Vandalism Mars Santa Paula Politics

In a town with only 11,000 registered voters, the petty vandalism and dirty politics staining this year’s City Council race have been anything but business as usual.

Instead of ripping down a rival’s campaign signs, which is about as vicious as politics in this rural community ever got, people this year have been torching them on front lawns.

Also, a car has been vandalized and--in the most violent cases--a campaign volunteer’s mailbox was blown up and a window at a campaign headquarters was shattered by a gunshot.

When Santa Paula Councilwoman Laura Flores Espinoza received hate mail several weeks ago, she ignored it. But last week, when the incumbent running for a second term discovered a window had been shot out at her campaign office on East Main Street, she took the matter seriously.

Her fear grew when she learned that her campaign sign was one of three that were stacked and burned in front of a home on Richard Road over the weekend, she said.

“This is very frightening,” Flores Espinoza said Monday. “I’m a mother. I don’t want this to escalate.”

Police are investigating the incidents of vandalism, but said so far no witnesses or strong clues have surfaced.

“Without witnesses and evidence, it’s almost impossible to build and present a case to the D.A.’s office,” said Santa Paula Police Cmdr. Bob Gonzales.

He said the intensity of the vandalism leading to election day is unusual for Santa Paula.

“It’s not the typical taking the signs off the grass,” said Gonzales, who as a Ventura Community College trustee knows firsthand about campaign vandalism. “People are going to the extreme to burn them down. They’re drastic measures.”

He said Flores Espinoza had reason for alarm after discovering her campaign office window had been shot out, most likely with a pellet gun. He added that police have stepped up patrols in the neighborhood of a female campaign volunteer for Flores Espinoza who found the word “bitch” spray-painted across her car last week.

Al Escoto is another of the seven candidates vying for three seats on the council. His campaign sign also was burned on that Richard Road lawn before dawn Saturday, along with Flores Espinoza’s and that of Santa Paula Elementary School District candidate Tony Perez.

Escoto said he believes emotions have peaked during this year’s election, partly because of growth issues facing the city. Candidates like him who advocate moderate growth may be the target of those who support development, he said.

“Developers have a lot of money at stake,” Escoto said. “The council is considering expanding borders. These are issues of vital importance.”

Although candidates Don Johnson and Rick Cook also have had problems with vandalism of their campaign signs, Escoto thinks some candidates are being singled out because they are Latino. He believes that is why Perez’s sign was burned although he is not a council candidate.

“Hispanics represent 70% of the community,” Escoto said of the city’s 27,000 residents. “We have got to get rid of the polarization. This just inspires me more. We have got to get rid of the hate and bring harmony into the community.”

Since the violence began, Flores Espinoza said she has altered her campaigning methods.

“We’re being much more careful, making sure people are working in teams at all times,” she said.