Divided Board Defeats Schillo’s Campaign Reform Plan

A proposal by Ventura County Supervisor Frank Schillo to resurrect campaign contribution caps died Tuesday as public sparring continued between Schillo and Supervisor Steve Bennett.

Schillo had asked his fellow board members to support an ordinance modeled after a 1991 local law that would have limited individual, corporate and committee donations to $750 during a primary election and to $250 during a general election, effective in time for next year’s countywide elections.

But Schillo, who is chairman of the Board of Supervisors, could not get enough votes. Supervisor John Flynn supported Schillo and attempted to float a compromise, but Bennett and Supervisor Kathy Long voted no. Supervisor Judy Mikels was absent for the vote.

Schillo’s proposal came just days after he announced he would not seek reelection in 2002, and Thousand Oaks Councilwoman Linda Parks, a political rival of Schillo, confirmed she was contemplating a bid to replace him.

Thousand Oaks Councilman Dennis Gillette, a Schillo supporter, has also said he would consider running for the supervisor’s seat.

Bennett and Long said the timing of Schillo’s proposal did not make sense.

“Campaigns have been wide open for the last two elections, and people who have been around for quite some time could have done something about it,” Bennett said. “There seems to be this sense of urgency, and the question is, where was that urgency for the last four years?”

Schillo maintained he has been waiting since April for Bennett to introduce the campaign reform ordinance he promised when he took office in January.

“I think you have more information on campaign finance than I do, but I was able to put something forward,” Schillo told Bennett. “I don’t know what’s taking you so long.”

The 1991 county ordinance reintroduced by Schillo was changed in 1996 to reflect a new state law that was later found to be unconstitutional, leaving the county with no law restricting the amount of money that could be raised in a political campaign.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Flynn urged his colleagues to put personality conflicts aside and approve the concept of campaign reform as proposed by Schillo, with the idea that the details could be adjusted later.

“We need to work together rather than take each other on every time someone proposes an ordinance,” Flynn said. “Don’t get caught voting against campaign reform. That’s not going to look good.”

But Long and Bennett weren’t biting.

“It just doesn’t add up that it was OK the last two elections when no effort was made, and now you’re trying to rush it through,” Bennett said. He added that he plans to soon bring his campaign reform ordinance before the board.

In the meantime, Long said, candidates should set self-imposed limits on contributions, which is not unprecedented.

Schillo restricted donations in his 1998 reelection bid to $100; Flynn has capped himself at $250; and Bennett limited contributions to $500 when he ran for supervisor in November.