Campaign Budgets Are Again Running on Low

The race to fill the City Council seat vacated last fall with the resignation of former Councilman Scott Montgomery promises to be a low-budget affair.

Moorpark elections are seldom known for big spending, but of the seven candidates who have lined up for the March 26 special election, only three have raised any cash from outside sources for their campaigns.

“There isn’t a lot to spend it on,” candidate Eloise Brown said.

Former Planning Commissioner Mike Wesner has raised the most money, collecting nearly $400, City Clerk Lillian Hare said.

Both Brown, a former council member, and Gary Lowenberg, a sales manager for a bus manufacturing company, have received about $200 in outside donations.

The four other candidates--Joe Catrambone, Chris Evans, Bill La Perch and Mike Carlin--have filed forms pledging they won’t be taking any donations and don’t plan to spend more than $1,000 on their campaigns.

The most recent council election, in the fall of 1994, was canceled after no candidates came forward to challenge incumbent Councilmen Bernardo Perez, John Wozinak and Mayor Paul Lawrason.

While this race has attracted an outpouring of interested candidates, the campaign has been quiet so far as the challengers have not yet had an opportunity to debate the issues. All the candidates have made appearances at City Council and Planning Commission meetings and the defining campaign issue seems to be growth.

Evans, who runs a bridal show business in Moorpark, has spoken out during several meetings and has organized a round-table discussion scheduled for next Saturday on the Messenger Investment Co.’s proposal to build a 3,221-unit housing development called Hidden Creek Ranch.

Debate on this development--which would increase the city’s size by more than one-third--has coincided with the election, making it an important campaign issue, Evans said.

Catrambone, a retired marketing executive, and La Perch, a former planning commissioner, have both spoken out against the Hidden Creek Ranch development.

Carlin, a retired Marine, has also focused his attention on how new housing projects are changing Moorpark, while candidate Wesner has said he believes in measured growth.

On March 12, the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce is scheduled to host the city’s first and possibly only candidates’ forum for the special election.

Candidates have already received questionnaires from members of the group, Chamber President Jim Stueck said. The first two questions on the list are about growth.

The winner of the election will serve the remainder of Montgomery’s term, which expires in the fall. Montgomery resigned in October after pleading guilt to felony and misdemeanor conflict-of-interest charges. He is awaiting sentencing.

Two other council seats will also be up for grabs this fall when the terms of Lawrason and Councilman Pat Hunter expire.