SANTA ANA : Mayor, 3 Council Members Sworn In

Pointing to a new era of political leadership, from City Hall to the White House, Mayor Daniel H. Young pledged to treat all council members as “equal and important players.�

In a city where local politics has been marked in recent years by frequent political dissension, Young said he wanted to “start off with the notion of teamwork, the notion of cooperation and a feeling of goodwill toward each other. The campaign is over.�

He asked the public to hold the council to that promise.

The comments were made Wednesday evening, immediately after Young and three new council members were sworn into office. The newcomers are Ted R. Moreno in Ward 1, Lisa Mills in Ward 3 and Tom Lutz in Ward 5.

Mayor Pro Tem Miguel A. Pulido Jr. was chosen by the council to continue in that position for another two years.

Before the election, the council traditionally voted along a 5-2 split, with Councilmen John Acosta and Richards L. Norton opposing the majority.

But Young’s base of support solidified in the election when he defeated Acosta in the mayoral race and saw two of his political allies--Mills and Lutz--win council seats. Although Moreno was not part of that coalition, he has said since the election that he would try to work with the new council.

Acosta, who ran for mayor just as he was being forced to leave the council because of the city’s term limits law, hinted that he may not be leaving permanently.

“I want to thank (council members) for challenges like I have never had before,� Acosta said. “Some were good, some were not good. There were good times, frustrating times, but I enjoyed every minute of it, and I look forward to being up here again some other day in the future.�

Other council members who stepped down were Daniel E. Griset and Patricia A. McGuigan.

The audience came to its feet in applause for McGuigan after she wished upon the new council members dedication to their jobs and patience, composure, resilience, courage and wisdom in tackling the issues that await them.