people get and who’s effective. You certainly want someone who knows how to win.”

A rundown of Newport’s council races

Because the Newport Beach City Council has seen three members resign since 2005, six of the seven seats will appear on the November ballot. Candidates have until Aug. 11 to file papers to run for a seat, but some already have officially declared their intentions to run. Here’s how the races look now:

District 1, includes Balboa Peninsula, Lido Isle

Tod Ridgeway is termed out.

Seeking seats are business advisory consultant Michael Henn, 57, who has been on the planning commission since 2005, and accountant and GOP activist Jack Wu, 35.

District 3, includes Mariner’s Mile and areas west of the Back Bay to Costa Mesa boundary

Incumbent Don Webb, 66, who worked for the city from 1968 until he retired as public works director in 2001, is seeking a second term and is currently unopposed.

District 4, includes neighborhoods north, south of the Back Bay and West Santa Ana Heights

Incumbent Leslie Daigle, 44, who was appointed in 2005, works in telecommunications and previously served on the planning commission. She faces TV producer Barbara Venezia, 50, who hosted her own cooking show from 1992 to 1998 and last year was elected chairwoman of the Santa Ana Heights Project Advisory Committee, which represents residents on redevelopment agency projects.

District 5, includes Newport Center and Balboa Island

Incumbent Ed Selich, 59, who was appointed in 2005, works as an urban planner and has served on the city planning commission. He faces his first election and is unopposed.

District 6, includes Corona del Mar and most of Newport Coast

Incumbent Dick Nichols, 66, an engineer who has worked in the aerospace industry, is seeking a second term. He is being challenged by Nancy Gardner, 63, a member of the city’s general plan advisory committee and an environmental activist who has belonged to the Surfrider Foundation for 16 years.

District 7, includes Newport Ridge, Harbor View and Spyglass

Incumbent Keith Curry, 51, who was appointed in February, works as a financial advisor for Public Financial Management. In May, he asked that the city not hire his firm for some financial services to avoid any appearance of conflict. Curry is presently uncontested in his election bid.

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