Chuck DeVore Declares Candidacy For Irvine City Council; Cites Misplaced Priorities of the Current Council Majority; TV Ads Begin Running in Irvine Today.

Business Editors

Chuck DeVore, an Irvine businessman, Army National Guard Major, and a former Irvine commissioner, formally declared his candidacy for Irvine City Council today.

"Several concerned Irvine residents asked me to consider running for council. They are not at all pleased with the direction the current council majority, led by Mayor Larry Agran, is taking the city. We looked at the record: tax increases, a $12 million increase in the city budget in two years, misplaced priorities -- such as rejecting a plan to help our schools and instead spend money on a $2 billion light rail system and advancing plans to build out the Northern Sphere to 35,000 residents and develop next door El Toro too -- these are issues that matter to the people and issues that we need to address," DeVore said.

"I am honored to have the support of Irvine City Councilmen Greg Smith and Mike Ward and many, many other local elected officials and community leaders," DeVore said. A list of DeVore's endorsements can be found on his Web site: www.ChuckDeVore.com.

DeVore's television ads are airing on Cox Cable (NYSE:COX) and are appearing on Fox News (NYSE:NWS) and several other channels. The 30-second ads feature Ray Quigley, Irvine's senior statesman, introducing voters to DeVore.

DeVore has lived in Irvine for 13 years. His wife, Diane, was a music teacher in the Irvine Unified School District. When the younger of their two daughters enters kindergarten this fall, both of their children will be attending Irvine's public schools. DeVore served as an Irvine City Commissioner from 1991 to 1996.

DeVore worked for Congressman Christopher Cox through 1990. Earlier, he served as a Special Assistant for Foreign Affairs in the Reagan-era Pentagon. He is a vice president for SM&A, an aerospace and defense consulting firm based in Newport Beach, Calif.