Endorsements
10/29/2009
As the local election season comes to a close and Venturans fill out their mail-in ballots or make their way to the polls on Nov. 3, upon reflection, the races for Ventura’s City Council seats have been among the most quarrelsome campaigns in a while. Nearly all of the challengers have argued that the incumbents currently sitting on the hill have made poor choices and are using their power to abuse taxpayers, while some of the incumbents tout proud records and all is well at City Hall.
From mudslinging to accusations of backroom deals, charges of campaigning while on the clock to a complete lack of faith in the current council, running for City Council seems to be not only an arduous task, but a brutal one as well. And the paradox: the “angry” challengers and “complacent” incumbents elected on Tuesday are expected to work together in a cooperative atmosphere. While dissenting opinions are expected, outright anger and animosity can’t be good for progress.
For this election with a field of 15 candidates, the Reporter decided to endorse only three for City Council — two incumbents and one challenger. One is a compassionate fiscal conservative, the second a dedicated advocate for the environment, and the third, a challenger who has demonstrated leadership qualities in our community.
Ventura City Council Endorsements
Neal Andrews
The terms fiscal conservative and social advocate don’t often appear together but best describe City Council member Neal Andrews. His record shows his fiscally conservative values as he consistently votes down superfluous spending, which included voting against giving public employees raises during times of economic hardship. He has remained steadfast in his commitment to a lean city budget, including working to get a handle on what he considers ‘unsustainable pensions’ while feeling the wrath of the Ventura Police
Officers Association’s attack campaign against him. He proved this commitment as he agreed to take a neutral stance on the Measure A tax initiative in return for two other council members agreeing to future discussions on pension reform.
His voting record, including being the one dissenting vote on the ill conceived 911 fee, shows he would rather tighten the budget than put the burden on residents and taxpayers of Ventura.
In voting no on measures B and C, Andrews believes in a less restrictive free market society where being competitive is the tried and true way to prosperity. On social advocacy issues, Andrews’ dedication to helping the homeless and the less fortunate has produced tangible solutions, including the creation of the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness and the nationally recognized Ventura Homeless Prevention Fund.
Andrews is also one of the most accessible council members, willing to discuss issues with his constituents in great length at almost any given time.
While we don’t always agree with his positions, the Reporter feels that Andrews’ experience and value system more than qualifies him for the job as a city leader.
Brian Brennan
Experience does matter — especially when it comes to tacking up expensive, and sometimes, garish campaign signs. Councilmember Brian Brennan just doesn’t do it. It’s uncertain whether that’s attributed to confidence in his current re-election bid or simply a brandishing of his enviable green credentials. Even after 12 years of service on Ventura’s City Council, he deserves to be re-elected yet again.
Brian Brennan is Ventura’s moderate, genial presence on the City Council. He’s widely known for promoting sensible local environmental projects including the Green Building Initiative (a financial incentive program for projects that invest efforts to promote sustainable practices) and the Green Streets Initiative (which helps prevent storm water from polluting ocean water).
But his candidacy represents more than his green conscience. Brennan just seems to understand how the city is run and why partnerships and compromise — for the sake of achieving realistic goals — are essential to the city’s positive growth.
This is why his goals for the next term include partnerships with Southern California Edison to improve energy efficiency throughout the city, and the creation of a Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) program to build local awareness in case of a natural disaster.
His sensible endorsement of this year’s Measure A (the sales tax initiative) and concise repudiation of Measure B (it might hinder the city’s goals to reorient itself around walking and public transit) have only served to further bolster his candidacy in our eyes.
Mike Tracy
Among the 11 challengers for the City Council, Mike Tracy has the most decorated past as a proven leader, having served as chief of the Ventura Police Department for six of his 30-years in law enforcement. His visibility and accessibility as head of police lend themselves to Tracy making a seamless transition to city government.
Tracy supports Measure A and opposes measures B and C. As an ex-policeman, he emphasizes improving public safety resources through Measure A funds, and says that the city has lost its focus in those areas.
But he’s also made it clear that beyond police and fire manpower, the tax increase can be effective only if the sales are there, and that means encouraging better economic development. A priority for Tracy is in reversing Ventura’s image as a business-unfriendly city by working to attract new jobs.
His stance against measures B and C supports this commitment. Throughout his campaign, Tracy has offered up a pragmatic view into boosting local business by welcoming new retailers into Ventura and not limiting them in their growth.
In addition, Tracy is one of the few council challengers with an outspoken, ardent support of enhancing the arts in Ventura. We also agree with Tracy on his stance that many of our public places — downtown, the pier and our parks — need cleaning up and maintenance to make Ventura a welcome, viable tourist destination again.
Because Mr. Tracy is trusted by local public safety personnel, Ventura needs him to help negotiate sensible and sustainable pension reform in the future. We’re encouraging him to make this a high priority if elected.
Ventura unified school district endorsements
The race for open seats on the Ventura Unified School Board is only one-third the size of that for Ventura’s city council, but has been no less contentious this election season.
Schools across California are faced with similar problems at this juncture; educational and fiscal. Ventura is no different. Student test scores need raising, No Child Left Behind needs re-examining, school violence needs abating, overpopulation undermines education quality, and administrative and financial accountability are lacking in these hard economic times and severe state funding cuts.
All five candidates vying for three slots on the school board — Mary Haffner, Velma Lomax, John Walker, Monique Dollonne and David Norrdin — have touched on these topics and more, sometimes agreeing, sometimes not, with zeal, conviction and the desire to improve Ventura schools.
The Reporter endorses Velma Lomax and Mary Haffner, and believes that supporting them at the polls next week will bring Ventura’s school district closer to academic excellence, more quickly serving to enact the critical changes we need in classrooms.
Currently seeking her fifth term, Lomax has proven accessible to teachers, parents and students, and as a solid collaborator with her fellow board members, working to make wise financial choices for the good of the district. As a member of its surplus property committee, Lomax played an integral part in lessening major fiscal cutbacks to the district and preventing employee furloughs.
But the reason Lomax has consistently been a right choice for re-election for the past four terms is because every action she makes is devout with a true passion for children in mind. As a computer/technology instructor, Lomax is the type of teacher who has the innate ability to relate to her students. She understands that test scores are not the defining factors behind academic achievement, and that No Child Left Behind standards need vast improvements. Most of all, she’s endeared high school students to get engaged in the decision-making process, encouraging them to attend school board meetings and foster their involvement. “If it has to do with kids, I’m there,” she says. “I love kids.” And it shows.
Haffner is the environmental voice of the board, having chaired the Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance to bring green efficiency and sustainability to schools, in turn effecting lower costs for the district and for taxpayers.
Seeking her second term, Haffner possesses a strong drive for avoiding complacency and achieving accountability in the top-to-bottom-dominated district hierarchy. Haffner does it through a common-sense, collaborative style and a calm, mindful communication that’s made her the mediating influence on the board. It’s no surprise she was chosen president in her first outing on the board.
The Reporter applauds challenger Monique Dollonne’s widespread, dedicated election campaign; her quest for better accountability and attempts to address administrative oversights would serve her well as a future school board member with an aggressive look at exposing gaps in the system. But she needs more time to warm up to parents, faculty and administrators, and to channel her energy in a positive way instead of being alarmist to reach that collaborative middle ground needed from an accessible trustee.
As such, we do not endorse John Walker for many of the opposite reasons. Although Walker is its longest serving member at 20 years, with an impressive track record, the school board needs to enact some critical change, even if striking the balance between trusted experience and fresh perspective comes from re-electing two incumbents. We’re concerned that by re-electing all incumbents, these needed changes will not come fast enough.
Yes on Measure A
(Half-cent sales tax)
No on Measure B
(Viewshed protection initiative)
No on Measure C
(Big box initiative)
Yes on Measure E
(Oxnard’s parcel tax initiative)
DIGG | del.icio.us | REDDIT
Related Articles
Comments
Do NOT vote for Mary Haffner, the attorney who talks out of both sides of her mouth. On Oct 15th at the candidates' forum, her answer about military recruiters on campuses was hostile. She said she doesn't like it, and she falseley stated that they target low income students.
If you are a mililtary family, Mary Haffner is NOT your friend.
What else has she mis-stated from her bully pulpit? Oh yeah. That her schools are doing great.
This district is in year 3 of Program Improvement, a very embarrassing situation.
Several subgroups have failed to make their tiny, tiny targets on the federal Adequate Yearly Progress Report. 5 points is only 5/8th of a percent of the California API. The math and English goals are only 47% of the already easy API Academic Performance Index.
800 is a soft C, or 75% of the index. If you take away the few students at Foothill and Mound, then the majority of VUSD scores a D average, or below 760 API points Many subgroups are in the 600's which is an F. (Even with Foothill and Mound, the VUSD failed to make the easy 800 interim target of 75%.)
The whole district scores a low C on the API. That is not "great". These kids are ending up in gangs. Mary knows it. She gets the reports. Tell her good-bye.
Mary Haffner covers up for the teachers union. Who do you think vandalized and keyed cars of Monique's supporters at Montalvo? Who slashed tires of the people who knew the truth?
Does this sound like Chicago-style politics? You betcha! And would thugs distort the facts to serve their union purposes? If you are still naive, you better rent the old Marlon Brando classic, "On the Waterfront", and see if this doesn't look like politics in the City of Ventura.
Vote for Monique! Vote for Sunshine!
Here is a letter from a teacher who was at Montalvo and was a front row witness and who knows exactly what happened.
------------------------------------
October 23, 2009
As a teacher, former parent site council member at Montalvo School , and a concerned citizen of Ventura , I am appalled at the vicious lies Ms. Laurie Curtis-Abbe perpetrated in her recent letter to the editor. Ms. Abbe was not even around when Monique Dollonne was on the school site council of Montalvo School or when I served on the site council, so her “perspective” on Ms. Dollonne’s behavior towards the Montalvo staff, is, to say the least, erroneous and an outright LIE. As a parent at Montalvo School for 4 years, Monique Dollone NEVER exhibited any of the behaviors towards the Montalvo staff she has so viciously been accused of. Claims that Ms. Dollonne somehow randomly entered classrooms and harassed school personnel are flat out LIES. I was there Ms. Curtis-Abbe—you were NOT! I have personally witnessed the power the VUSD exerted over the parents and staff of Montalvo School in a concerted effort to thwart transparency as to where nearly $1 million dollars in federal and state money went. It is, once again, apparent that as election time nears, those connected with the District are being asked to write, campaign, distort, or smear Ms. Dollone in any way they can to keep her from being elected. I can hardly wait to see who else will get on the district bandwagon with more lies and distortions.
(continued below)
(continued)
I wonder what self-respecting parents would do if they were falsely accused of harassing teachers and disturbing classrooms at their child’s school and were not permitted to even see their child on campus during the school day. I doubt they would find litigation against a school district wasteful or frivolous—no matter how many appeals were necessary. I am appalled at Ms. Curtis-Abbe’s lack of knowledge of the real facts surrounding VUSD’s vicious attacks on a parent and the launching of her own uninformed tirade against Monique Dollonne. Let’s take a look at the facts, not the VUSD rumors and the rumors of supporters of the district where this issue is concerned:
My wife witnessed Ms. Dollonne being arrested at her car. Ms. Dollonne did NOT enter the Montalvo campus. As far as disturbing classrooms and intimidating parents and teachers--these are not facts, they are concocted fiction. Staff members at Montalvo, no longer associated with the school district, can testify to this and to the fact that the Superintendent basically forced them to attend meetings where the district's attacks against two site council parent members and against Ms. Dollonne were not to be questioned and that the district's "story" was the only one they were to adhere to. Other concocted “charges” against Ms. Dollonne claimed that she failed to sign in properly when coming on campus. The fact is that her signature appeared on the school sign in sheets every time she came to campus. Anyone can see copies of those sheets by filing a Public Acts Request. Stories to the contrary were deliberately meant to mislead the public into thinking Ms. Dollonne was somehow irresponsible. Far from that, Ms. Dollonne spent innumerable hours in support of the school and the Montalvo PTA, raising money for the school through fundraisers and grants she was able to procure. No parent ever more generously offered her time and talent to the service of the students and staff of the school—but then, Monique knew too much about what was really going on.
(continued below)
(continued)
Two parents on the site council at Montalvo school (who were also district employees) and the chairman of the council (who was also a teacher/district employee), as well as the principal, made sure that the fiduciary job of the council, which was to see that the money coming from the state and federal government to support the school plan, did not happen. I wonder if Ms. Curtis-Abbe or her husband, who served as a Montalvo School site council member after my term was up would have had any better luck than I did trying to find out where that $1 million went that should have gone to programs for the children of Montalvo School . Over the course of the two years I served on the council, parents on the site council (who were supposed to be looking out for ALL children at Montalvo School ) watched the district distort facts and deny transparency and accountability to the taxpayers of this city. Ms. Curtis-Abbe doesn’t really know what happened. Like others who only listened to those in power who claim to have the "right" story, her objectivity is seriously flawed. She wasn’t there.
Monique Dollonne was falsely arrested after an orchestrated set up by the Montalvo school principal while picking up her 4th grader while standing in the streets of Ventura . She was never trespassing and this is why the D.A., obviously more intelligent than VUSD, dismissed the bogus charges. Ms. Dollonne had to defend herself from the harrassment attacks and did what any citizen has the right to do-- sue for justice against the malicious VUSD District’s orchestrated claims of harassment. Mrs. Dean, the Principal of Montalvo, the head of the orchestration, is being sued personally, Dr. Morrison in charge of human resources is also being sued personally as well as Don Austin, the (at the time) official attorney for VUSD.
(continued below)
(continued)
nterestingly enough Ms. Curtis-Abbe, you listened to the rumor mill to get your information but carefully forgot to explain why VUSD was being sued. So let me enlighten you. A group of parents, appalled by the lack of response from VUSD asking for accountability for their children’s education, filed Public Acts Requests. We requested an accountability for $15 million and received check requests (proof) for only $1 million. No other proof was offered and instead, the VUSD who cannot stand being questioned, orchestrated an attack campaign against those parents who were fighting for their children’s education. I know it because I was one of them. The attacks went from harassment and threats against the teachers who did not go along with the District, to getting people to key our cars in the Montalvo School parking lot and the slashing of tires of parents who raised questions about accountability. When the harassment campaign did not work, VUSD used its power tentacles to orchestrate a false arrest of Ms. Dollonne. Since Ms. Dollonne had much information on the District’s conduct, manipulation of data and misallocation of funds, she was attacked the most. The district even went so far as to call Child Protective Services with the goal of taking her child out of her home. I wouldn’t call this kind of school district leadership intelligent or compassionate.
I STRONGLY urge voters of Ventura to change the course for the sake of our children and grandchildren. Ventura deserves better than a school district in PI status, an alarming high school dropout rate, and people serving the district who neither know the truth nor speak it.
Let’s get the facts straight and not elect board members approving any action coming from VUSD’s leadership that is abusive, and tyrannical. Our children’s future depends on our decision on November 3rd. Let’s clean the slate of the status quo and start by electing Monique Dollonne on November 3rd.
Russ Walker, Ventura
Wow—that's some pretty harsh language, Mr. Walker! I don't know much about Ms. Dollonne, but I do know some things about Laurie Curtis-Abbe. And I can tell you that "vicious" and "liar" would be among the last words I'd ever attach to this kind, sensitive and gracious woman.
In the words of some of her students on RateMyTeachers.com, "Mrs. Abbe is probably the nicest teacher in the 8th grade. I look forward to her class every day" and "Mrs. Abbe is AWESOME!!! She is the most understanding teacher, and she will go far to help her students."
The caricature you create of Ms. Abbe is so off-base that it would be funny—if only it weren't also just so mean.
Heather Wahl, Ventura
I am surprised at your endorsment of Mike Tracy. He is probably a very nice person and I have nothing against him personally, but some of what I have discovered about his time as police chief is unpalatable, if not downright outrageous.
He elected to arrest the homeless for 'camping' if they had anything with them that could be construed as 'camping' paraphernalia, along with school truants, etc., which was not only unconstitutional and an abuse of police power, it resulted in a reprimand of the City Attorney for prosecutorial misconduct.
At the forum by the League of Women Voters he proposed that to help the libraries we should put them in other city buildings like high schools and private businesses because the main use of libraries is people wanting access to computers. Is this a sensible suggestion or is it absurd?
By tuning in to the capstv voter videos, one can assess more clearly who the candidates are and what they are about. http://www.capstv.org/VV09.htm
Apparently one of the issues before the council is the inflated pensions of some of the city workers including police as unsustainable. Police work hard and take risks but if they can retire at age 50 with a pension 3 times as much as most people would only dream of as an income stream, it is over the top.
If Mike Tracy's pension for life is $186,000 per year as was stated on one of the videos referenced above he is definitely going to have the special interest of sustaining these pensions if elected to the city council. He claimed he would donate his city council pay, a ridiculously low amount by comparison at $7200 per year, to non-profits. Sounds good but do the math.
I don't begrudge anyone a pension. We all need to be financially secure in our old age. But how much can a city sustain when there are so many budget cuts. 42 people lost their jobs to keep the city afloat while increasing these pensions.
But an even more important concern for me is to have someone in power who is disdainful of our constitutional rights as Tracy proved to be when he had that power.