Candidates for Supervisor Respond to 3 Key Issues

The Times has asked the four candidates seeking the 5th Supervisorial District seat on the March 26 ballot to respond in writing to questions about three key issues.

Saving Libraries

Question: What should we do to save our financially strapped county library system?

Angel Diaz: Take a good look at programs we really don’t need, cut them, and move the money to our library system.

John K. Flynn: The first thing we must do is to mount a statewide campaign to force the state to return the money taken from our libraries. There is a proposal to use the state surplus to finance a tax cut. If the misappropriated money were returned, our library system would be in better financial shape. If the money is not returned, the cities will have to join the county in a federation to finance the libraries. The smaller libraries, such as the one in El Rio, will be saved by the county joining the Rio School District and jointly operating a school-community library. The libraries will remain open.

Arlene Fraser: We need to lobby our state representatives in Sacramento to increase funding priority to keep libraries open. We need to find new ways to make the library system efficient. Libraries need to increase involvement from community volunteers and part-time student aides to expand services. The state should find ways to keep the libraries open. One way is to place the libraries within the school system. A second way would be to convert the libraries to a nonprofit community corporation.

Enrique Petris: Consolidate. I do not think it is extremely necessary to have a large number of libraries providing the same service--research and general information. In other words, by duplicating library services, the Ventura County Library system is managing and directing a very inefficient and ineffective service organization. If the county consolidates its library system, then there will not be a need to either: (a) propose a “special library tax” or (b) increase “user fees” to continue to support a very inefficient system.

Outpatient Clinic

Q: Should the county move forward with construction of a new outpatient clinic at the Ventura County Medical Center?

Diaz: Yes.

Flynn: Yes. Voters expect me to provide mandated services at the best price. By law, I must provide health care to the indigent poor. Do the math--at minimum wage, a person working 40 hours/week, 52 weeks a year makes under $9,000. The buildings this clinic will replace are worn out. The replacement structure will not cause a tax increase--the money is already authorized for construction. The new jail was financed in a similar manner. There will be no tax increase or new hospital beds. Please know that CMH [Community Memorial Hospital] has a strategy to shut down all hospitals/clinics west of the Conejo--St. John’s is next.

Fraser: I believe we should not move forward with construction of a new outpatient clinic until guaranteed state and federal funding is available. We should not increase the county’s tax deficit. The outpatient clinic should provide only mandated federal and state health care programs.

Petris: Yes. If the role of government is to provide for the common health, welfare and safety of its citizens, what better way to support that role than to continue to support the operation of one of its hospitals. There are several reasons why it’s advantageous to expand the Ventura County Medical Center: (1) The expansion will facilitate continued delivery of medical care to citizens who are too poor or who can pay but still need additional financial assistance. (2) It is more economical to expand the current hospital rather than to build a new one. (3) In expanding the current hospital, there will ultimately be more room to continue the medical training now being practiced. Increased room for training is very important since the hospital will benefit through additional financial support from the state and federal government.

Point Mugu Airport

Q: Do you support development of a commercial airport at Point Mugu Navy Base?

Diaz: Yes, this would be a good economical move to bring new jobs and funds for the local economy.

Flynn: Yes. I could support the proposed Point Mugu Airport only if the following conditions are met: (1) The joint-use has to be financially feasible. (2) The Navy must support it. (3) The land used must be inside the Point Mugu base. (4) Agricultural land/open space around the proposed joint-use operation must be protected by law. (5) Cargo shipments must be emphasized as well as passenger services.

Fraser: I do not support development of a commercial airport at Point Mugu. We need to keep Point Mugu Navy Base for military operations only. The Navy should invite other service branches, such as Air Force, Army and the Marine Corps to share use of its facility. Ventura County’s existing airports can provide commercial airport services.

Petris: No. The citizens of Ventura County already have an airport in Oxnard. The development of a second airport in the county is a plain duplication of service. If part or all of Mugu Naval Base is available for private use, then I recommend the following uses: (1) Build a job training/retraining school to serve the local population in particular and the state in general. (2) Build a research facility to assist military and civilian goals. Needless to say, the aforementioned recommended uses would bring more financial resources into the county economy.

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The Candidates

Ventura County Supervisor John K. Flynn is seeking his sixth term in the 5th Supervisorial District, which includes the city of Oxnard and surrounding beach areas. He faces three challengers in the March 26 election. They are Angel Diaz, Arlene Fraser and Enrique Petris.

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Angel Diaz

Age: 62

Residence: Oxnard

Occupation: Inspector and repairman for Kaiser Aluminum in Oxnard. He took a voluntary leave of absence in October to run for supervisor.

Education: Master’s degree in business administration from Stanton University in Maine; bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Miami

Background: A resident of Oxnard since 1974, Diaz previously worked in the maintenance department of Riker Laboratories in Northridge before going to work for Kaiser Aluminum in 1983. He ran unsuccessfully as a write-in candidate for a county supervisor seat in 1992.

Issues: If elected, Diaz said he would look for more ways to cut government spending on administration and overhead. He said he would push for more pollution controls on motor vehicles, while improving county streets and roadways. He said he also believes the county can do a better job of attracting new industries.

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Arlene Fraser

Age: 49

Residence: Silver Strand Beach

Occupation: Amway saleswoman

Education: Bachelor’s degree in special education from San Jose State University

Background: After moving to Ventura County in 1979, Fraser worked for the county as a microfilm technician for five years and since then has been self-employed. An active volunteer, Fraser served on the county grand jury in 1993 and is currently involved in fund-raising for the California Strawberry Festival and the Oxnard Elementary School District. She ran unsuccessfully for county supervisor in 1992.

Issues: Fraser said she wants to revise several county budget policies. For example, she said she would break up the supervisors’ budget into individual accounts so it would be easier to track how much each official is spending. She also said she wants better accounting of how much the county charges individual departments for payroll and other services.

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John K. Flynn

Age: 62

Residence: Oxnard

Occupation: Ventura County supervisor

Education: Master’s degree in American history from Cal State Northridge; bachelor’s degree in economics, sociology and history from UC Santa Barbara

Background: A former junior high school history teacher, Flynn was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 1972. After narrowly losing reelection in 1976, he recaptured his seat in 1980 and has held it ever since. In addition to his elected post, Flynn serves on a number of county organizations, including the Ventura County Transportation Commission.

Issues: Although he has been in office for two decades, Flynn says he has lost none of his enthusiasm for the job. He said he is involved in too many projects--from building a new gymnasium in El Rio to lobbying to keep the county’s two Navy bases open--to quit now. He said his biggest attributes are his extensive government experience and his knowledge of county issues.

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Enrique Petris

Age: 38

Residence: Oxnard

Occupation: Purchasing analyst for Naval Surface Warfare Center at Port Hueneme

Education: Master’s degree in public administration from Cal State Los Angeles; bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Santa Barbara; also holds a teaching credential from Ventura Community College

Background: A native of Mexico, Petris moved with his family to the United States in 1968. Interested in politics, he served as an assistant to former Assemblyman Chuck Imbrecht as part of a 1981 summer internship program. In 1984, he ran unsuccessfully against then-Assemblyman Jack O’Connell. The next year he lost two separate bids for the Oxnard City Council.

Issues: If elected, Petris said he would work to provide more long-term shelters and meal programs for the poor and homeless. He also would do more to protect the environment by tightening controls on the transportation and storage of toxic wastes.