The discussion on campaign finance reform wouldn't be complete without looking at the relationship between the Saperstein donations and the recent issue of building out the Saperstein owned and Simi Valley located Hummingbird Ranch.

Since both Brian D. and Mike Chandler live in Simi Valley, I am sure they are very interested.

I think that Mike Chandler would be a fine member of the board.

Campaign finance should be about transparency and trying to limit influence peddling. Mike Chandler's technology skills would add some great ideas on more transparency.

We'll see if it ever happens!

On an unrelated note, your blog configuration has been changed, effectively breaking links to your comments. Do you have access to your configuration settings? There's an unneeded "vcs/" after the "blogs.venturacountystar.com/"

Listen carefully. Barbra says that they (the council members) will nominate members to the "blue ribbon" committee. With all due respect, unless you're one of their friends, you aren't getting on that committee. Do people know that the City's second most powerful committee, the planning commission, is made up of individuals hand picked by each of the council members?

What's the point of having a committee to review campaign finance if its made up of the council members's cronies? Won't they just get what they want?

What we really need is more transparency. However, at what point does it push 1st Ammendment rights?

We don't need a committee to discuss what the rules are. We don't need more layers of bureaucracy. Simi Valley city council members have a long history of questionable behavior re: their dealings with Waste Management ect. ect... What the citizens want is confidence in the leadership of the city.

Nobody,

You have been very critical of Simi Valley but how well is your city run?

Thousand Oaks is currently suffering from a leadership deficit. Quite frankly we find ourselves adrift in less than ideal boating conditions. Many of our council members have endorsed Tony Strickland than jumped ship leaving us to fend for ourselves.

Another city I have taken under my wing only has 3500 people in it. We are currently doing some soul searching. I am trying to apply what I learned from Alex Fiore: controlling growth, saving open space, encouraging environmentally safe and profitable commercial development, world class public services and being accountable to the citizens.

It's true Simi Valley is not one of my direct responsibilities yet the challenges Simi Valley faces have a huge affect on the cities that surround it. No city is an island yet some council members are peninsulas.