ELECTIONS / THOUSAND OAKS COUNCIL : Loh Enters Race Vowing Restraint on Donations

Announcing her candidacy for Thousand Oaks City Council, attorney Trudi Loh said she will voluntarily adhere to county fund-raising limits instead of looser city regulations.

But more sweeping campaign reforms should wait until after the June 6 special election to fill a vacant council seat, Loh said in a press conference outside City Hall.

Loh, who in November narrowly lost a race for county supervisor, also said she will steer clear of persistent council infighting.

“I believe the people of Thousand Oaks are really looking for an independent thinker,” she said. “I’m not looking to move to one side or the other.”

The 38-year-old North Ranch resident said she will not accept donations larger than $1,000 from individuals or businesses and will take no more than $2,400 from any political action committee.

“I certainly invite the other candidates to do so as well,” Loh said. “I feel that gives candidates enough latitude to raise the money you need to get your message out, but you can walk away from a campaign with everyone feeling good about it afterwards.”

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Another candidate, Mike Markey, who received two contributions totaling $11,000 in the fall council campaign from North Ranch businessman Charles Probst, said campaign reform should be left to the City Council. It is not feasible for those running in this campaign to set their own limits, he said.

“I don’t think you can just sit there and pick out a number,” Markey said. “You need to see what it actually costs to run a campaign.”

Markey, a Compton homicide detective who finished fourth out of 16 candidates in November, barely missed being appointed to the seat vacated when former Councilman Frank Schillo won a seat on the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. When the remaining four council members split on how to fill Schillo’s seat, city law mandated a special election.

Markey said Loh’s proposal for contribution limits favors her.

“Let’s say that everybody agrees to this limit,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that someone who has $100,000 in the bank can’t finance their own campaign. Didn’t she loan herself $45,000 in the fall?”

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Loh spent $133,000 in her campaign against Schillo, including nearly $45,000 of her own money.

In this campaign, she plans to focus on issues of public safety, fiscal stability and balanced growth, Loh said Thursday.

“We all live here because this is a very nice community to live in, and we cherish our open spaces and ridgelines,” Loh said. “But people have rights to develop their property. I built a home in Thousand Oaks, and I know just what people mean when they talk about over-restrictive ordinances,” she added.

In general, she said that the council should follow the city’s restrictive General Plan for growth, but exceptions should sometimes be allowed.

Among those turning out in support Thursday--many still wearing Loh campaign buttons from the supervisorial race--were businessman Larry Janss and Ventura County Professional Firefighters Assn. Vice President Chris Johnston.

Johnston said the firefighters’ group, which endorsed Loh in the supervisor’s race and Markey in the council race last year, will wait until all candidates have filed before making a formal endorsement.

Janss made no bones about who his candidate is.

“She leads with her ears rather than her mouth,” he said. “She would bring a clarity of vision and a moderating voice to what is otherwise a hysterical process.”

Other candidates who have taken out filing papers this week are Planning Commissioner Forrest Frields, self-employed businessman Nick Quidwai, mobile carwash owner Lance Winslow, former paralegal Eileen Reimers, dentist Greg Cole and businessman Ramaul Rush.