Brian,

I also got that "flyer." Seemed more like an ad for his campaign. The "endorsements" from Barbra Williamson and Tony Strickland didn't help disguise it. And besides, likely voters got it... need I say anything more?

Alan

In Moorpark our "flier" had an "endorsement" from Mayor Hunter.

Another press release. Wow, this team is busy!

Get all the latest updates on a campaign that is
already in high gear.

Visit www.jimdantona.com and follow the campaign
all the way to the Ventura
County offices on June 6, 2005.

If you missed Jim's Opinion-Editorial ad "Public
Safety Deserves More Than
Lip Service" in the November 11th Ventura County
Star,
you can read it now at www.jimdantona.com. It
will also appear in the Star
again on Thursday, November 17.

If you have just received your first e-blast from
us, we welcome you and
thank you for your interest in Jim's race.

Dantona for County Supervisor
P.O. Box 1438
Simi Valley, CA 93062
805-520-1418
www.jimdantona.com

Bob Swoish Treasurer
FPPC ID#1280112

Alan,

Is this in line with the tye of ads his group has been doing for years?

Regardless of how he gets the word out, this group does some pretty decent things. I do know he didn't just invent the group for this campaign. I have seen their stuff around for many years.

Is Dantona going negative this early? I haven't seen the ad yet.

Scott

Scott,

Where do you see negativity? The flyer was about a non-profit that helps kids stay off of drugs. I am confused.

Brian

Brian:

Read the post from Bob Swoish. I met Bob once. Nice guy.

Looks like Dantona is claiming that Mikels pays "lip service" to public safety. Seems kind of negative.

Read the post. Majority of it is about Judy Mikels not Jim Dantona and he's not saying nice things.

What I think is interesting and you as a newspaperman should take notice, all three bolded quotes have no source listed. I always like when candidates in their political advertisements list their sources becuase it adds credibility to what they are arguing for.

At the very end Jim Dantona says he's worked on crime and law enforcement as a lobbyist. I'd like to see the laws he's helped pass, wouldn't you? He's being very precise about Mikels record, but what can he tell us about the laws he's helped pass.

I'm still undecided on this race, so I'm definately interested in finding out more.

I think it's great that Jim Dantona is offering that BAD program for residents of Moorpark and Simi Valley. We should allow non-profits to flourish in every community beyond their current levels because I believe they can meet certain public services better than government.

Any plans to make this an annual event?

Oh, one other thing. Councilmember Williamson recently said in the Star that she was trying to get a wedding license service at the city. I think this is a fantastic service for the residents of Simi Valley, although I don't ever plan on using it again.

Scott

Brian:

One other question. Your blog is a local politics blog. Why did you decide to politicize the efforts of a non-profit organization to keep kids off drugs? Are you trying to cast a political cloud over a very positive event to help kids stay off drugs?

I don't think it's right that you politicize BAD in this way when most non-profits try so hard to stay out of politics.

This has nothing to do with local politics. We should all be supportive of trying to help kids stay off drugs.

Scott

I am bringing it up in a political blog, because the man is now a candidate. Any public deed is open to discussion. He has used his background as the founder of a non-profit as a reason to vote for him. I think the public needs to know what type of work the group does.

Just like if Judy Mikels worked on drug issues, it wouldn't be an official campaign action, but it would have clear implications.

If a politician does it, I will think about discussing it. Unless it is boring.

I could see what you mean about specific laws. I hope that is is brought up in any debate or debates that the two of them have.

And they better have debates.

Brian:

Are you saying that BAD is a political event then? I'm not sure Dantona wants to politicize his non-profit the way you are in this blog.

Scott

Brian,

My apologies for not responding sooner as I was out of town over the weekend.

I have never received an ad from Dantona in the past. So to your question, I would say no, this is not in line with the type of ads his group has been doing for years.

In fact, I have no problem with him publicizing his non-profit group. I think the mission of BAD is one that others should copy. What I don't like is how, to me, this is really an attempt to get his name out to voters and not entirely about his non-profit. If I regularly received flyers for BAD I would think otherwise. But this is/was the first time.

Alan

Brian:

I think it cheapens such a great event by saying its all about politics. This is about helping children stay off drugs, not about scoring political points with the community.

The Simi Valley Ed foundation has an upcoming golf tournament and the Police Foundation has some events coming up as well, yet these aren't on the blog.

There is a dichotomy here. You have come out against me for talking policy saying this is a campaign/political blog. Now, your saying that non-profits are all about politics. I don't agree.

Non-profits serve our community and help people. It's not all about politics.

Here is the scope of your blog." This blog is devoted to the nuts and bolts of local politics. Have some political Info you want released? Let me know! I want to publicize fundraisers, parties, Web sites, meetup.com events and anything else happening in Ventura County."

How many non-profit announcements have you made other than the BAD announcement? I repeat. This is about helping kids stay off drugs, not politics.

Scott

Scott,

The nuts and bolts of running for office include doing good deeds in the community. That helps a pol look good and to frame themself. So, do you disagre with Alan?

I have posted 7 entries on other local politicians and their pet charities.

This is about keeping kids off of drugs and on blogs.

I don't normally write things on blogs, but I do read them if I'm interested. But on this one I need to say something, Shame on any of you who don't see that someone like this Jim Dantona candidate or not has done something to try and help our kids. As a mother of 3 little ones i will let you know that my daughter and my son have both gone to BAD clinics over the last few years right here in simi and it's a good organization trying to do good things. Should we not talk about the good some are doing especially if they want to lead in our community. Think about it??

I agree with Dawn. I personally went to the bad web site and if alan and scott did the same they would see jim founded the group many years ago, long before he was a candidate. We're Lucky to have this man and group a part of our city. we need more people like him, kids are the future.

Shelly and Dawn:

Where in my comments have I bashed Jim Dantona for this event? Jim Dantona should be proud of the events he's running. Maybe, you should spend a little more time reading people's comments before you throw out accusations.

Brian is the one saying Jim's non-profit work is politically driven calling them "pet charities". Yet, I don't see you calling him to task for saying it's all about politics.

Oh, and I visited the website. It's pretty cool.

Scott

I agree with Scott. If you read my comment above I said, "In fact, I have no problem with him publicizing his non-profit group. I think the mission of BAD is one that others should copy."

I'm just a little skeptical about his methods of getting out the BAD message. Why did he ask local political figures to lend their name to his flyer? When you add up the pieces, it smells of politics. That's all I'm saying. If that is not the truth, then I'd like to see him clear the air.

Alan

Brian:

Did you get approval from Dantona's non-profit to politicize this on your All politics blog?

I have seen many lives ruined by drugs. God bless BAD for helping try to solve the problem of drugs in our community.

Scott

I have attended several BAD baseball clinics with my child including the last two years here in Simi Valley with the YMCA. My child loves them. Barbra Williamson attended and spoke at the Lemon Park event two years, long before Dantona was running for office.

I just visited the web site myself and noticed numerous elected officials (yes - mostly Democrats) "who have generously associated with BAD, either through personal and public appearances, sponsorship of clinics or fundraising activities, or the use of their names in gathering support throughout their affiliated communities." The quote is grammatically incorrect but even President Ronald Reagan is one of those names.

Dantona works in government and politics. Why wouldn't he have elected officials supporting his organization and events?

I'll be at the Simi event this week. If you have a child - why not see what they are all about?

The bigger question is what happened to the missing "a" in "Barbra" Williamson's name?

Since all of the points I've made thus far have been soundly defeated by Shelly, Dawn, Brian, and now Alex, I've got one last question:

How did my name get on his mailing list?

I realize that there are many lists available for purchase. Which one of the many did he use that happens to have my name and the names of other registered voters on it (who also received the BAD mailer)? I'd just like to know. I think I have the right to know why I receive mail from people I didn't contact.

Scott...
I suggested the marriage license JUST for your benefit....Thanks for the kind words, you're a sweetheart...
Mayor Pro Tem Williamson...but YOU can call me Barbra

Barbra,

I am interested on your take on google earth. Read the first post on the main page of my blog and let me know what you think.

Brian

Brian,
That is reallllly cool!!
I am at work right now, but when I get home I will investigate it more.
Barbra

Hi Mayor Pro Tem Williamson:

Since your pushing the marriage license service on my behalf and I thank you for listening. I may as well ask for another one...

I surveyed 21 liquor stores in Simi on a saturday about six or so months ago, a few months before the ABC stings in late spring, which were great.

My concern is the mini-liquor (Starter bottles) bottles placed near the cash register, but off to the side usually near the toys or candy. The bottles kind of look like candy actually and I'm sure this isn't by accident.

I'd like to lobby you and others to maybe look at ways that we can get the liquor stores to move the bottles behind the counter secured away from kids who frequent the stores.

Maybe, it's just a voluntary compliance thing where we get stores to do it without a huge regulation or maybe something else I'm not really aware of, but with increasing levels of teenage alcoholism and binge drinking (Oprah) maybe there is something the city can do...

Also, I realize ABC has a pretty steep fine, but is there anyway that we could educate the public about which stores have been fined because they sold to minors, so people can choose not to shop there?

Or could we increase the business license fee on convicted liquor stores to be used for an alcohol awareness program for kids and further enforcement activities?

I'll come speak on it if you need me to, but I don't want to be perceived by the council as one of those looney toons yelling about the rain each week at your meetings either... (I'm sure you see enough blowhards each week)

I think the council is doing a great job.

Thanks for your time Barbra.

Scott

Sorry Brian that this is off topic...

Hey Scott,
I can certainly make the suggestion and see which council member ducks,,,,,ha
Barbra

Brian,
Perhaps some clarity is needed regarding BAD...
I have personaly been involved with BAD for about 10 years. Every spring I am one of the major fund raisers (last year we had over 300 people attend the event at the Universal Hilton)
for this wonderful organization along with Former Mayor Bill Davis, Bob Swoish, Leah Berman just to name a few. If you look at the history of the orgainzation, Jim puts on several clinics a year, it takes time, and MAILINGS...Former Mayor Gregg Stratton though it was such a good organization he requested Jim to contact the SVUSD for names of low income children so they could participate, but the district couldn't give out the names. He has worked with the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club not only in Ventura County but in Los Angeles as well. As the Chairperson for the Gang Task Force in Simi Valley, I can tell you that the best way to keep kids out of gangs is to have someone like Dantona around to keep them busy, but then you all know this...don't you? And in case you didn't know, it's FREE... he gets major league baseball players to come out and teach these kids. I was there today at the Simi Valley Clinic, and I am PROUD to be a member of this organization....I didn't do it because it was the politically correct thing to do, I did it because it was and is the right thing to do...and so does Jim. So to Shelly, Dawn thanks for the kind words. YES...I endorse BAD...no question about it. And YES I also endorse Dantona for County Supervisor.

Mayor ProTem Barbra Williamson

I've known Jim for about 16 years.

I wonder what Herb Gooch would think since he is a member of the Ventura County Republican Central Committee?

http://www.vcrcc.org/committee/