Long-Morgan Race

* I was disappointed that The Times endorses Mike Morgan instead of Kathy Long for District 3 county supervisor. Your logic escapes me.

The way I see it, Camarillo lost about $25 million on Morgan’s watch. Although he has never accepted any responsibility for the loss, you excuse him by noting that he helped hire a competent city manager in the wake of it. I understand that the Camarillo City Council regularly received investment reports from the city treasurer who made the faulty investments leading to the loss, and those reports continually showed an unchanging value for those investments. Why didn’t Morgan or any of the other council members question this? Anyone with an investment portfolio knows its value changes almost every day.

While I did not agree with Long’s vote for the mental health merger, the allegedly improper billings that resulted in penalties and required repayment to the federal government occurred for a period of about 10 years prior to the vote, and mostly before Long’s term on the board.

Additionally, you didn’t give Long any credit for seeking out and encouraging the board to hire Harry Hufford as chief administrative officer to deal with the county’s financial difficulties, which all counties experience due to the state stealing local property taxes.

While I was with the county, I worked with Long when she was both administrative assistant to Supervisor Maggie Kildee and a board member. I found her to be intelligent, perceptive, articulate and a good listener. She listened to what her constituents and staff had to say and asked good questions before deciding what to do.

I think she has been an excellent supervisor, and I encourage the voters of District 3 to reelect her. The county will be better for it.

ARTHUR E. GOULET

Camarillo

*

Morgan gets my vote for supervisor for several reasons.

While serving with him on the Camarillo City Council for four years, I’ve recognized that he is more in tune with the pulse of the people than any other elected official I know. He gets out and talks to people and knows what they’re thinking.

Morgan heeds the city attorney’s advice, which the current board of supervisors got into a lot of trouble for not doing. I’ve often heard Morgan say, “I really don’t want to do this, but the attorney says we must, so that’s how I’ll vote.” When there’s a concern, he asks questions during open meetings.

Morgan is now retired, but when he worked in L.A., he boarded Metrolink at 6:30 a.m., returned at 6:30 p.m. and was still willing to devote much time to city matters. I’ve admired his tenacity, honesty, openness and dedication to those he represents.

When supervisors were consumed with using tobacco settlement money to pay fines resulting from their past negligence, they didn’t consider that the people expected the money to be used for health care, so we now have the Measure O fiasco.

Finally, Long was a county employee for several years, and she still thinks and acts like a county employee. A responsible elected official must be independent yet fair when making decisions on employee benefits and pay, which she cannot do if she feels and acts like a county employee.

Join me in voting for Morgan for supervisor.

CHARLOTTE CRAVEN

Camarillo

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At the behest of a friend, I attended a gathering for supervisorial candidate Morgan two months ago. What he lacked in oratorical eloquence he made up for with his statement, “I can’t and I won’t go negative.” The statement was an encouraging change from the sordid depths to which political campaigns have sunk.

Since then I have seen Morgan in two other forums, have followed his pronouncements in The Times and read the material his campaign publishes. I don’t think he understands the term “negative.” His entire message seems to be that his opponent is incapable and full of bunk.

Furthermore, I was under the impression that supervisors run on a nonpartisan basis. So how come a packet was delivered to my house with full-color brochures from the [George W.] Bush and [Elton] Gallegly campaigns along with a page from Morgan once again disparaging his opponent?

MELVIN R. BLOOM

Ojai

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I am glad to support Morgan for supervisor. Morgan has shown his ability to lead and get things done. He has represented his community well over these past several years. His ability to be reelected time and time again is a testimony to his commitment and dedication to his accomplishments.

Morgan is needed at this time to provide that same leadership and commitment to the board of supervisors. Therefore, I am in full support of Morgan to represent our valley on the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.

SCOTT LEE

City councilman

Fillmore

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Even though Morgan spent most of his professional career as a probation officer, his own union endorsed Long. Although he served on Camarillo’s City Council for 20 years, four past mayors and the current mayor, Bill Liebmann, endorse Long.

One of the things I tried to impress upon my kids as they were growing up is to pay attention to the company they keep. You can tell a lot about a person by their friends and associates. I trust the people who support Long, and I’m voting for her.

SUSIE HERRERA

Camarillo

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Kudos to The Times for its endorsement of Morgan. It is time for a change, and Morgan’s experience makes him well-suited to replace Long.

City councils appear to be excellent training grounds for county supervisors. Unlike Long, the two former council members on the board of supervisors did not support the now-infamous mental health merger. They took seriously the warnings of consultants and opposed the politically motivated merger. Eight months later, Long voted reluctantly with three other board members to rescind the merger after it was declared illegal.

The magnitude of that colossal blunder cannot be minimized, and Long’s part in it must be remembered when people vote.

More recently, early in the tobacco settlement funds controversy Morgan urged the board of supervisors to dedicate the funds through an ordinance to health care and to pledge a portion to private hospitals. Only recently has the board indicated a willingness to do what Morgan proposed months ago.

The city of Camarillo is reported to be the strongest in the county fiscally. That’s a credit to its leaders. Morgan is a member of the Camarillo City Council and has served twice as its mayor. He is enormously qualified to replace Long.

LOU MATTHEWS

Ventura