Global climate change to blame for drought

Congressmen Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley, blames drought on environmental policy and a two-inch long fish called the delta smelt. On Gallegly’s Web site “Question of the week ” page, the Oct. 2 answer craftily places the blame on those agencies and policies that protect California, instead of addressing the underlying issues

Gallegly states, “There is no reason we should have to watch 3.6 billion gallons of fresh water being pumped into the ocean.” Fresh water is not being pumped into the ocean; it is flowing naturally to the ocean. Gallegly would have you believe “environmental organizations have consistently blamed the delta water pumps as the main cause for delta smelt decline.” In fact, delta smelt decline was so alarming that on “August 31, 2007, California Federal Judge Oliver Wanger of Federal

District Court protected the rare declining fish delta smelt by severely curtailing human-use water deliveries at San Joaquin-Sacramento River delta from December to June.”

The action of environmental organizations, government agencies and policies, federal district courts or the delta smelt fish, are not at fault for California’s drought. Drought has been years in the making. The majority of California freshwater for irrigation and human use that were built in the 1930s and 1940s California population has increased fourfold, combined with global climate change, changing rain patterns, low snow pack in the Sierra Nevada. The pollution that is causing global climate change is what Gallegly should be addressing. Instead Gallegly picks his battles well; beating out a two-inch long fish called the deltas smelt seemed to be a slam dunk.

Smelt or no smelt, the issue will only get worse unless Congress addresses global climate change.

Christopher James Grant, Ojai

Letters for Election 2009

No time for frivolous lawsuits
As a parent representative on Ventura Unified School District’s Budget Advisory Committee, formed to bring community input on how to deal with $15 million in state budget cuts, I have seen Superintendent Trudy Arriaga and the Board of Trustees struggle to make — with intelligence and compassion — difficult decisions that will impact the quality of programs and services for our children. VUSD has been forced to increase class size; lay off teachers, administrators and staff; cut programs; and reduce textbook purchases and building maintenance. Across the district, despite the stress of uncertain funding and employment, teachers and staff continue to do an excellent job of educating children, making impressive academic gains and bringing the Academic Performance Index within one point of the 800 target expected for all California schools by 2014.

During this fiscal emergency, when all of our precious resources should be directed to educating our children, I am appalled that our district is being forced to waste funds on frivolous litigation filed by board candidate Monique Dollonne. In 2005, following months during which Dollonne intimidated teachers and parents, disturbed classrooms and failed to follow campus sign-in procedures, VUSD revoked her permission to enter Montalvo Elementary School. Dollonne disregarded this notice and entered the campus, and was cited by the police for trespass.  In 2006, Dollonne filed suit in federal court claiming civil rights violations. The district court dismissed the case, but Dollonne’s appeal was granted due to a procedural error. In December 2008, the district court again dismissed the suit. Dollonne has appealed again and has asked for an extension on filing her brief, ensuring that no hearing, much less decision, will occur before the November election. To date, legal fees to defend against this frivolous suit total close to $100,000 (including in-house counsel), not to mention the time and resources of other district personnel affected by the suit.

Please join me in supporting Mary Haffner, Velma Lomax, and John Walker, for re-election to the VUSD Board of Trustees.

Kay Giles, Ventura

Yes on Measure A, save the Wright Library
I want to acknowledge the contributions of almost a thousand civic-minded citizens of Ventura and elsewhere, who have responded to the San Buenaventura Friends of the Library’s “Save Wright Library” fundraising campaign, and have given more than $92,000 since February to keep the H. P. Wright Library from being closed.

If the library had closed on July 1, as originally planned due to a huge loss of state funding, the books and equipment would have been removed, and the Wright would have been lost forever. A loss of this magnitude, during a time when our most vulnerable citizens are searching for the information and opportunity they need, is unthinkable to any truly responsible and patriotic American. I say patriotic because the loyal support by the citizenry, of the basic needs of our society during a period of hardship and stress, is really patriotism on the home front.

But only enough money has been raised to keep the Wright Library open through November. Contributors are still giving what they can, but they are reaching the end of their ability to give more. Now, it is up to the rest of us to do our part, to join them so their efforts to save the library will not be in vain.

It is now up to us voters in Ventura to save Wright Library by voting YES on Measure A. The state cuts to the funding of our libraries and other basic city services have been too great and too sudden.  Ventura’s City Council has already cut 11 million dollars from the budget, eliminated 40 employee positions and cut all city employees’ pay by five percent, and that was earlier this year, prior to the state’s legal confiscation of $4.5 million more.

Measure A will authorize a half-percent increase in the sales tax rate for Ventura, which will bring the city’s total sales tax rate up to the levels already in place in Oxnard, Santa Barbara and most other cities in California. It will “sunset” in four years, will be completely under Ventura’s control and provide revenues that cannot be taken by the state. Revenues will be spent to keep Wright Library open, fund emergency medical response, fund maintenance for streets and parks, protect beaches from pollution and fund the police gang prevention unit. There will be a commission to monitor planned revenue spending.

Most of us in Ventura have the means to pay a little more (a dime for a $20 purchase) to be supportive. Buying by visitors and tourists will help us gain more revenue, and the tourist trade will be enhanced by a well-maintained city. Sales taxes are not added to the cost of food, medications and rent, so the basic cost of living for those of lower incomes should not increase much.  At the same time, the maintenance of city services, including the Wright Library, benefits all of us, no matter what our incomes.

Please vote YES on Measure A. 

Will Thompson
President, San Buenaventura
Friends of the Library
Ventura

Facts, facts, facts … in education!
Inform yourself! Please verify and understand what is really happening within Ventura Unified School District!

The VUSD community is asking for explanation on the data printed in the various pieces written about our local school results.

California is ranking number 48 within our 50 states. (Performance ranking) California was among the top six states 40 years ago. California has been 49 for the past seven years and was bumped to 48 right after Katrina hit Louisiana.

VUSD is serving 17,000 students; only 5,988 of them are proficient at a C level or above.

VUSD is in PI 3 (Program Improvement year 3), not meeting the minimum targets to educate all our children at a very average level for five years.

Sheridan Way was put into PI 1 status, not meeting its minimum requirements for three years. De Anza is in PI 5, one year away from being taken over by the state. Is that the illustration of significant gains as publicized by VUSD?

Many districts in California are not in PI. Schools get out of PI every year when they make significant gains. Is doing a better job an impossibility for VUSD?

VUSD’s API (Academic Performance Index) is at 799 (C- on the API chart from 200 to 1,000 points) Please note that the state target of 800 represents a 75 percent target level. Is that a definition of outstanding results? Should our Ventura community be proud of these average results?

It is our moral imperative and our community responsibility to understand the true definition of success in education and demand that our children be prepared to compete in our global economy!

(All data can be verified on www.cde.ca.gov )

Monique Dollonne
Founder of the Coalition for
Accountability in Education
Candidate for A VUSD Trustee’s position

A vote cast for Brian Brennan
We, as residents of Ventura, are faced with a complex task in the coming election. There are many candidates who have jumped on board and only a few who are truly qualified to serve in this unique economic and political climate. Contrary to popular belief, it actually requires experience to be an effective leader at the local city level. For Ventura, this is even more critical as we are faced with tough choices, resulting in severe cutbacks to city services and staffing, resulting in layoffs of many employees. The newcomers and inexperienced will boast of solutions, but beware, they will only take the easy route. They seem to think that in order to balance city budgets and fund public safety the only solution is to cut back on progressive policies and critical city services in the areas of environmental protection, supporting the arts, and helping those in need. This is shortsighted and unacceptable.

As a 50 plus year county resident and a 32 plus year city of Ventura resident and 22 year downtown business owner (Ventura Bookstore, RIP 2000), I have worked too hard as a community volunteer and feel too protective of our incredible quality of life here in Ventura to sit back and watch while uninformed and inexperienced undo the tremendous gains we have made. We’ve put in place creative solutions to become a more sustainable city, protect our beaches, preserve our hillsides and farmland, support the arts, and help those in need such as people who find themselves homeless or under-employed. I’m proud of the work that I have done, and that our incredible staff, council members and volunteers have all done to make Ventura the great place it is now live in. We still have much to do to protect and improve on what we now have.

Brian Brennan is the City Council candidate who stands above the rest in dedication, leadership experience and protecting our quality of life. He has been the guiding force on the Ventura City Council for making sustainability and quality of life issues a priority because he understands how interconnected it all is in order to invigorate our local economy, fund public safety and improve city services.

We have too much work that still needs to be done, especially to get us out of these tough economic times. Inexperience and shortsighted campaign rhetoric won’t get the job done. This is a time to support and re-elect a proven leader with a proven record. I’m voting for Brian Brennan for Ventura City Council.

Ed Elrod, Ventura

93004 needs representation
There are no City Council districts in Ventura.  All council members are elected city wide. If you live in 93004, at present you have no representation on Ventura’s City Council. With 15 candidates on the ballot, how can the voters choose? 

If you live in 93004, please check the platforms of Ken Cozzens, Wendy Halderman and Phil Mechanick. These three live in your 93004 zip code. Even if you don’t live in 93004, check out their ideas to improve Ventura. Remember that if you don’t vote, you can’t complain. So, VOTE!

Laurel Hewson, Ventura

Dolonne’s campaign promises a façade
Monique Dollonne’s campaign promises of “transparency, accountability, support to our teachers, fiscal responsibility … and safe schools” are a façade! Her aggressive, antagonistic history with Ventura’s Unified School District reveals her thriving on divisive tactics to demand her way.

From 2001-05, Dollonne bullied Montalvo Elementary’s teaching/office staff, randomly appearing in classrooms and throughout the campus, uninvited, with a personal agenda for instructors/personnel, asserting that her rights superseded the rights of others. For four years, she ignored specific directions from Montalvo’s staff and VUSD’s superintendent, attorney, school board, and union president to stay off Montalvo’s campus and stop disrupting/interrupting its learning environment.

From January-April 2005, Montalvo’s faculty and office/cafeteria/maintenance staff were alerted to dial 911 if Monique Dollonne was seen on campus at any time. On January 14, 2005, Ventura’s Police Department cited her for violating California Penal Code. Charges were dropped due to a minor technicality. Thereafter, her campus escort became the assistant superintendent of education services.

Dollonne has perpetually submitted complaints about Montalvo’s faculty, its programs, and VUSD not being compliant with federal and state regulations to its superintendent, assistant superintendents, bilingual education department, board of trustees, civil rights attorneys, League of United Latin American Citizens, Ventura County Office of Education, California Department of Education, and U.S. Office of Civil Rights. ALL complaints against Montalvo and the VUSD were proven false and dismissed!

Ignoring the significant impact her frivolous lawsuit has had on VUSD’s budget, she is presently appealing her twice-dismissed case against Montalvo and VUSD ($100,000 of Ventura taxpayers’ money)!

Monique Dollonne has never been transparent with voters about her harassment of VUSD employees and their students/parents, alienation of an entire elementary school, and fiscal irresponsibility toward VUSD. For 9 years, she has been an adversary, NOT an advocate, of the Ventura Unified School District!

Laurie Curtis-Abbe
Anacapa Middle School Instructor
Montalvo Elementary School Parent
Ventura

Signs, signs, everywhere are Dollonne’s signs
Ventura citizens have an important opportunity on Nov. 3, to re-elect Board of Education members Mary Haffner, Velma Lomax and John Walker. They serve on a strong board providing schools we can be proud of. Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) reports many successes in academics, environmental awareness, healthy habits and facilities improvements. More than 17,000 students learn in safe schools and are taught by enthusiastic, qualified, creative teachers and support staff. No small accomplishments during an economic downturn that has drastically reduced education funding.

As a parent and educator, I know our schools are effective. My children have attended VUSD schools since 1994, and I have worked in VUSD for more than 25 years, currently as the Director of Bilingual Education.
I consistently have very positive professional relationships with our current school board. Unfortunately, I have also had many negative experiences over the past 10 years with a candidate, Monique Dollonne, whose campaign signs seem to be everywhere. This concerns me. I am hopeful citizens will consider the excellence that thrives in our schools and not vote for Ms. Dollonne, who frequently misinforms community members and intimidates dedicated and highly qualified staff members.

Furthermore, in 2004, Ms. Dollonne attended a training session in San Diego with another parent where they both falsely indicated to conference organizers that they were authorized to charge their conference registration fees to VUSD. When the invoice came to the district office for payment, I was astounded to learn that both Ms. Dollonne and the parent had misrepresented themselves in this way. No appropriate procedures had been followed. No payment was made.

The students we serve are the most precious resource our community possesses. Their education must be guided by honest, fiscally responsible, respectful and collaborative members on the VUSD Board of Education. Haffner, Lomax and Walker demonstrate these qualities. I urge Ventura voters to re-elect them.

Jennifer Whitlock Robles, Ed.D., Ventura

You can’t fight City Hall?
It is quite obvious that many people believe that you “can’t fight City Hall.” According to a recent list of litigants reported by the City of Ventura, there are approximately 25 lawsuits currently filed against it.

I want to warn these possibly naïve folks to be aware of false hopes of victory. The city almost always holds the winning hand because it finds the money to hire the most talented and knowledgeable lawyers, usually from out of the area, to represent them.

In my case, Helen Yunker vs. the City of San Buenaventura, the city hired a big-gun firm out of San Diego to fight me in my pursuit of justice to force the city to repair the landslide on its lot No. 7, which was predicted to cause damage to, and possibly destruction of, my home. My own attorney was no match in the eight-day trial which took place in 2001, and what was predicted to be a slam-dunk victory for me, turned into failure. This outcome surprised everyone, even some members of the city council. Now, almost 12 years later, I find myself pleading with the city to come up with a final solution to end this fiasco. So far, the city’s current plan is to involve me for at least another five years of enduring unkept promises and hope for survival.

The city spent well over half a million dollars to beat me, when, in 1998, the cost would have been nominal. And where did the money come from to carry on the fight to win? It came from the taxpayers — you and me — out of the general fund, which is supposed to be used for infrastructure and public projects, etc.

I have in hand a copy of a “help wanted” ad placed by the City in the October 11 issue of the Ventura County Star, on page G-11. It is advertising for an assistant city attorney at a salary of $92,000 to $137,000 plus benefits, and also for a deputy city attorney with a salary range of $112,000 to $150,000 plus benefits. Where will the City find the money to litigate these lawsuits?

If Measure A — calling for a half cent sales tax increase — is approved by the voters in the upcoming Nov. 3 election, perhaps the city will tap this new source of income, despite promises only for general fund purposes. (Remember, the city used General Funds to fight me.) If passed, it will take more than citizens’ oversight and audits to prevent this happening again. And, if approved, keeping our wonderful library system alive and healthy and at the top of the must-do agenda.

In any event, I believe the city should report to the citizenry:

Why so many lawsuits? The source or reasons for so many lawsuits? And where will the city find the funds to pay for all this litigation, if not the sales tax money? Hopefully, the citizenry and the taxpayers of Ventura will keep a watchful eye on the city’s future spending programs.

Helen Yunker, Ventura


Seems To Me…..
The forum I watched on Channel 6 last evening proved that it is in the best interest of our city to re-elect the incumbents of the city council.

Their records and experience indicate that they are able to make decisions, for the most part, pragmatically after careful analysis of complicated situations.

Their diversity of background, age, career, personal associations and political connections provide, I believe, the adequate knowledge and power for successful negotiations with labor and industry leaders.

Assuredly, this thankless and non-monetarily rewarding public office requires more than great ideas or popularity to fulfill the individual responsibility toward proper leadership by the council as a whole.

I realize that some mistakes have been made in the past. Over this, we have no control. It is the present and it’s impact on the future, they and we must deal with mistakes sometimes, though at the time a painful liability, can, as a mindful lesson remembered, prove in the long run to be valuable assets.

Let us do what is more important and practical for Ventura. That is where we have chosen to live for many reasons, which could possibly be “fine tuned,” but not chanced, trying to accomplish impossible dreams.

In my mind, the most important requisite for a candidate is experience! Wouldn’t it be great if a qualification for a candidacy was to volunteer as an unpaid assistant to a council member for a full term?

Vote for Ventura. Re-elect the incumbents Nov. 3!

Max Van Der Wyk
47-year resident
Ventura

Proposed parcel tax not needed
Measure E is an unfair tax and should be defeated. It is shrewdly crafted to exclude all “No” votes from seniors 65 and older. That sector of the demographic votes more often than any other group, and probably would vote against Measure E if it did not have the “Opt out” option. With Measure E being the only issue on the ballot, seniors older than 65 have no reason to show up at the polls. Unless they have grandchildren or great-grandchildren who attend schools in the Oxnard School District and would want to approve other citizens paying for their descendant’s benefit. They could then opt out of paying the tax increase on their property. Unethical? You betcha!

It is also unfair because it directly taxes only property owners, but not those parents who rent and whose children are also the direct recipients of the tax benefit. Redistribution of the wealth/benefit by this cleverly created initiative is not only unethical, but it may be illegal because it excludes some property owners simply based on age. That violates age discrimination laws and skews the concept of fair elections, doesn’t it? 

Perhaps, a fairer way to tax for school districts would be to add a $1 tax on all consumer items marketed specifically for use by babies to 18 year olds. Those are the individuals who currently benefit or will benefit from public schools in the near future. Or would that be “age discrimination” too? 

We in Oxnard received our 2009-10 tax statements that have a total of $117.66 in school levies already. The Oxnard School District wants $99 more. This initiative smacks of just another clever way to circumvent Proposition 13 by using the tired plea that “Our children need it.”  The last thing homeowners need is higher property taxes. Especially with the economy and the housing industry being as weak and unstable as they are.

The VC Star (9/27/09) printed a chart of the federal stimulus money approved in February 2009 that is headed to 21 local school districts. It revealed the Oxnard School District will receive $5.1 million and Oxnard Union High School District will receive $7.1 million for a combined total of $12.2 million. The estimated tax increase proposed by Measure E will raise $3 million for each of the next four years ($12 million total).

Didn’t the school districts know those stimulus funds were coming? What do you think? 

Educating children is important. But with the federal stimulus funds and the hope of Measure E passing, it sure looks like double-dipping to me.

Those who are under 65 years old, own your home, live in Oxnard, still have “Hope for change” and still want to “Change things,” go to the polls on Nov. 3 and vote. I strongly suggest you vote “No” on Measure E. It doesn’t look like the $12 million in “change” that Measure E offers is necessary after all.  

Henry Myers, Oxnard

Another vote for Brennan
There is one Ventura City Council candidate who has always stood up for what he believes in regardless of the political climate or what is best to get himself re-elected. That candidate is Brian Brennan. We all know that Brian cares deeply about the environment and protecting our hillsides and open space. But what most don’t know is how much Brian has been instrumental in guiding our city towards greater sustainability and making Ventura a serious contender for attracting “green” businesses and industry, which translates into well-paying jobs for Venturans.

Brian Brennan is one of the most hard-working council members we have ever had. He sees opportunity where others see problems. He understands more than any other candidate how city government must work in tandem with economic prosperity and environmental responsibility. He knows how to connect the dots. We need experience on the City Council during this time of economic challenges. We need to re-elect Brian Brennan for Ventura City Council.

Debra L. Tygell, Ventura

A vote for “no signs” Brennan
I have been a business owner in Ventura for 28 years and a resident for 25 years. My business is tourist oriented and the political signs significantly detract from the beauty of our city.

During election season, it is eyesore to see our city inundated with political campaign signs. Although I recognize that candidates need to get their message out to the electorate, the signs don’t state their views. It’s not about a race to see who has the most signs posted. Instead, I would hope that it is about the issues and what the candidate intends to do if they were elected.

One candidate has been an exception. I understand that for every election since 1998, Brian Brennan has proven that yard signs are unnecessary. Since his first election, Brian has pledged to “not add to the visual blight of our city. You will not see any campaign signs put up by my campaign.” I hope you will join me and vote for a candidate who stands by his principles and cares deeply for our quality of life.

Jim Hall II, Ventura

No on C! Focus on urban sprawl
The problem with Measure C is that it is aimed at Walmart. It will not reduce automobile traffic, nor will it stop truck traffic. Victoria Ave is a junction between the 126 and 101 freeways. Truck traffic will still use Victoria to access the 101. And for those of you who don’t know, the truck stop in Montalvo will be open again soon and Victoria is basically the only way for the trucks to get back on the freeway.

The impact study that Carol Lindberg sites is bogus. If this is truly an unbiased study, then Ventura does not need any more new retail and that would include a third Target store. A majority of all retail is in the middle of Ventura. That means that east end residents need to get into their cars and either drive to midtown or drive to Oxnard. Future expansion of housing on the east end will further tax our city’s resources. More retail and other jobs will be needed.

Carol and her group, Livable Ventura, need to stop trying to control what retail come into this town and start concentrating on stopping all of the new residential development that has already been approved! The urban sprawl is destroying our city. New residential construction is planned on Wells Road and it’s only going to move west. That will squeeze out what is left of our farm land and add more traffic to the already overloaded streets of Ventura.

We as a city really need to get our priorities straight while maintaining our city’s identity. More housing is not the answer. As for Best Buy, they are already asking our city for money to move here. That company is in financial trouble. We need to think about what we want our city to be and how we are going to attract new business here.

Robert Eschenberg, Ventura

Yes on A for Wright Library
Election seasons reward us with a surfeit of flyers and liars, and misleading signs. Measures and propositions are the easiest to distort and some of them have unclear results to begin with. But one measure this time around has an absolute result. If you vote no on Measure A, you are voting to close the Wright Library. It is as simple and clear as that.

Measure A has citizens’ oversight built in so no one can use the excuse they’ll divert the funds to frivolous causes. Some people think we should pay no taxes for anything but they have yet to offer to stand up themselves and do the work that needs to be done: repairing roads, catching crooks, emergency response. Jobs will be cut without this measure and the bulk of the funds will come from tourists, with a few half cents from all of us. This money stays in Ventura and is untouchable by the state or any other entity.

But the most painful result if A fails is the closing of the Wright Library, a place for children and adults to expand their knowledge, an American tradition of inestimable value. If Venturans vote against A they are declaring they don’t care about books and knowledge and are more concerned about a few half cents; they are making a statement about themselves that should be embarrassing.

Why Measure B is bad for Ventura
First, Measure B is misleading. It promises to protect views — but it does not. What it really does is stop nearly all construction in the city for two years while a special-interest group tries one more time to block improvement plans long approved for Midtown.

Measure B is incompetently written. Exemptions for the hospital area, industrial area and downtown include streets that don’t exist or don’t form a complete boundary. This means our new hospital and many other projects must wait while a judge wades through these glaring errors.

The two-year construction moratorium also affects single-family homes. Measure B prohibits any discretionary approvals during that time. Repairs due to wind or earthquake damage are not exempt — and there is no appeal process for any reason. If your chimney crumbles, tough luck. Measure B won’t let you fix it.

Second, Measure B is undemocratic. Residents east of Victoria get one vote on the VCORD-appointed View Resource Board for every 12,000 people. Midtown’s represented areas get one vote for every 2,000 people. You read that right. The sponsors gave themselves extra votes. Yet 20,000 people living in downtown or south of Telegraph Road get no representation because of another drafting error.

Third, many Venturans would like to see dilapidated buildings replaced or revitalized with something good for our city. We are tired of the urban decay on Thompson Boulevard and Main Street in Midtown.

A Measure B mailing declared the citizen view protection/solar access task force “unsuccessful.” Wrong. Public views enjoy strong new protections. Building height limits have been lowered to two and three stories along commercial corridors and public views now play a key role in the design-review process. The City Council has implemented 23 of the task force’s recommendations and has moved to give another greater study. VCORD representatives on the task force voted unanimously for those recommendations and never objected as the city implemented these changes.

If passed, Measure B will go directly to court and halt much needed investment in our community. It offers no appeal process, does not represent neighborhoods fairly and has major flaws. Please join me and many concerned Venturans in voting no on B. For more information, visit www.votenoonmeasureb.org.

Brett Becker, Ventura
Co-chair of the View Protection/Solar Access Task Force

A vote for Neal Andrews
I have known Neal Andrews since he first ran for City Council. He is running again, displaying the same sincere drive to work for the best interests of the community. I have supported Neal because he carefully considers all aspects of an issue before making an informed decision. I do not agree with all of his decisions, but I know his decisions are thoughtful and critical, and I respect him for that.

I particularly appreciate Neal’s expertise with public finance and budgets and how they shape public policy. We all benefit from his knowledge and fiscal conservatism. And we can rely on Neal to thoughtfully sort out the complexities of fiscal issues and their impact of city services and economic policy.

Neal has been a consistent supporter of cultural programs and a champion of new ones. He has made the economic case that strategic cultural programs do improve the local economy. He has simultaneously supported partnerships between the city and local organizations so they can independently manage such programs with little or no city funding, a pragmatic strategy in tough economic times.

Neal has consistently championed the WAV residential project that will provide affordable housing, while also enlivening downtown and expanding the city’s artistic base. He was also an original sponsor and advocate for an artist in residency program that brought noted artists to the community such as Mark McMahon, Charlie Daniels, Chris Brubeck and others. Working with the Turning Point Foundation, the Kinetic Sculpture Races are in their 12th year along with a kinetic sculpture show that he instigated three years ago that is organized by the Buenaventura Arts Association.

One could vote for Neal because he is a champion for the arts, or because he is a fiscal conservative, or because he is a thoughtful and conscientious councilman. I plan to vote for him because he is all three … and more.

Todd Collart, Ventura