“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” —Mark Twain Ventura finds itself staring down another multi-million-dollar budget deficit. This time we must overcome a 10% deficit, or $12 million. Most people’s attention won’t be on the budget because they’re focused on COVID-19 and the upheavals it has caused. The City Council will use the […]
“Wealth Is The Ability To Fully Experience Life.” —Henry David Thoreau We’re living through unprecedented times. No one knows how events will develop as we emerge from the COVID-19 crisis. Yet there are specific unmistakable trends to watch. We want you to be aware of the trends and to look out for the critical choices […]
“Good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding.” —Albert Camus The 2020 City Council election is this November. The challenges facing Ventura are so crucial that they will shape the city for decades. Who the candidates will be for the Council in this election will likely be unknown until July. […]
“Another Fine Mess You’ve Gotten Us Into, Stanley.” —Laurel & Hardy The 2020-2021 budget presents a challenge to the City Council. This Council must weigh how to close the budget deficit in the coming year. The Coming Problem Today’s Council is still operating on the 2019-2020 budget that shows everything is fine. In six months […]
“Do not suffer your good nature…to say yes when you ought to say no.” —George Washington As the 21st century teeters between the 2010s and the 2020s, it’s a perfect time to take stock of an eventful decade. Over the last ten years, several key events changed Ventura forever. Let’s look at what happened and […]
“And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry years. It was always that way.” —John Steinbeck, East of Eden For the second time in four years, Ventura Water failed to present scientific findings that challenged […]
“Three groups spend other people’s money: children, thieves and politicians. All three need supervision.” —Dick Armey The cost and benefit of every spending decision by Ventura’s City Council is magnified as the city faces budgetary losses for the next five years. The city is projecting to have a $10-$25 million shortfall during that time, so […]
“It’s not what we don’t know that hurts us, it’s what we know that ain’t so.” —Will Rogers America’s significant retirement pension funds are underfunded by an unfathomable $4.2 Trillion, according to an August 6 Wall Street Journal article. Ventura mirrors this phenomenon. Ventura workers participate in the state pension fund, CalPERS—the largest in the country. CalPERS […]
“I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” —Thomas Jefferson Is Ventura Open For Business? When the city needs money, they go to the old trope, “We’ll attract new business.” After all, Ventura is open for […]
When in doubt, don’t. —Benjamin Franklin Thank the Councilmembers Cheryl Heitmann, Christy Weir, Lorrie Brown and Sofia Rubalcava for higher electrical costs, higher water, and wastewater rates. Also thank them for less police protection, fire safety and street paving, all so the City Council can save face and make all residents’ environmental champions. Every citizen […]