John Moorlach and Chriss Street, who worked as a tag team calling the county’s early 1990s bankruptcy, prevailed by wide margins in Tuesday’s voting over intense opposition from public employee unions.
Moorlach, the county’s treasurer, easily won a seat on the Board of Supervisors, beating Stanton Councilman Dave Shawver 70% to 30%, according to initial results from the county Registrar of Voters.
Street, who ran to replace Moorlach as treasurer, beat Pat Desmond 65% to 35%.
The races were among the most heated locally in the election. Moorlach has been an outspoken critic of lavish pension benefits given to county workers, saying the board of supervisors is risking an even greater calamity than the bankruptcy.
The unions spent big to try and defeat Moorlach. Street, a former money manager, came under fire for his management of the bankrupt Fruehauf Corp.’s pension plan.
In the other two races for board seats, incumbent Chris Norby easily beat La Habra Councilwoman Rosie Espinoza.
Patricia Bates is leading Cathy DeYoung for the board’s South County seat 44% to 38%. A runoff in the fall is likely.
*For results on all local and state races
see the Registrar of Voters site.
