New Law Stacked Against Zeanah

In 1996, voters passed a campaign reform law designed to keep elections in the hands of voters and out of the hands of big money. That same year, voters elected Linda Parks, a slow-growth candidate, who ran on a platform decrying the huge donations made by developers and clients of developer attorney Chuck Cohen. Parks won by 5,000 votes more than her nearest rival and beat the former record held by Jamie Zukowski--23,000 votes. Voters wanted fair elections.

The new law states that individuals can donate a maximum of $250. The law, however, overlooked recall elections, which have no limit. Last December, Cohen’s son sent a memo to the state asking for clarification on recalls and we saw the birth of the recall against Elois Zeanah, who shares Parks’ positions.

But the real shocker to me is that Zeanah must receive over 50% of the vote just to keep her seat. No one in the history of the city has received that percentage. Further, in a different part of the ballot, those who want to replace her, should she fail to gain 50%, can be elected with as little as 20% of the vote. This double standard explains why so much money has been spent to recall Zeanah. The few hope to silence opposition with 20%!

Some say, “I am so disgusted by the mudslinging, I’m not voting!”

My answer: Don’t play into the hands of those who would seize power through lies and innuendo. Elois Zeanah is an honest representative who remains true to her platform and constituents. Are we to knuckle under to a tiny group of outside interests led by Jill Lederer, former Andy Fox campaign manager, crony of Cohen and Dennis Gillette (on the ballot this fall--one of those 20-percenters)?

Lederer, the pizza queen, is a resident of Moorpark but donates not $250 but $173,000? Something’s fishy, and it isn’t anchovies.

HELENE VIVES, Newbury Park

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I’m 14 years old and am a student at Newbury Park High School. I have been a resident of Newbury Park for my entire life.

I’m writing in regard to Jill Lederer and the expansion of Newbury Park with the Dos Vientos project. I’m aware that Lederer is in favor of this expansion of about 2,000 homes.

Now I’m confused on one thing. I don’t understand why a lot of people follow her in this huge development when she isn’t even a resident of Newbury Park. I would like to know why the City Council agrees with Lederer even though she is a resident of Moorpark and does not live in this small, quiet, nonviolent, happy community.

And one thing is for sure. Lots of people who are customers at her Domino’s Pizza shop (near Baskin Robbins on Michael Drive) don’t even know that the money they spend there is being used by Lederer to interfere with Thousand Oaks/Newbury Park politics.

I will not buy pizza from Lederer anymore, and I will encourage my friends and neighbors not to buy Domino’s Pizza in the Thousand Oaks area.

MEGAN GREEN, Newbury Park

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I have been a resident of the Conejo Valley for 26 years and have never taken the time to write my opinion on a subject until now. I can no longer remain silent over a City Council member whose fiscal irresponsibility puts the city and its citizens at financial risk.

Elois Zeanah’s willful obstruction on the waste-water issue is now going to require the posting of an additional $6 million in bonds. A major chlorine spill in our community due to her political belligerence could cause severe financial liability to the taxpayers.

Moreover, Zeanah’s action that prevented Ned Cohan the right to build on his own land resulted in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit that was lost.

Unfortunately, these are just two examples of Zeanah’s disregard for the financial consequences of her actions. The city cannot afford this any longer. Vote to remove Zeanah from office Nov. 4 and elect a council member with financial responsibility.

BOB YOUNG, Newbury Park