The City of Ventura has a dedicated group of Tea Party activists.

They had gathered signatures to remove the parking meters in their town under a variety of arguments including it was a part of the United Nations Agenda 21 plan. It was going to be on the ballot but a Judge ruled the law didn't allow voters to choose rules over parking by ballot petition.

Now their leader, Carla Bonney , is running for the city council. Her Tea Party platform has created an energized base of supporters. But it has many critics too. A loyal reader sent in this picture, and there are more to go with it, of a sign placed in violation of The UN Agenda 21 The City of Ventura rules for political signs.

This isn't proof of any wrongdoing by the campaign. Often overzealous supporters place signs for a candidate without direction. Then they get upset when the signs are removed and assume they are stolen.

The City of Ventura has a great website with the relevant city code if you would like to read it for yourself.

I'm looking forward to an exciting city council campaign.

Tea Party People in Ventura are mad at their city for putting parking meters in parts of their town. They have gathered signatures and it is going on the ballot.

I don't have a strong opinion on the parking meters in Ventura. If the people of Ventura want them or want to remove them that is totally up to them and should be a local issue.

I do think the best time to oppose them was before they were installed. Much of the opposition seems to have developed after the city paid for them and they were operating.

The arguments from both sides seem simple enough.

Opponents argue parking meters are another form of taxation and hurt local businesses as customers are less likely to shop when they have to pay for parking.

Supporters argue it helps businesses because there is more available parking when people limit how long they park for and the parking meters help fund law enforcement.

Both have decent arguments.

But some people have to bring in extremes to make their case. Local Tea Party people are bringing up the United Nations and Agenda 21.

The video above brings up phrases that are suspect including "Green" , "Infill", and "Sustainable" that supporters of Agenda 21 are trying to use to control us. I call the use of words like sustainable and infill good planning.

In related Agenda 21 versus Tea Party People in Florida are protesting against protections for Manatees because they believe it is a part of a global UN conspiracy to control our lives.

I believe it is to protect Manatees. Maybe if the harbors Manatees and people shared just had parking meters the United Nations plot would be complete!

I publish guest blog entries from my readers. Here is the latest on the Ventura County Tea Party's opposition to parking meters:

(Photo Credit: Joseph A Garcia, VCStar -- http://www.vcstar.com/photos/2010/sep/04/106020/)

Nobody goes there any more. It's too crowded - Yogi Berra

Is there a better way to sum up the parking meters in Downtown Ventura ("Parking Meter Opponents Change Measure Language", 3 Mar 2011)?
The so-called "Tea Party Activist" Carla Bonney says they are symbolic of too much government intrusion. And downtown merchant Gary Parker is apparently whining because he lost his free parking spot in front of his place of business.

Boo hoo.

As far as I can tell, the pay parking spots are frequently used. Isn't that the free market speaking, Ms. Bonney? And though there were some initial difficulties with the meters, they're easier to use than an ATM machine. We had friends from Orange County visit recently who were quite impressed at the convenience of adding time from any meter and the bargain price of parking in a bustling downtown steps from the beach. Moreover, I've rarely had a problem finding free parking. On other days, my family and I jump on a bike and cruise to downtown - there are plenty of ways to get there safely from just about anywhere in Ventura. We find that when we take the bikes, we end up spending more time and money patronizing the shops.

If folks have a problem paying for parking, ride a bike or use one of the free lots. Yes, both are less convenient (you get what you pay for) but the alternatives also yield some exercise and possibly some extra time in downtown. Everybody wins.

The money has already been spent for the meters and the program will eventually fund itself.

Now, can we focus on something of real importance, like funding our libraries and fire department or bringing more jobs to the City?

John Buccola is a Ventura resident

The Ventura County Star reported that Carla Bonney, a Ventura County Tea Party leader, has teamed up with some frustrated business owners to put on the ballot an initiative to repeal Government Parking Meters in Ventura.

Business owners have mixed views on the parking meters. Here is a quote from the article from one business leader that is really angry about them:

"I am not going to roll over on this. I told them (city leaders) from the beginning when they weren't listening -- that they are the enemy now," Parker said Wednesday. "To me, this is simple. This is a tax. I am tired of taxes. And I am tired of my customers having to pay a tax to come shop here."

There isn't an agreement on how many signatures they will need to gather but if they are successful this will be on the June ballot.

The leader of a Ventura County Tea Party group and a leader of the local chapter of the NAACP have both endorsed Steven Hintz for Treasurer-Tax Collector. How does a candidate for a low profile office unite a birther with a civil rights group leader? Hintz has been running an energetic and impressive campaign. Unless something changes I expect him to win.

Click on continue reading for a list of the people endorsing him.

1Jun10CarlaBonney from SVRWF on Vimeo.

Ventura County Tea Party Leader Carla Bonney recently addressed the Simi Valley Republican Women Federated Group. The group posted the video of their event including the entire speech which I think is a great public service.

She was prominently featured in a Ventura County Star profile that included this exchange:

Still, Bonney wouldn't rule out the idea that Obama isn't a natural-born U.S. citizen. The state of Hawaii has vouched for his birth there, and his campaign released a copy of his birth certificate in 2008. "I have no idea whether or not he's a citizen," Bonney said. She doesn't budge on this. When told that Hawaiian newspapers carried birth announcements for Obama, she counters that Kenyans believe he was born there. "I don't really know," she said. "That's pure speculation, I don't get involved in that."

At the local Tea Party website you can find videos and blog posts supporting the debunked conspiracy that Barack Obama was born in Kenya. There is even a blog post supporting Orly Taitz, a fringe candidate running for California Secretary of State. Taitz has filed numerous junk lawsuits claiming Barack Obama is not eligible to be president and has even been fined for it.

I didn't attend but one of the attendees said that Republican candidates Mike Judge, Lela Henke Dobroth, Steven Hintz, Ryan Wright, Peter Foy, Jeff Gorell, Mark Lunn, and Elton Gallegly came to listen to Carla Bonney speak and to meet with club members.

It is interesting that Mark Lunn attended because he has been trying to distance himself from the Tea Party and has denied even going to their website. I don't see a problem with any candidate going to a variety of websites to learn more about the people they want to represent but his strong denial is strange being that he Rsvped for the event and attended it when the guest speaker was Carla Bonney.

Mark Lunn has denied being a member of the Tea Party ( which is obviously true being that nobody is officially a member of it) even though he has a profile on their local website, the local group supports him, and he attended an event where the main speaker is the leader of the local Tea Party group.

Why not just admit you like their Tea? Other candidates including Steven Hintz is proud to have support from members of this group and post on their website.

I watched the video and here are some short observations:

She called President Barack Obama a dictator multiple times.
I would like someone to ask the candidates that were there, on the record, if they think Barack Obama is a dictator.

She strongly supports Rep. Elton Gallegly.
That isn't a big surprise but reinforces my argument that the local Tea Party group is basically a faction or caucus in The Republican Party. They are the new California Republican Assembly, a group that shares their values.

She has read multiple versions of the Healthcare Insurance Reform Bill.
If she has really read literally thousands of pages of different versions of the Healthcare Insurance Reform Bill I really respect her for that dedication. I doubt members of congress that voted for or against it really read the whole bill.

She strongly suggests Republican activists use Facebook and send friend requests to many people listed on Republican websites.
She didn't mention Farmville but if she could rally support against it we will have more in common. I do agree with her that Facebook is an amazing tool for campaigns.

She had a blast at Rep. Lois Capps' Town Hall Meeting.
She didn't mention that Rep. Gallegly didn't hold any town hall forums on Healthcare Insurance Reform even though all other area Representatives, of both parties did.

She likes Fox News and Glenn Beck.
No surprise there.

Thinks American is moving towards communism.

She said Barack Obama came back from Indonesia with an attitude.
I looked it up and I think young Barack Obama was 11 when he came back from Indonesia. I wonder what 11 year old Barack Obama was thinking about the relationship between capitalism and democracy.

She supports new laws to make voters prove their identity to vote and she mentioned Mark Lunn could be in charge of local elections.
I am curious how much voter fraud ( not voter registration fraud) happens. When candidates for high office have histories of not voting I am not convinced there are conspiracies to commit felonies to alter the outcomes of local elections.

A group of Anti-tax activists backed by the conservative Christian group The American Family Association is organizing a nationwide Tea ( Taxed Enough Already) Party on April 15th. Local organizers are putting together an event in Ventura and are looking for more people to help them get the word out to others.

I am going to guess Ventura County Supervisor Peter Foy will be there.

Speaking of which he is running towards the top in my online poll:

Click on continue reading for their message and how to get involved.

I don't understand why a Conservative Christian group has opinions on so many nonreligious issues including bonuses, taxation, global warming, and The Employee Free Choice Act but being that they do here is a poll on The Employee Free Choice Act too:

And a poll on repealing the 2/3rds requirement to pass a budget:

And on the recent budget compromise:

UPDATE: The group would like to clarify that although the Conservative Christian group the American Family Association is backing the event it is not a religiously affiliated event and people of many different religious ( including non-believers), ethnic, and political backgrounds will be invited to help put together the event and attend the rally.