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The Candidates

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Incumbent County Supervisor Maggie Kildee has decided to retire, spurring a hotly contested race in the 3rd Supervisorial District, which includes the

cities of Camarillo, Fillmore, Ojai, Santa Paula and parts of Thousand Oaks. Voters will have four candidates to choose from in the March 26 election.

Roger Campbell

Age: 45

Residence: Fillmore

Occupation: Mayor, owner of auto repair shop

Education: Fillmore High School graduate; attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, where he studied mathematics for 4 1/2 years

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Background: A native of Ventura County, Campbell was first elected to the Fillmore City Council in 1984. He ran unsuccessfully for a state Senate seat in 1992. A mechanic by trade, Campbell has owned and operated his family’s auto-repair business for 18 years. In addition, he serves as assistant fire chief for the Fillmore Volunteer Fire Department.

Issues: If elected, Campbell said he will focus his priorities on strong public safety programs, balancing the county budget, reducing government regulations on business and attracting new industries to the county.

Al Escoto

Age: 56

Residence: Santa Paula

Occupation: Administrative assistant to Supervisor Maggie Kildee

Education: Graduate of Santa Paula High School; studied business administration two years at Ventura College; attended one semester at Cal Poly in Pomona

Background: A native of Ventura County, Escoto worked as an engineer and administrator for the county Public Works Department for 27 years. He served on the Santa Paula City Council from 1984 to 1988, the last year as mayor. He also has served at various times as chairman of the Local Agency Formation Commission and South Coast Area Transit and as director of the United Way of Ventura County. Escoto has worked for the past eight years as an assistant to Kildee.

Issues: Escoto says his top priority will be to protect county farmland from development.

Kathy Long

Age: 44

Residence: Camarillo

Occupation: Senior administrator for Supervisor Maggie Kildee

Education: Bachelor’s degree in education from Eastern Michigan University

Background: A former substitute teacher, Long started her political career as an administrative assistant for the city of Detroit in 1979. She later moved to California where she worked as an assistant for then Los Angeles City Councilwoman Pat Russel. Long moved in 1988 to Camarillo where she opened a flea extermination and carpet cleaning business with her husband, Randy. She served as president of the Chamber of Commerce for one year before going to work for Kildee in 1991.

Issues: Long said she wants to protect the area’s semirural environment, while at the same time work to help local businesses expand their operations.

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Mike Morgan

Age: 49

Residence: Camarillo

Occupation: Camarillo councilman, federal pretrial services officer

Education: Master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California in 1974; bachelor’s degree in psychology from Cal State Long Beach

Background: A longtime Camarillo resident, Morgan has served on the City Council since 1980. He served as mayor in 1983 and 1995. During his time on the council, Morgan helped author the city’s 1983 slow-growth ordinance and was instrumental in the fund-raising and construction of its arts pavilion.

Issues: If elected, Morgan said he would push to stop development of a commercial airport at Point Mugu Navy base and to protect the county’s agricultural base.

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