Don’t Forget to Vote

The cliffhanger presidential race is expected to push Ventura County voter turnout as high as 80% Tuesday, far higher than the 66% who cast ballots in 1996.

Although the run for the White House has dominated the headlines, voters will also be asked to pass judgment on numerous city, county and state issues.

Good government demands that all qualified voters form an opinion about the issues that shape their communities, and then voice those opinions at the ballot box. We urge every voter to take the time to do so.

Here is a recap of our endorsements:

COUNTY MEASURE O

A windfall of $10 million per year for the next 25 years could bring huge improvements in Ventura County’s public health care programs, which fulfill one of the primary responsibilities borne by county governments under the California Constitution.

But those improvements won’t be made if voters fall for Measure O, a lavishly funded campaign by a few private hospitals that want the money for themselves.

The measure specifically prohibits publicly owned Ventura County Medical Center, which provides the vast majority of care to the county’s poor and uninsured, from receiving a dime of Ventura County’s share of the $246-billion settlement that 46 states won by suing the big tobacco companies. The intent of that lawsuit was to reimburse the billions that taxpayers have spent to care for poor and uninsured residents who got sick because they smoked.

Should the tobacco settlement be spent on health care? Yes, it should. The Board of Supervisors has passed an ordinance that directs most of the money to the county’s own health care safety net while designating a fair portion to reimburse private hospitals for the relatively small amount of care they provide to those who can’t pay.

But hand this public money over to private corporations and leave the county hospital and clinics nothing?

No way. We endorse a no vote on Measure O.

STATE ASSEMBLY

District 35: In her first term, Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) moved confidently into leadership positions as chairwoman of two committees and sponsor of 26 bills that made it to the governor’s desk--18 of which became law. She has been especially effective in environmental and domestic violence issues. We endorse Hannah-Beth Jackson for another term to continue her outstanding work.

District 37: First-term Assemblyman Tony Strickland (R-Moorpark) is likable and hard-working, but has not proven particularly effective thus far. He has focused on politically popular issues that produced little or no effect on public policy. We endorse his challenger, Democrat Roz McGrath. McGrath opposes the Proposition 38 school voucher initiative while Strickland favors it. She supports handgun licensing; he opposes it. McGrath supports a woman’s right to choose, while Strickland opposes abortion except in the most extreme cases. We believe that Roz McGrath better represents most 37th District voters and would be a more effective voice for them in Sacramento.

COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

District 1: Steve Bennett has shown himself to be a different kind of leader--a visionary with a populist streak, willing to work hard to build community. He is passionate in his belief that Ventura County can accommodate a growing population without sacrificing the farmland and open space so essential to its quality of life. As a city councilman, he pushed campaign finance reform law and, in this race, he has accepted no contribution larger than $500. We endorse Steve Bennett because we believe that he is just the sort of new leader for a new century that Ventura County needs if it is to evolve along different lines than the rest of Southern California.

District 3: Voters who have a beef with the way the supervisors have managed county finances--or anything else--have a better way to express that dissatisfaction than by passing a punitive ballot measure. They could replace those officials. Mike Morgan offers voters an alternative to Supervisor Kathy Long in the county’s largest and most diverse district. He was on the Camarillo City Council in the late 1980s when the city found itself on the verge of bankruptcy. He helped to bring in a top-flight city manager who, over time, helped make Camarillo the county’s most fiscally secure city. Morgan rightly urged the Board of Supervisors to adopt an ordinance mandating that the tobacco settlement be used only for health care. We endorse Mike Morgan.

CITY BALLOT MEASURES

Ventura--Measure M: Voters in the city of Ventura will decide whether to permit rezoning of about 100 acres at Telephone and Kimball roads to allow construction of a sports park and aquatic center. The vote is required under the city’s Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources measure passed in 1995. We believe that the people of east Ventura--especially the kids and teenagers--have waited long enough for a handy place to run, swim and play soccer, softball, tennis and basketball. We endorse a yes vote on Measure M.

Fillmore--Measures J and K: Of two competing growth-control measures, the SOAR-sponsored Measure J is overly restrictive and the city-sponsored Measure K somewhat less so. Because we believe that land-use decisions are best made by the representatives elected to make them, we endorse a no vote on both measures.

Santa Paula--Measure I: Here, too, we believe that the best way to control growth is to elect representatives who will heed the will of the people they represent, and so we endorse a no vote on the SOAR-sponsored Measure I.

CITY COUNCILS

Thousand Oaks: Fear of growth has always been the hottest campaign issue here. Now, with the city within a few thousand homes of its intended maximum, the more significant issues are how to redevelop older areas, improve the already superb quality of life and make the transition from dependence on developer fees to sustainable fiscal stability. We endorse Jim Bruno and Mike Markey as best equipped to meet these challenges.

Oxnard: As Ventura County’s largest and most diverse city deals with such issues as an unpopular airport, a resurrecting shopping mall and numerous development plans, it needs a blend of seasoned wisdom and fresh outlook and enthusiasm. We endorse veteran Councilman John Zaragoza along with political newcomer Saul Medina, who suggests strategies for capitalizing on the new Cal State Channel Islands among other innovative ideas.

Simi Valley: How to provide homes--especially apartments and other affordable housing--for a growing population and attract new retailers so more of local residents’ buying power will benefit their own city’s tax income? Big questions with no easy answers--and none of this year’s challengers appears to have better ideas than the ones already being diligently pursued by incumbents. Therefore, we endorse Mayor Bill Davis and council members Steve Sojka and Barbra Williamson for another term.

Fillmore: Buffered by a new greenbelt and Heritage Valley tourism campaign, but still challenged by truck traffic, a housing shortage and a need for local employers, this city will choose three members for its five-person City Council. We endorse incumbent Evaristo Barajas plus longtime resident Cecelia Corl Uber and relative newcomer M. Cecilia Cuevas. Together, they represent the blend of tradition and forward thinking that Fillmore needs to flourish.

Santa Paula: It’s a time for bridge-building and fresh ideas as this city struggles to pump up its economy and resolve ethnic divisiveness that sparked a federal civil rights lawsuit. We endorse Al Guilin and John Procter as most likely to provide that leadership.

Moorpark: Helping Moorpark grow without losing its small-town charm is the challenge at hand. We endorse Mayor Patrick Hunter plus challengers Roseann Mikos and Keith Millhouse. Mikos has been active in local environmental and education causes for many years. Millhouse has pushed hard for more recreational programs and facilities for Moorpark’s young people.

Camarillo: All four candidates for two seats advocate slow growth and oppose commercial passenger service at Camarillo Airport. All favor building a new library and recruiting more high-tech companies. We endorse incumbent Kevin Kildee and Planning Commissioner Don Waunch to fill the vacant seat.

Ojai: With the controversial Los Arboles condominium project and a greenbelt agreement about to come before the City Council, defenders of Ojai’s small-town character are even more vigilant than usual. We endorse incumbent Sue Horgan and first-time candidate Rae Hanstad, both of whom promise to take a close look at Los Arboles to make sure that this project is really the best use for such a prime parcel.

Port Hueneme: When faced with a controversy like the uproar over a low wall being built along the beach, Mayor Murray Rosenbluth’s strategy is communication--with an emphasis on listening. We endorse Rosenbluth and Helen McPherson. Her fresh outlook and passion for open exchange of ideas will serve the city well.