Advertisement

New candidate calls herself fiscally conservative

Share

Befitting her hopes for a fiscally conservative city government, Rita Simpson doesn’t plan to spend a lot money in this election.

Simpson, a longtime Costa Mesa resident, isn’t accepting campaign contributions in her bid for City Council.

She isn’t planning on circulating campaign mailers to the community, either.

Instead, Simpson said she will spend the months leading up to the election learning about issues important to Costa Mesans and figuring out how to improve the state of affairs at City Hall.

Advertisement

“I want to remain objective,” she said. “It’s hard to do that when you’re accepting money from people.”

A self-described fiscal conservative, Simpson wants to reduce the city’s long-term pension debt and retain budget surpluses while still maintaining infrastructure and other public necessities.

“When I learned of the city’s financial situation I thought of it as a turning point,” she said. “I knew then I needed to run.”

She admits that the spotlight isn’t a comfortable place for her but said she wants to give back to a community that has done so much to enrich her life.

Simpson recently retired from the Costa Mesa-based Auto Club of Southern California, where she worked as a membership consultant for 15 years. Before that, she worked as a private school teacher.

If elected, the 70-year-old Mesa Verde resident plans to push for the implementation of a charter in Costa Mesa, which she says will give the city more local control.

In her experience, those who oppose the charter sometimes allow fear of change to cloud their judgment.

“Most of the charter is positive,” she said. “It gives citizens more say in how their government is run.”

Simpson explained that she is not running on a ticket with any other candidate but generally respects all members of the current council.

Also in the race for two seats are Mayor Jim Righeimer, former Council members Jay Humphrey and Katrina Foley, retired businessman Lee Ramos, congressional aide Tony Capitelli, Banning Ranch activist Christopher Bunyan and retired accountant Al Melone.

Simpson and her husband moved to Costa Mesa 28 years ago to raise their two sons, Ron, now 36, and Ryan, now 34.

After watching her sons go through Costa Mesa schools, Simpson said she realized that the city and school district should work more closely to ensure that all students receive a quality education.

It’s an issue she hopes to address on the council.

“When I moved here, I just thought of it as a place to raise my kids,” she said. “It’s such a wonderful community with so much to offer. It’s amazing how many people want to be a part of it.”

Advertisement