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 […]
“I have never understood why it is ‘greed’ to want to keep the money you’ve earned, but not greed to want to take somebody else’s money.” —Thomas Jefferson Ventura Water will push the boundaries of the law as it tries to use Proposition 218 to raise money to meet the Wishtoya Foundation Consent Decree. […]
Our federalist system gives us many opportunities to participate in our democracy. Some forms of participation are more common than others. And some citizens participate more than others, but almost everyone has a voice in government. Meet Your 2019 City Councilmembers We have a new Ventura City Council for 2019. We have three new Councilmember […]
“…Great responsibility follows inseparably from great power.” —Voltaire What’s next for Ventura with a new City Council and a new City Manager? Is Ventura better prepared to meet the challenges of 2019 and beyond? At the inception, the answer may be no. It takes time for city government to change course even if danger signals […]
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” —Lewis Carroll Ask anyone what the pressing issues are facing Ventura; you’ll get a variety of answers. With the unprecedented departure of three serving City Councilmembers, this is an excellent time to get the perspectives of those who have served. […]
“Courage Cannot Be Counterfeited. It Is One Virtue That Escapes Hypocrisy” —Napoleon Bonaparte The City of Ventura has a spending problem, and it’s time for an intervention. The fiscal crisis is not widely understood. At its core are the promised unfunded pensions for public employees. Ventura’s pension contributions for 2018 are $17,410,000. The annual contributions […]
“You’ll Never Reach Your Destination If You Stop And Throw Stones At Every Dog That Barks” —Winston Churchill When it comes to real estate, Ventura’s City Council is, at best, inconsistent. At worst, they are reckless with our money. Their latest decision costs taxpayers over $1,000,000. On June 16th, the Council accepted the city staff’s […]
“Water is life, and clean water means health.” —Audrey Hepburn Ventura needs to get its priorities straight about water—and fast. On July 9th, Ventura Water will ask the City Council to approve direct potable reuse (DPR). Ventura Water views DRP as a primary alternative source for increased drinking water. The project will cost $538 million […]