Hoffman Leads in Campaign Donations

Despite a late start, Thousand Oaks businessman Randy Hoffman has amassed $152,000 in his push for a seat on the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, outstripping the $64,000 raised by rival Linda Parks.

Hoffman’s donations came from an array of well-heeled individuals and business owners in the Thousand Oaks area. One major backer is billionaire David H. Murdock, chief executive of Dole Food Co. and developer of the luxury Lake Sherwood estates. Murdock and his company donated cash and services worth $66,000.

Parks, a Thousand Oaks councilwoman, stuck to a pledge to accept no more than $500 per contributor. She listed environmentalists, supporters of the SOAR anti-sprawl initiatives, retirees, homemakers and Hollywood director Rob Reiner as backers.

With the election seven weeks away, one political analyst likened the high-profile race to an air-versus-ground war. Hoffman will funnel his money into costly cable television ads while Parks rallies a corps of dedicated grass-roots supporters, said Herb Gooch, chairman of the political science department at Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks.

“Hoffman will do the TV media blitz because he’s not as well-known a commodity as she is,” Gooch said. “Parks has shock troops on the ground, who have been through multiple elections. They’re consistent, they know what they’re doing and they’re battle-hardened.”

Finance statements reflect donated cash and goods through Dec. 31. Additional filings are due later this month.

The candidates will face off in the March 5 primary for the 2nd District seat being vacated by retiring Supervisor Frank Schillo. Because there are no other challengers, the primary will determine who wins the office.

Murdock Also Aids Mikels Campaign

In the other supervisorial contest, 4th District incumbent Judy Mikels raised $53,595, bringing her war chest to $66,370. Murdock again played a major role, giving Mikels $25,000, or about half of the dollars raised for the reporting period.

Mikels said Murdock has become an acquaintance during the last two years. He asked for her help ushering improvements to his Ventura Farms estate through the county’s Planning Department and she complied, Mikels said.

“What he has told me is that he believes I’ve worked hard for agriculture and Dole is one of the biggest buyers here in the county,” Mikels said. “I’m a fiscal conservative and pro-business, and my attitude toward streamlining bureaucracy is in line with his.”

Finance reports for Mikels’ opponent, Moorpark fraud investigator John Lane, show he raised just under $46,000, the bulk of that a $30,000 loan to himself.

Most of his remaining contributions came from law enforcement, including $5,000 from a local deputy sheriff’s union that has attacked Mikels for failing to usher through a benefits package it is seeking.

Lane, a retired Los Angeles Police Department officer, said he is proud to receive the financial backing of police and fire agencies.

“When folks get wind of where the funds are coming from--police and firefighters versus a billionaire land developer--we’ll see how voters perceive it,” he said.

Murdock’s influence is also being questioned in the Thousand Oaks race. Parks suggested Murdock is willing to bankroll Hoffman’s campaign because, she said, the businessman would be more favorable toward development projects that come before supervisors.

“I anticipate Mr. Hoffman spending a million dollars to try to buy a seat,” said Parks, who has long advocated stronger growth controls. “That doesn’t change who I am and how I am going to run my campaign.”

Hoffman defended Murdock’s support, saying the billionaire knows him from his 1998 congressional race against Democrat Brad Sherman and that he appreciates Murdock’s business background. He also suggested that while Parks is limiting her donations, he said she will be helped late in the campaign by well-heeled backers who pump independent money into her campaign.

“I’ll make sure we are not outspent, even if I have to put my own money into the race,” Hoffman said. “But $1 million is not even anywhere close to our projection.”

Another big contributor to Hoffman is financier William D. Dallas of Lake Sherwood, who gave $25,000. Hoffman described Dallas as a close friend who often contributes to causes he believes in.

Hoffman’s campaign manager Joel Angeles acknowledges his candidate intends to use television heavily to make his name and face more familiar to voters. Although Hoffman ran for office once before and is known in the business community for starting a successful technology company, Parks has greater name recognition as a sitting councilwoman.

“As soon as the money comes in, we are spending it,” Angeles said. “We ran ads for four weeks in December and we’ve got new commercials running now. We’d like to be on the air every day between now and the election.”

In the two other county races on the March ballot, donations have been more modest.

Assistant Treasurer-Tax Collector Larry Matheny has underwritten most of his campaign for the treasurer-tax collector’s seat. He reported raising $50,300, donating $9,300 of his own money and loaning himself $41,000.

His opponent, Mike Markey, a former Thousand Oaks City Council member, did not file papers with the county.

In the crowded race for county clerk--recorder, another contest with no incumbent, county Republican Party Chairwoman Jackie Rodgers reported $8,778 in contributions, including $6,204 in loans to herself and $250 from state Republican Party Chairman Shawn Steel.

Oxnard City Clerk Daniel Martinez had $10,000 in loans to himself. Assistant County Recorder Philip J. Schmit reported $350 in contributions, and Michael Wesner reported no contributions. Ventura County Board of Education member Yvonne Gallegos Bodle and Simi Valley business executive John Reid did not file reports.