“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie…but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic.” —John F. Kennedy Mayor Matt LaVere filled his 2019 State-of-the-City address with images of a utopian Ventura. Unfortunately, it lacked specifics on addressing Ventura’s most pressing issues. The mayor laid out his seven goals for 2019-2020. His […]
“If you can’t convince ’em, confuse ’em. It’s an old political trick.” —Harry S. Truman Before discussing water issues in Ventura, we must first dispel a myth. The City of Ventura has plenty of water. We have almost ten times the water we need annually in reserves. So, the City of Ventura’s insistence to […]
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” — George Bernard Shaw In Ventura, the city staff uses the Brown Act to do precisely the opposite of what lawmakers created it to do. The California Brown Act guarantees the public’s right to attend and take part in meetings […]
“Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.”— Winston Churchill Last year was a most transformational year in Ventura’s history. Every aspect of life in Ventura was affected. The city was in the national spotlight, twice. Leadership changed but at a high price. Old ways of doing business didn’t change, though. […]
Ventura held its first City Council election by voting district. The new voting process confused some voters. Others felt disenfranchised. Lorrie Brown (District 6), Jim Friedman (District 5), Erik Nasarenko (District 4) and Sofia Rubalcava (District 1) won. The candidates raised a record amount of money. Campaigning was in districts instead of citywide. One would […]
Ventura Police officers sign a new contract with a 5% pay increase. The timing of the announcement was questionable. It came on the heels of the Anthony Mele, Jr. murder. However, the agreement was a fair one. Ventura Fire Unhappy With The Proposed Contract Agreed upon union contracts form the basis for negotiating other city […]
Jamal Jackson stabbed Anthony Mele, Jr. to death on Ventura’s Promenade in April 2018. Once again, the city was in the national news. Poor Judgment Exercised With The Murder On The Promenade Jackson was a repeat offender and homeless. Many citizens jumbled his criminal act and his impoverished state. Ventura Police received a call that […]
The City Council waffled on second-story height restrictions for rebuilding victims’ homes. Indecisiveness delayed the rebuilding process for many. Councilmembers exhibited big hearts and small brains settling on the new height ordinance. They attempted to please fire victims wanting to improve their homes. Doing so delayed rebuilding for everyone. It was clear that many of […]
To understand 2018 begins by understanding December 2017 and the Thomas Fire. The fire destroyed 535 houses in Ventura. It scarred the hillside, displaced families, and created unprecedented demands for services. It was Ventura public safety’s finest hour. Police and firefighters performed heroic feats. As a result, no Ventura residents died in the fire. Thomas […]
The City Council approves a $600,000 per year “roving” fire engine and three paramedics in June 2018. Ventura Fire insisted they needed the engine because response times “were especially high.” He gave no information on what’s driving the increased calls for help. Nor did he offer any cost-effective alternatives to deliver the services. Uncertainty Over […]