Game on.
UPDATED: I update this entry with every new press release I get in my inbox, so if this subject interests you, check back frequently.
Jim Dantona of Simi Valley has declared he is running in next June's primary against Judy Mikels.
Both Mikels and Dantona have an open invite to guest blog here.
So, what are the upsides and downsides to each candidate? What do you think about Tony Strickland's endorsement? Is it the golden ring or the kiss of death?
Thanks to Alan Barkwill for catching this in the Star. I wouldn't time my press releases with wildfires next time.
UPDATE:
CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF EVENT
*Save the Date*
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28TH
6:00PM TO 8:00PM
Wine and Cheese Reception
Join the next Ventura County Supervisor
Jim Dantona
for his Campaign Kickoff
Invite to Follow Soon
Any questions please call Christina - 805-583-1014
...And the latest press release....
Simi Valley resident announces candidacy for county seat
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com
Although he briefly decided not to challenge County Supervisor Judy Mikels to represent the 4th District on the board of supervisors, Jim Dantona, a 20year resident of Simi Valley, recently announced his candidacy. The election isn’t scheduled until June, but Dantona is already revving up his campaign to unseat the veteran incumbent.
He indicated in a July article of The Acorn that he wasn’t going to run because he was concerned about campaign finance regulations, which made it hard to challenge incumbents because the law caps campaign contributions at $159,000 per candidate.
But Dantona said residents in the district urged him to take part in the campaign because they feel shortchanged with their current representative.
“The East County communities need an effective leader committed to fighting for increased funding for public safety, environmental protection, affordable housing, community healthcare and better emergency first response services,” he said.
Dantona claims Mikels has ignored the needs of public safety people. “Instead of helping them, the board of supervisors spent taxpayers’ money to fight the very people who are protecting our quality of life,” said Dantona, referring to a recently settled lawsuit between the county, the sheriff and the district attorney.
This is Dantona’s first attempt at public office in the region. He ran unsuccessfully for city council and a seat in the assembly when he lived in the San Fernando Valley.
Dantona is the founder of Baseballers Against Drugs, an organization founded in 1989 to serve youth by using sports to promote an anti-drug, anti-gang, pro-education message. He’s also the president of Governmental Impact, a legislative consulting firm in Simi Valley.
The contender pledged to advocate smart growth-control measures to minimize traffic congestion, improve traffic safety and preserve agriculture and open space within Ventura County.
Smart growth can co-exist with affordable housing, Dantona said. If cities and county officials put pressure on developers to build the right type of housing, he added, the county will be able to house seniors and young people.
Reducing waste and inefficiency in county government is also essential, said Dantona. Departments should be audited by an independent management and performance audit firm to help control spending and prioritize budgets while still effectively delivering county services.
Mikels responded that Dantona is tackling old issues for lack of alternatives, but said she stands on her record and she’s ready for her performance review: the election. As supervisor, she tries to fix every problem but some are complicated and more difficult to resolve, she said.
Law enforcement is very important, and 51 percent of the general fund goes to public safety, Mikels said.
Although the sheriff and the district attorney initiated a lawsuit because they felt the board had shortchanged them, the settlement demonstrates that the disagreement was resolved, she said. The lawsuit cost $1.6 million because the court ordered the county to pay for the legal expenses of both parties.
As for fiscal waste, Mikels said the current board has spent much time controlling and improving finances. “We have a better credit rating now than before,” she said, adding that Dantona is throwing things at the wall to see if they stick.
Dantona also pointed out that truck traffic is a problem for Moorpark and the city should be compensated for damages done to local streets by the heavy vehicles. But Mikels said the county has worked on this issue to no avail. It’s a state highway managed with federal funds and both the 23 and the 118 are designated truck routes, she said.
Moorpark Mayor Patrick Hunter went to Sacramento to try to get the trucks off the street but was unsuccessful, Mikels said.
Hunter, who endorses Dantona, said he supports the challenger because “he is intimately familiar with the issues in the county and district. But more importantly, the current supervisor has failed in her responsibility to provide fundamental service to those in the 4th District,” said Hunter.
The closure of the East County Jail cost Moorpark nearly $75,000 in lost productivity, due to deputy sheriffs having to drive to Ventura to book suspects as opposed to making a short drive to Thousand Oaks, said Hunter, a lieutenant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Hunter had plans to run for the supervisor post but chose not to for personal and professional reasons.
Hunter also said the county is providing inadequate street maintenance. “Roads are in disrepair and the county’s response to the flooding and the storms last winter was inadequate, leaving Moorpark in jeopardy and causing us to rely on the city of Simi Valley for resources,” he said.
Another Dantona campaign issue is the Rocketdyne site. An initial investigation revealed the former rocket engine testing site was safe, but nearby residents didn’t agree, he said. Mikels should have called for an indepth analysis using federal dollars, which were available for that purpose, he said. “Instead, she led the battle to not have a second study done on the site.”
Mikels didn’t agree. “I don’t have any authority. It’s a federal and state decision. The Department of Energy, as well as the Department of Toxics, are the ones who didn’t recommend another study,” she said.
Sounds like a race! Let's call it the Dantona 500!
Arleigh:
What's your opinion of Mikels and Dantona?
Scott
What are the main issues in this race?
I imagine public safety ( sheriff's dept. and firefighters)
Then transportation.
Maybe some planning, but most of that is at the city level.
Also making sure Simi Valley gets its fair share of services.
My bigest issue would be expanding the court in Simi Valley so jury duty could be served here. As it is, I'd rather get called to Van Nuys.
Brian
Brian:
Public safety is very important.
I totally agree that jury duty should be served in the east county for east county residents. Also, did you know that Thousand Oaks can get a marriage license in Thousand Oaks while people that live in places like Simi Valley either have to go to the county or the Valley?
I think Simi should get these services as well.
Scott
Arleigh, Tim,
Any opinions?
What are the weak or strong points to either candidate.
Are people clamoring for Mikels to retire? Does Dantona have a base of support?
You can go to govimpact.com for more details abotu Dantona.
Brian
Brian,
I really do not know either very well. Also I think most people in Simi do not feel a real connection to County politics. I remember when Dantona ran for Simi Park Board and lost, despite spending a ton of money. I think people were turned off by his appearing to want it too badly. Voters get turned off in City elections when a candidate spends a ton of money running T.V. ads, putting up too many signs, too many mailers etc. Remember when Ron Bamieh spent a million bucks to be county DA and lost?
Brian,
I think if the public percieves that someone wants to be elected too badly or is trying to buy the election that it backfires. Even though we are all becoming jaded we still want public servants who want to serve for the right reasons.
Brian,
You're welcome. The story was buried (page 5) by the fire coverage.
The only interaction I've ever had with either candidate is when I e-mailed Mikels. She (or someone on her staff) wrote back within hours. That told me that when she's in her office, she makes it a priority to reach out to her constituents. (Obviously if she wasn't in her office - or near a computer remotely - she can't respond to emails.) That's something.
Alan
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA160242005?open&of=ENG-MMR
http://www.govimpact.com/GOV/international.html
http://www.laborrights.org/projects/corporate/unocal/
Must the dots be this easy to connect?
Just got this press release from Jim Dantona's team. Here it is word for word and not editied:
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jim Dantona
(805) 583-1014 (Office)
(805) 279-3177 (Cell)
Jim Dantona for County Supervisor
P.O. Box 1438
Simi Valley, CA 93062
(FPPC ID# pending)
Growing List of Local Elected Officials Endorse
Jim Dantona for County Supervisor
Jim Dantona, Candidate for County Supervisor for the 4th Supervisorial District announced today that he has received the endorsement of his candidacy by a trio of locally elected officials including Moorpark City Councilwoman Roseann Mikos, Camarillo Vice-Mayor Michael Morgan, and Oxnard City Councilman Tim Flynn.
I am proud to have earned the endorsement of my candidacy for County Supervisor by this distinguished trio of local elected officials, Dantona said. Each of these three city councilmembers are proven leaders within their respective communities, and we will work together to help focus the delivery of county services, protect public health and safety, and improve the quality of life within Ventura County.
Jim Dantona, 20+ year resident of Simi Valley, founding Chair of Baseballers Against Drugs, 30-year veteran of local, state and national government action, and recipient of the FBI Directors Community Leadership Award for the prevention of drug abuse is a candidate for County Supervisor for the 4th District, which includes the cities of Simi Valley and Moorpark and the unincorporated communities of Bell and Box Canyons, Somis and the Santa Susanna Knolls.
Dantona, who announced his candidacy for County Supervisor last week, has already received the strong endorsement of an impressive bi-partisan coalition of State and local elected officials including current Assembly member Audra Strickland and former Assemblyman Tony Strickland; current Simi Valley Mayor Pro-Tem Barbra Williamson and former Mayor Bill Davis; current Moorpark Mayor Patrick Hunter and former Mayor John Lane; Rancho Simi Valley Park and Recreation Board Members Veteran Simi Valley Police Detective Gene Hostetler and Jim Meredith; and Simi Valley Board of Education Members Debbie Sandland and Rob Collins.
Dantona also pledged to advocate smart growth control measures that will help minimize traffic congestion, improve traffic safety; and preserve agriculture and open space within Ventura County; work with local law enforcement and non-profit organizations on greater efforts to crack-down on violence and crimes near school campuses; assist local schools to expand drug education and after school community programs; increase the number of County funded community clinics to better serve the health care needs of East County residents and businesses; and reduce waste and inefficiency in County government by requiring County departments to have an independent management and performance audit focused on controlling spending, prioritizing budgets and efficiently and effectively delivering County services.
Why are the Striklands supporting such a liberal Democrate?
Lance,
Can you back that liberal label up? What information do you have that the rest of us do not?
Brian Dennert
What I know about Jim is that he was Chief of Staff to Robertie and he worked for Grey Davis. I saw a quote were he calls himself a "yellow dog democrat". He is also a supporter of government employees unions.
So where does Mr. Dantona stand on the business job tax that was proposed to the Board last week?
Scott
Perhaps the better question is why have so many rank & file Republicans deserted a 12-year incumbent to rally behind Dantona. The answer is leadership and relationships. Leadership is what is desperately needed in this non-partisan office. And relationships translate into political clout for the people in this community. Mikels has none of those attributes. She couldn't even get her own Blue Ribbon commission recommendations on public safety past a Republican Governor's veto!
It is clear from Strickland's endorsement, as well as others, that Dantona is a man who can work with Democratic and Republican leadership to get things done. Successful leaders recognize that polarizing parties and individuals behind worn-out labels like "liberal" and "conservative" do not lead to government action but rather government inaction. Leaders work together to solve problems. Stop the talk-show mentality!
I would not call the endorsement from two self-proclaimed neo-cons as if the Republican leadership has decided to go against Ms. Mikels and go for the Democrat in the race. I think it has to do more with Ms. Mikels endorsement of a moderate republican in the primary against Ms. Strickland two years ago. As to the rank and file of the Republican Party I would like to know where you get your information to think that they have deserted Ms. Mikels.
I still think that Mr. Dantona is from the liberal side of the Democrat party and not from the center. Just because you don not like the label does not mean its true.
Party affiliation doesn't mean much in a County Supervisor's race as others have pointed out. What really matters is how active the candidate is in the community and how easily they get things accomplished. Dantona seems to be an individual who is active in his community and gets things done. Ms Mikels seems to be absent more than active. That's a big difference in my book!
Thank you "not Lance" for getting this debate back on track. There is a reason this is a non-partisan office. Local issues like public safety and county services, as Scott pointed out above, are paramount - as well as environmental concerns like Rocketdyne (where Mikels has clearly catered to developers). That of course brings up overall growth issues and traffic. If you are a commuter or if you ever had the fun of dodging truck traffic through Moorpark, then traffic is a definite concern. I'm very curious to see what plays out in these areas.
One issue I think we are all over looking is the proposed development Ms. Mikels wants to approve for
her developer friend Gary Gorian. he wants to put 300 apartments up in the knolls. Can you imagine the people who would have been caught in this last fire. Ms. Mikels hasn't met a developer she didn't like!!!!! She is also very arrogant about what she forces on the community.
Why did Ms.Mikels vote against a detailed study on Rocketdyne. She told the people who lived in the area they were over reacting. Now we find out water is contaminated and Radio active matter is seeping throuhout simi. The Federal government would have paid for the study instead we have people coming down with cancer. Nice Job Ms. Mikels.
Non- partisan only refers to the method of the election, not that political ideology is not involved in the selection of the representatives.
Everything that is voted on is based on peoples political ideology and beliefs to say that there are no partisan politics involved in this election is absurd.
Take for example land use decisions, a conservative believes in property rights that land by it very nature affords the owner certain rights and these rights can not be taking away from the owner by the state unless the state has an compelling reason.
A liberal believes that property rights rest with the community, that land by it very nature is only temporarily possessed by a single individual but over the expanse of time many individuals have and will have claims against it therefore it belongs to the community and the rights to the land are established by the community.
Every policy issue is based on ones own political ideology and that ideology run from very liberal to very conservative.
In this race we have a clear difference between the two candidates Ms. Mikels a conservative republican and Mr. Dantona a liberal democrat. Who they will vote on issue such as traffic and development will be guided by their political ideology. Who you vote for will be based on your own political ideology.
To: (Not Lance) at least use a real name.
Take a look at Mr. Daytonas latest endorsements those three school Board Members are democrats and they were supported by the teachers union in the last race. If you look at whom Mr. Dantona has worked for in the past they have been the more liberal side of the democrat party. He says he has close ties to the Kennedys. So it is safe to make a logical conclusion that he comes from the liberal side of the party due to whom he has chosen to associates himself with.
Ms. Mikels on the other had has votes that are more consistent with the conservative side of her party when it comes to budgets and land use.
As stated before certain issues are State and Federal issues that do not concern county policy issues. How each of them stand on those issue are irrelevant to the race
Education issues and policies are the preview of the state and school boards, and not the county so why the reference to what he is going to do when he is elected.
Lance,
You say Republicans are for property rights, well Judy Mikels voted against another study of the Rocketdyne site even though the Sate Agency on Toxics said there should be more studies since the toxians and radioactive material are moving to other sites including the ground water. Her quote in the Ventura Star was that she was for property rights, does that mean at the expense of peoples health. Rocketdyne has settled a class action suite the day the jury was to be selected. Follow the MONEY. Developers may build at any expense including the lives of people in her district. Get off the labeling which to me means nothing and look at the facts. This is just the tip of the ice berg for Rocketdyne and Judy Mikels. Gary Gorian who is the developer who wants to build at any cost is supporting and raising MONEY for Judy.
Well these are different issues and I can only speak to what I know and not to how Ms. Mikels has voted or how she votes.
As to the Santa Susanna Knolls as I recall the vote at the Board was to allow Colton Communities a chance to change the underling zoning in a prescreen hearing. Have dealt with prescreen hearings I know this does not give Colton Communities the right to build apartments but only the right to have a hearing on weather there should be apartments built. The zoning change could be denied and thhe would not even be allowed to apply for that use. This vote was just a procedure vote the true test comes when the zone change comes back before the Board.
As to Rocketdyne I think that it is the DOE (which is Federal) who is in charge of the clean up and the county has no authority to ask or deny any test be done at the site. If you could provide the context in which the Board was taking action that would be helpful.
Mr. Dantona, I assume you are monitoring this blog I have a question for you. One of my friends was at the republican barbeque over the weekend and one of your supporters, Gene Hostetler said that you have or will have the very soon, the sheriffs deputies and the fire fighter union support is that true and where do you stand on the 3% at 50 retirement issue?
Thanks,
3% at 50 is a new retirement benefit that public safety unions are advocating for. Basically, If you start with the sheriffs department when you are twenty-five upon reaching age 50 you could retire with 75% of your salary or 25 years times 3% equals 75%.
I believe she was opposed to this retirement enhancement during the last negotiations with the unions because the county did not have the funds to cover the increased cost and at that time the State was raiding all local governments revenue to close their own budget gap. I do not know what her current position is if some one knows I would like to hear from them.
I am an employee of UFCW for over 10 years and i don't appreciate that Sup. judy Mikels is falsely showing UFCW as an endorser of her campaign. I called George Hartwell (President) and he told me that UFCW has endorsed Jim Dantona and that he wrote Sup. mikels a letter to remove her false site, yet it is still there as of tonight. I suggested we have an attorney write her a letter since she is lying. Supervisor Mikels have some class and remove the false out of date site, your fooling no one.
What is the address of mikels' web site?
In this time of political maneuvering and misinformation, political ugliness, it is rare to find a candidate that an entire neighborhood can stand behind. It is rare to find a candidate who listens to constituents and says what he means. And means what he says.
Jim Dantona has been actively asking, actively seeking his future constituents' viewpoint and concerns.
We think this is pretty special. We think this is unique and worthy of news.
In honor of this outstanding Ventura County 4th District Supervisorial candidate, the neighbors of Susana Knolls, Box Canyon, Lilac and the surrounds are throwing a party!
Rally
for
Jim Dantona
Saturday, June 3
3PM until?
at the Santa Susana Cantina
on the Pass Road in Susana Knolls
BBQ, MUSIC and COMMUNITY!
It's a race to the finish, and a race we must win! A race that decides the future of not just our neighborhoods, not just our District 4, but our entire, beloved Ventura County.
Please attend this special neighborhood event, meet Jim Dantona, and shine a light on what is good in grass roots, POSITIVE politics!
We hope to see you there.