Orange County District 4 supervisorial candidates Tim Shaw and Connor Traut discussed their campaigns in a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters on Monday.
Traut and Shaw emerged as the two contenders at the close of the midterm primaries, earning 33.3% and 31.3% of the vote in the nonpartisan election, respectively.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors, composed of five county district representatives, is responsible for legislation and policy-making at the county level. District 4 encompasses Fullerton, Placentia, Anaheim, Buena Park, Stanton, La Habra and Brea.
Shaw, who currently serves on the Board of Education for Orange County District 4, stated he would prioritize supporting public safety officers, infrastructure and maintaining affordability if elected.
Traut, current mayor of Buena Park, stated his election priorities include public safety, specifically investing in preventative programs and mental health resources, addressing the affordability crisis and essential services the county offers.
Both candidates answered questions about the district’s funding priorities, county infrastructure improvements and increased environmental protections and sustainability.
On rent control, Shaw stated he does not support imposing rent control measures, noting that, although well-intentioned, such measures would lead to a housing shortage due to the price ceiling they impose.
Shaw and Traut referenced Santa Ana, which implemented a 3% cap on annual rent increases in 2021 and recently banned automatic rent fixing, as an example of a failed rent control measure, with Traut stating that some cities have “taken it way too far on rent control” and that investing in eviction protections and increasing tenant comprehension of housing laws and rights can protect renters.
When asked how he intends to combat the county’s homelessness crisis, Traut emphasized maintaining the county’s supportive housing programs, particularly those that allow long-term stays.
Shaw responded that he aimed to prioritize connecting homeless individuals with necessary treatment and medication programs to facilitate familial reconnection.
When asked what programs he would fund with the over $2 million in discretionary funding allotted to county supervisors, Shaw said he would consider not spending any of it at the beginning of his term to curb county spending, but would fund the Community Resource Care Center if he had to consider funding one.
Traut stated that he would support eliminating the discretionary fund system due to ethical issues.
Both candidates emphasized the need to manage county finances responsibly, citing past instances of misuse by former supervisors.
In response to a question about what they could do to “restore trust in and oversight of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department,” both candidates emphasized the need for good officer training.
When asked about immigrant and mixed-status family support, Shaw said he would help constituents access county resources, and Traut said he intends to uphold programs that offer legal defense services to families in need, emphasizing the need to uphold the state’s sanctuary laws.
To the question regarding data centers in the county, Traut stated that, although smaller data centers are needed and exist within California, he does not support the construction of “building large-scale data centers” near homes, citing environmental and quality-of-life concerns.
Shaw stated that the likelihood of a large-scale data center being built in District 4 was low, given the space required, and emphasized the need for nearby data centers.
“When you’re in elected office, and you get to make land-use decision making, there’s a long list of things no one wants near them,” Shaw said. “Airports, prisons, sewage treatment plants, now we’re gonna have to put data centers on the list of things everyone needs, they just don’t want near their home.”
On Flock cameras, both Traut and Shaw agreed that their use as law enforcement tools was beneficial, but raised privacy concerns about data security.
When asked what program of termed-out incumbent Doug Chaffee they would want to continue, Shaw answered he wished to maintain a gun buy-back program and Traut answered he would continue planning for a veteran’s cemetery in Anaheim.
The forum gave each candidate one minute to answer questions written by event attendees.
LWV will host forums and candidate meets throughout the month ahead of the upcoming election on Nov. 3.