Supervisors’ Decision on Ballot Initiative

* Re “Supervisors Block Initiative From Ballot,” June 21.

As one of the declining number of veterans of World War II, which was fought to save democracy and the ability of American citizens to freely vote, the Ventura County Supervisors’ recent actions regarding the tobacco settlement money make me wonder if the democracy concept is still alive.

Sufficient American citizens signed an initiative concerning the disposition and control of the tobacco tax money. That alone should mandate that the initiative be included in the next election, not tangled in a legal quagmire.

Those who oppose or support the measure have ample opportunity in the ballot pros and cons pages to put their views to the voters and, under democracy, let the people decide.

That tobacco tax money should without reservation be specifically dedicated to providing medical help to smokers and not be used for other purposes, perhaps political ones.

True democracy demands that the initiative be placed on the November ballot to let the people of Ventura County--not just a select few--decide its value. Such action could help restore faith in government as being for the people and of the people.

JOHN J. SOCHOR

Oxnard

* It appears that, under the initiative process, the law commands the Board of Supervisors to place an initiative on the ballot when enough signatures are gathered and verified. Regardless of their opinions about the particular initiative, the supervisors are obligated to place the initiative on the ballot.

Yet the supervisors in our county chose to ignore the law by not placing the tobacco settlement initiative on the ballot. They say, with their action, that we are free to obey only laws we agree with. This means we can smoke in bars and restaurants again!

I can’t believe Ventura County is a place where elected officials can ignore the wishes of people, openly violate the law and get away with it.

I feel sorry for the thousands of people who signed petitions because they wanted to vote on this matter. I also pity the even larger number of registered voters in Ventura County who might not get to vote on this issue because of the opinions of five people.

What’s next? This is a government out of control, yet we cannot direct the politicians via the ballot. They apparently are above the law and the people. What we have in essence is a five-person monarchy, a dictatorship by quintet.

JOHN O’TOOLE

Simi Valley

* I laughed aloud when I read Supervisor Susan Lacey’s quote: “You grow up in a democracy; you think, ‘Power to the people.’ But you take away that people power with this initiative.”

Huh?

Lacey and her colleagues just don’t understand the initiative process. They are standing on thin ice because, from what I have read, the general public strongly supports the initiative process nationwide. It is our only tool to skirt ineffective and corrupt legislative bodies.

How do you take power away from the people with this or any other initiative? It’s the other way around. The supervisors took away our power--to vote--by acting to deny the tobacco settlement initiative from the ballot.

I grew up in a democracy and know I enjoy the ability to vote on issues. This fall I might not get to vote on the tobacco settlement issue, thanks to Lacey and the supervisors.

In essence, Susan Lacey took away my people power.

MIKE McINTYRE

Simi Valley