Faces, issues for 2010

Editor’s Note: These are the top five stories to look forward to in 2010, as chosen by the Daily Pilot staff.

1 Costa Mesa officials say they will continue fighting to preserve the Orange County Fairgrounds for use as a fair and exposition center, after the state put the 150-acre property up for sale in October.

Along with preparing a joint bid with the county for a fairgrounds purchase, in case the state goes through with the sale, the city is taking a step to lock-in the property’s land-use.

Costa Mesa is moving to place a measure on the June ballot regarding the fairgrounds’ uses. In the next few weeks, the council will take a look at the final version of what residents will be voting on. If approved by the council, the city staff will begin preparing the ballot measure.

Although most people in Costa Mesa are united on how the fairgrounds should be used, voter turnout and the ballot’s results remain to be seen.

The deadline for the council to authorize placing a measure on the June ballot is in February.

2 Early polls are showing good numbers for Assemblyman Chuck DeVore in his race to unseat Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). So far, he has raised more than $1 million with most of it coming from individual donors who make small donations. DeVore has collected about 17,000 donations, each totaling about $50.

Unseating Boxer is not DeVore’s only battle on the road to the U.S. Senate. He must first face former Hewlett-Packard executive Carly Fiorina in the June Republican primary. Fiorina, whose name recognition and personal wealth are widespread, is considered to be the favorite in the primaries.

DeVore has used his Twitter account to gather support for his race. His senate campaign even won a Shorty Award for its innovative uses of Twitter. DeVore’s battle to win over voters against Fiorina in the primaries will be something to watch. How much more he will raise also remains to be seen.

3 Assemblyman Van Tran is also hoping to unseat a Democrat in 2010. Tran is running against Rep. Loretta Sanchez of the 47th district.

Tran said he believes that 2010 is going to be a good year for any candidate with new messages and new ideas to improve residents’ lives.

Tran’s main goal is to bring economic incentives and economic opportunities back to his district.

He said that in 2010 Sanchez will have to answer to her constituents as to what she’s done for her people in more than 14 years.

Tran decided to throw his hat in the ring after being encouraged by his constituents and community leaders to run for Congress, he said.

“I have represented, lived or worked in this area for well over 20 years and it is important for me as a legislator to push for economic growth and create jobs back in the district,” Tran said.

4 The Newport Beach Police Department will get a new chief in July, after interim Chief Robert Luman completes his year with the police department.

Former Police Chief John Klein resigned, after two years at the head of the department, over controversy on how he got the job in the first place. Klein’s hiring procedure violated city ordinances and led the Police Management Union to call for a re-testing of the chief’s position.

The department has not started its search for a new chief.

5 The Newport Beach City Council is also destined to see new faces in 2010 as a majority of the council’s members are up for re-election, or their term limits are expiring.

Mayor Pro Tem Michael Henn along with Councilwomen Leslie Daigle and Nancy Gardner are up for re-election, but no one has challenged their seats yet. Don Webb ran out of term limits. In December, Ed Reno began campaigning for election to Webb’s seat.

The 2010 election will be the first after the council voted to raise individual campaign contributions from $500 to $1,000.

Aug. 6 is the last day for candidates to file their paperwork with the city clerk’s office.