Candidate for Simi Valley Mayor Steve Sojka put his signs up first across town and now it has become a campaign issue. Mike Chandler's blog post and the article in The Acorn are comprehensive enough that I don't have much to add.

The article in The Acorn had this observation from candidates Mike Judge and Michelle Foster:

Though Judge said the law favors incumbents, who have strong ties with local developers, business and property owners, Foster said she believes the ordinance still creates a level playing field.

"Everyone has the opportunity to receive permission from someone to put a sign on their property," she said, adding, "Just because you are currently an office holder doesn't mean people say yes to you. It's their way of validating whether you are doing a good job in the community or not."

A property owner that wants to develop their property would be wise to curry favor with the people in charge of making a decision on what they can do with their land. The same goes for commercial property owners who often need to work with the city on a variety of issues. A sitting council member has an advantage when asking a property owner to allow their sign to be posted. Remember that next time you see a property with a campaign sign in front of it.

That said Steve Sojka has been effective at placing his signs beyond simply being an incumbent. As a local business owner he has worked closely with many people either through nonprofit work like the Police Foundation or as customers of his advertising business. He has developed many personal relationships that have been helping him as he campaigns.

Mike Chandler, over at Votesimivalley.com, has created a Facebook page dedicated to the 2010 Simi Valley elections. Click like on it below to see his posts in your Facebook feed.

Mike Chandler also posted Bob Huber's response to the start of the campaign signs going up on his blog. Huber contends that he chose not to post them out of respect for voters. read more about his response here.

Mike Chandler, the blogger behind VoteSimiValley.com has launched a new internet show called " The Simi Show" and it has been getting more and more attention. Last Friday The Acorn had a great review of his videos and his plans to expand his coverage of local people and events.

Click here for The Acorn article.

Click here for The Simi Show website.

Even though it would seem like Mike and I would be in competition to the point of not mentioning each other because we focus on many of the same issues, that's not the way I see it. I like the idea of listening to more and compelling voices. He is irreverent, funny, and talented. Go check out his website. he might become his own Shop Simi Valley campaign.

Mike, it looks like The Acorn should issue a correction though. The article stated that:

Chandler's fire was lit during last fall's election season, when he created www.votesimivalley.com and began asking tough questions of local candidates.

Despite his opposition to the three incumbents in the City Council election, Chandler said, his new venture, "The Simi Show," isn't at all about pushing his own personal political views.

But your own blog entry had many nice things to say of Council Member Williamson:

Last night, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Barbra Williamson and her family, friends and supporters. They are truly a dynamic group of people and it was a real pleasure. Barbra's entire family is very friendly not to mention engaging and passionate about the issues. I have zero doubt that my vote for Barbra Williamson for Simi Valley City Council is the right one.

Get a correction in and they will put your name in the paper again! Did your family hang the article on the fridge?

Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog.

( I am a real big fan of U2 and the theological messages in their music.)

People from across Simi Valley and Ventura County have been doing significantly more to help get the poor off of the streets then in the past and much more than many of us might have realized.

In Simi Valley recent progress has been made in helping homeless people and helping others from becoming homeless. I was really inspired and proud of the people in the homeless task force when I read this story from The Star.

The Ventura County has a whole section devoted to understanding the plight of homeless video that includes individual stories, videos, pictures and more.

Click here for the new section from The Star.

Click here for the Samaritan Center of Simi Valley's website. The website is currently down but I linked to a cached version of it. The center takes donations of many basics of life including white athletic socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, chapstick, and other basic grooming supplies.

Let's play the inspiration game. if you as a reader will leave a comment with your real name and pledge to make a donation of needed items to the Samaritan Center by Christmas eve I will make a pledge to do something to help for each person that takes the pledge.

The things I am willing to do is interview homeless people and post the interviews, make donations, volunteer at my church's community dinner, blog about upcoming meetings, and ask others to help. I am also open to suggestions.

Let's start inspiring each other.

UPDATE: The Star's blogs were down for awhile so I am extending the challenge. So far I am bringing more to the Samaritan Center because Kim posted that she will be bringing some of the requested items on their list. Let's keep it going.

Challenge me!

The actual headline from The Star included the phrase:

I looked for an author of the story that came up with that pun but there was no byline. Anyways...

Simi Valley has earned a reputation as a fiscally well run city, but in these budget cutting times the city council also has started their program reductions and staff cut backs.

The cut backs include the popular DARE program, increased holiday DUI enforcement ( there will be increased enforcement, but not as much as previously planned), some SWAT training, and a few staff positions.

Click here for the story from The Star.

Click here for the story from The Acorn.

A proposal the city council suggested was to have a retired officer volunteer to run the DARE program. I agree that would be ideal but if they are doing a weekly program in almost all of the elementary schools in Simi Valley then that is a significant contribution they will be asking for from retired law enforcement. It can be done, but I expect for the program to be run at the same level it will require more than a few volunteers. Luckily Mayor Paul Miller is a retired police officer and might have the connections needed to know who to ask for their time.

If the Mayor and other council members are successful in recruiting volunteers for the program I expect an attempt to connect the cut backs to the recent 7% raise won't be very meritorious and/or salient.

How or what is your city going to cut back? Do you think it will make much of a difference to the quality of life in your town?