Long, Morgan Candidacies

Re “Bennett, Morgan for Supervisor,” Ventura County editorial, Oct. 15.

Interesting indeed to read your endorsement of Mike Morgan for supervisor. Yes, the mental health merger was an admitted error by Supervisor Kathy Long. Morgan continues to make this the sole focus of his campaign. It’s over, done with. Now let’s move on.

Long’s positives far outweigh Morgan’s negative one-issue focus. She has had a superb impact during her term.

In the Santa Clara Valley, she has opposed expansion of the Toland Road landfill, successfully opposed Newhall Ranch, tremendously increased California 126 safety, obtained $1.7 million in grants for at-risk families and worked hard to boost the local economy.

This is proven vision, dedication, leadership and plain hard work in support of her district’s citizens.

Morgan sent Camarillo’s trash to Toland landfill, received a court order to retract his egregious statements originally submitted in the voter pamphlet and has not presented any message of vision or leadership concerning the Santa Clara Valley.

Just think what Long can accomplish in the next four years to benefit Ventura County residents. District 3 needs her vision, leadership and experience.

ROBERT C. PINKERTON

Santa Paula

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Long has voted for several decisions that have cost the taxpayers millions of dollars. It must be evident to all by now that new political leadership is essential.

The most recent attempt by the board to expand health insurance benefits surreptitiously, an action that should at least have been subjected to public discussion and comment, is the latest of many questionable political decisions on which the board has rejected or ignored public input.

This action, more than anything else, reflects the attitude that they alone know what is best for the citizens and taxpayers of Ventura County, regardless of the social and monetary impacts.

It is for these reasons that I support Morgan for 3rd District supervisor. As city manager of Camarillo, I had the opportunity to work closely with Mike for 11 years. I’m convinced that he will make a good county supervisor. Mike is an honest, sincere and open person who truly believes that the individual voter needs to be heard and responded to in the political process.

J. WILLIAM LITTLE

Camarillo

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I wish to lend support for the reelection of Long for two primary reasons: her opposition to the Toland landfill expansion and her promotion of the Heritage Valley program.

From the outset, Long has been a staunch opponent of the landfill’s excessive expansion due to impacts on the neighboring agriculture, air quality, surface and ground water contamination, traffic and a host of other environmental concerns.

With regard to the Heritage Valley project, Long has been a promoter since the concept was in its earliest stages. Steadfast in her conviction that cultural tourism is one the cleanest and safest way to attract visitors--and their money--to our history-rich valley, her leadership has resulted in the programs’s success and promising future.

MARY ALICE

ORCUTT HENDERSON

Santa Paula

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Immediately after Long took her oath of office, she spent thousands of dollars in refurbishing the office she inherited from her predecessor. She did not bother finding out the needs of the citizens first.

She voted for the ill-conceived merger of the mental health and the social welfare agencies against the advice of the consulting firm Deloitte & Touche, and the then-Chief Administrative Officer Lin Koester. Above all, she ignored the pleadings of the advocates for the mentally ill that the merger was being done to cover the accounting anomalies of the past 10 years.

She voted for her salary increase in 1998 despite the fact that she made a wrong decision in the merger, which cost the county a hefty penalty.

The Board of Supervisors spent $3.1 million of the tobacco settlement fund. No wonder Measure O is on the ballot because its proponents do not trust her.

We have enough of these wrong decisions, hypocrisies and lack of leadership. We need an experienced, successful and fiscally responsible person. Vote for Morgan.

LITA Z. BIEJO

Moorpark