Sheldon:

After reading your article on the proposed Kellogg park, I decided to check out the west side parks and compare them to the east side parks. I did this with camera in hand.

First and foremost is the fact that the west side area ( vta Ave ) is comprised mostly of highly dense, older than 60 yr old neighborhoods. Very different from the east end. The population there has a large hispanic community.  (I believe ) traditionally communities like these have more children then those of the Eastside non hispanic households.

I found the parks you mentioned. The Westside park did indeed flank the bike path. The numerous homeless congregating in the park can attest to that fact. They seemed to hang out there right after getting a free meal at a location not too far away.

The park had 50 spaces for parking. Certainly not enough for all the uses you described.

The Harry Lyons park did not even have a sign on ventura ave letting anyone know there was even a park nearby.

The facilities were in terrible condition. Severely rusted basketball back boards, lamp posts and deteriorating asphalt was unexpected especially since I had just visited the beautiful pristine parks on the east side.

It is clear to me that the west side needs another park because of the demographics. Hopefully one day a park with a pool , like the families on the east end enjoy.

I find it curious that the westpark even has a field named after a city council member and you never mentioned it. Could it be because the field is a field of weeds ? Must be in transition.

Apparently you missed all of this. We are all getting older. I suggest better glasses sheldon.

P.S. I doubt this will get printed, but I’ll keep trying to tell the truth about matters concerning the huge differences and money alloted for the east side compared to the west side. Something you seem to think is a waste.

Mike Art

Art
Not sure why you doubted that this would be printed. Your opinion is as valid as mine. And not a knee jerk reaction but you took the time to go to the parks. You point out some good things but the money being spent on Kellogg Park would solve most of them. Feel free to write us whenever you have something to say.
Sheldon
PS: I don’t wear glasses, maybe that’s the problem.

Hello Sheldon,

Just a word about “the C Street Bridge” reconstruction.  It is truly interesting to watch the engineering design and decisions that are being made daily for the success of this project.  Cal Trans, Ventura City and County Building and private construction are working together well with “state of the art” building techniques.  The construction has caused few traffic disruptions because of the well-thought out traffic and pedestrian flows.  Its been so long to see renovation of an existing  bridge…maybe this is the beginning of more in the future?

Suzanna Ballmer, Ventura

Editor:

The Harbor Community Church continues to press for the right to locate a homeless service program within a long-standing residential neighborhood. By requesting a preliminary injunction against the city’s decision to deny this location, this church has elected to take an end run around compliance with the required regulations. The required compliance with a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) takes into account the families in this neighborhood who are at risk.

The Harbor Community Church has decided on four things:

• To whimper and assert to the 9th U. S. District Court of Appeals that Harbor Community Church’s religious entitlement is doing the Lord’s work for the homeless that supersedes the safety and security of the families in this neighborhood
• Not to work with and support the existing programs within the city (ie.: City Center, et.al.)
• Not to find another, less provocative location
• To compel the city to spend increasingly large amounts of taxpayer money for legal representation

The Harbor Community Church that promotes itself as, “… a place called to reach the entire community …” does not have an effective management plan to ensure a suitable measure of safety and security for the existing neighborhood around 3100 Preble Ave. The Ventura Police Dept. will have to station officers in this area on a permanent basis. This neighborhood will become a de facto war zone. Let us be clear, the families, and most notably the children, in this neighborhood are entitled to enjoy their own measure of safety and security.

The hubris of the Harbor Community Church to minimize and thus disregard families’ “… inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” is the antithesis of scripture.

It is apparent the homeless population finds Ventura a desirable place to be. What’s not to like: the weather, the ocean, the fresh fruits and vegetables? Increasingly, advocates for the homeless decry that municipalities are not doing more. People should keep in mind that at the end of the day, it is the tax paying citizens of Ventura operating their respective lives in a responsible way who will shoulder the financial load … not the advocates or the homeless themselves.

Roy Colbert
Ventura

Breeze:

Once again you guys have amazed me with your great talent and ability to take a few simple facts and turn them into  such beautiful statements. I have said it before and I’m saying it again…..You guys are AWESOME!!!  You always make us at Vagabond sound like we really are SOMEBODY! Thank you sooo much, all of you- You are the best!

Jolene McBee-owner Vagabond Restaurant

Suppose you were an idiot.
And suppose you were a member of Congress.
But then I repeat myself.

~ Mark Twain

Dear Editor:

Ventura’s Mayor believes that we will feel better if we pay another $340 to a Ventura City general fund versus it going into a State fund! Really? Aren’t I still out $340?  I feel better already.

Mayor Nasarenko is campaigning for this tax increase on the premise that Ventura voters will support a tax that is kept and spent locally. He fails to make it clear that $340 out of every household budget is still $340, regardless of where and how it is spent. To the average taxpayer, more taxes paid out of their household budget will reduce their ability to pay rent or their mortgage. It cuts into their food budget, their travel and vacation capability, as well as their medical care and their own future retirement.

Mayor Nasarenko also feels that citizens should be willing to tax themselves because there will be a Citizen’s Oversite Committee. When has any oversight committee, appointed by the city, ever challenged spending after it has been spent?

Finally, he fails to remind voters that there is no guarantee that the $340 will be spent on any, or all, of the city needs. No post-audit citizen’s oversight committee will be able to track City spending because all of the records are kept and controlled by the City.

An oversite committee has no power to reverse any spending after the fact. It is a smoke screen to give voters a false sense that a citizen’s oversight committee can put any concerns about “how funds are spent” to rest. The fact remains that once that tax is passed, no one will look at the tax again and no reversals will ever happen.

With a current surplus and better than expected revenues, there is no need to tax citizens more.

Robert Alviani
VREG Chair

Breeze (June, 1866):

I am sick and tired of walking around Ventura and finding  an excess of horse manure everywhere that I go. On the promenade, Plaza Park, in our river bottoms, downtown.

When I attempt to cross Main St. there is so much horse dung that I can hardly make it. Can’t the VPD make the carriages use a side street or are they too busy arresting people for exceeding the 5MPH speed limit and arresting horse thieve? I’m not going to approve a sales tax of .0000078% until the VPD protects me from horse dung.

And at the same time I see our police department making arrests because bar patrons are spitting at spittoons and missing.

Isn’t our tourist trade important? Let the bar patrons enjoy spitting and clean up our city from manure so that tourists enjoy coming  here.

Homer Victoria
Ventura

Editor:

End of Vince Street off Avenue. Is this a hillside coming down one heavy rain??

Laura Flores

Each man is good in the sight of the Great Spirit. It is not necessary for eagles to be crows. Now we are poor but we are free. No white man controls our footsteps. If we must die, we die defending our rights.

~ Sitting Bull – Lakota Sioux-1866

Dear Venturans and others:

An article today (Mar 8)  in the “Wealthy Doctor” by Sarah Huebscher finally exposes the criminal acts of local surgeon Aria Sabit and his pleading guilty to many charges of gross negligence in his surgery procedures and massive fraud. It is one sorry tale, except for the two MD whistle blowers, Drs. Carry Savitch and Gary Proffett. Thank you sirs.

Many local Venturans were damaged permanently by Sabit; then he went on to Michigan to repeat his crimes. Incredible.

This amazing article is a necessary read for all of us, to understand how a major hospital and profession can sink into criminal and cruel activities and keep it under raps for so long. We need local investigative reporters in our media to keep our public and private service providers honest and serving the public good. A small town like ours can have major scandals kept quite by the powers that be. We need the light of day shed on them to stay healthy and safe.

Read and be amazed:

http://wealthy-doctor.com/doctor-receives-439k-kickback/

Bob Chianese

Breeze:

I see that there are new large trash cans in Marina Park.  Do you know whether they are locking so that vagrants can’t get into them?  If so I would like to suggest that State Parks and the City use them in all the parks and along the promenade.  If they lock it will go a long way toward discouraging vagrants from dumpster diving.

Murray Robertson
A Very Concerned Ventura Resident

From Nancy O’Connor, CPRP , Parks Manager  City of Ventura

The cans have locking mechanisms on them. It is our goal to continue to purchase these cans and install them where we can. We have this project as one of our high priority Capital Improvements.

Thank you

Publisher Sheldon

Page 5 opinion ” In our last issue, I spoke about the large amount…….”

Use amount if you  weigh it, use number if you count it. Did you weigh the decisions or did you count them?

Doctor Luke

Maybe I did both, but probably just used the wrong word. Good thing that we have such smart readers.

Dear Sheldon

What a wonderful surprise to see our little press release (for Parkinson’s Disease )get such special attention! Thanks so very much – you just always go above and beyond, bless your hard working heart! And I got a call last night from a dear lady in Ojai who had seen the article in the Ventura Breeze; I had not yet seen it and she said “Oh, it is a really nice article with a great picture and everything!”

BTW – LUV that caption under the brain – “Just what is going on in there?” – we always wonder that, don’t we for Parkinson’s Disease purposes. What we know for certain is that the substantia nigra cells just die off and that’s why PWPD (People With Parkinson’s Disease) need dopamine so the message can get from the brain to the muscles for bodily movement to happen. Thankfully we have at least one drug (carbi-dopa/levo dopa) that can help keep PWPD moving for many years more than they would otherwise be able to do so. As much as having this disease is beyond a bummer, at least we do have some treatment available that helps, which cannot be said for many other debilitating diseases such as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The Ventura Parkinson’s Support Group meets every second Wednesday of the month at the Lexington Assist Living in Ventura. All of your Breeze readers are welcome to come join us.

Patty Jenkins
Coordinator – Ventura PD Support Group

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
~ Will Rogers

Hello Sheldon,

Are you aware of the repair to the Ventura Promenade that is happening currently?  Three of the palm-trios have not survived the recent storms and ocean rise.  So, Ventura is dutifully now working on moving rip-rap and boulders to protect what is left of the walk/bicycle path.

Also, the cobblestones brought in to protect the Walk are now distributed along the shoreline and past the Pier.  There is not much beach left.

Who says there is no Global Warming?

Suzanna Ballmer

This is in response to Breeze publisher’s comments in last issue regarding the WAV.

Sheldon:

You may not be aware that the WAV theatre-gallery is always open on First Fridays and offers visitors brochures with maps of studio locations as well as a large board with pushpins showing which studios are open.

WAV as a group has taken part in other city wide venues including all the Art Walks (and we pay the necessary fee to be listed in their promotional materials).  We display our art works in the WAV gallery and other galleries and venues as well. As individuals, we have our own projects. Several of our musical groups perform regular gigs here and on the outside

Among events last year at the WAV, there was a several weeks’ long charitable event “Earth Spirit” with a juried art exhibit and numerous guest speakers for the environment. This was filmed and will soon be a documentary.

I have new works in my studio not yet in my web site. So perhaps you’ll pop over to see them next time you visit the WAV.

Yours sincerely,
Frances Spencer
WAV resident artist/playwright

Breeze

The real winner of Super Bowl 50 were those who saw and heard Lady Gaga sing our National Anthem.

As the members of our military forces stood at attention and our fighter planes flew overhead, we for a few brief moments were a young nation again.  We felt what it was like to be free, to be powerful, to overcome all odds, to endeavor to be great and to achieve greatness.

And for a few brief moments, the vision of George Washington, General of the Army of the Potomac stood at Valley Forge in the midst of his men, in the middle of a brutally cold winter.

With bloody feet and lack of food, they continued to fight on, when, as Rudyard Kipling wrote; “when there was nothing left within them except, the will, to hold on”.

And for a few brief moments, we were the men and women who crossed the great plains of this nation in covered wagons and held our children at night, not knowing whether they would be safe, and in the morning drove past the skeletons along the trail of those who did not make it.

And for a few brief moments, we saw our soldiers braving the hazards of the war in Europe and in Asia and the memory of those Marines who raised our flag on Iowa Jima came to mind.

And then, for a few brief moments, we pictured the rows of crosses in France, row upon row, where American blood was shed In order to defend the world against Nazi terrorism.

And for a few brief moments we realized what it was like to feel good, to know what it meant to be an American.

And for those few brief moments it made no difference who you were, whether you were rich or poor, or the color of your skin, for in those few brief moments, we were all one, we were Americans.

And thank you Lady Gaga, for those few brief moments, let us never let go of those feelings. You awakened in this nation what the politicians cannot do, the awareness of what made this country great.

And as you so beautifully sang: “Oh say does that Star – Spangled Banner yet wave, O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave”, you rekindled our belief, once again, in the promise of America.

David Pies

Citizens for SOAR renewal

If you are like me, sometimes you are in a hurry and duck out of your favorite store or meeting place to avoid signature gathers with petitions. I just want to alert everyone that for the next two weeks you might want to pause and take the time to sign the SOAR initiatives, which stand for Save Open-Space and Agricultural Resources. You need to sign two–the one for Ventura County and one for your City, signing your name the way you are registered to vote, in order to get SOAR on the November 2016 ballot.

By signing the petition you make it possible for people to vote on whether or not protected agricultural land or open space areas can be rezoned for development. This does not stop development, but gives citizens the choice to decide yes or no.

The current City and County SOAR initiatives are set to expire at different times. This new initiative will renew SOAR and get all the SOAR initiatives throughout the County on the same schedule, with the uniform sunset date of 2050.

Given the limited water and land resources in our cities and county, and increasing pressures for development, it is important to let voters weigh in on whether converting agricultural or open space land is in the best interest of the community at large.

This is an all-volunteer grassroots signature gathering effort. The people with petitions are your friends and neighbors who are all taking time out of their own busy lives to help renew the Ventura County SOAR initiatives.

So, as you are rushing to complete errands or chauffeuring kids to their next engagement, please take a few moments to help these SOAR signature-gathers give us a say in whether our communities should rezone land for more development. This is a democratic means to preserve our valuable open space and agricultural resources now and in the future.

Diane Underhill

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.
  ~ George Bernard Shaw

Letter to Editor,

At a 4 ½ hour City Council meeting on Saturday, Jan. 30, a majority of the conversation was how to increase taxes on the citizens of Ventura. No real time was spent on how to improve the economic vitality of Ventura. If the local commercial vacancies were occupied by businesses and new local jobs came to town, there would be more property and sales taxes without increasing taxes for Venturans.

There are funds to repair the pier. Also, with water rates increased by 34% over the last 2 years, our water system will be maintained. The City of Ventura has a balanced budget.

Mayor Nasarenko’s 2013 campaign promised to pay for streets, public safety, water resources, attracting new business, parks, schools and city services “By growing the economy… the city must attract and retain businesses that will increase its sales tax base.”  When asked about the city role to attract a better economic vitality he said: “The city can bring economic vitality to Ventura by keeping it safe and clean, creating a business-friendly culture at city hall, making sensible, cost-effective loans to businesses, and by promoting trade and tourism both locally and globally”. He said nothing about increasing taxes upon the citizens.

On Jan. 1, 2016, Medicare tax increased from 1.45% to 2.35%. Income Tax rate increased from 35% to 39.6%. Payroll tax increased from 37.4% to 52.2% Capital gain tax increased from 15% to 28%. Dividend tax increased from 15% to 39.6%. Estate taxes increased from 0% to 55% and a Real Estate transaction tax of 3.5% was added.

Now the Council spent $118,000 to hire a consultant to tell the City Council how to educate the Ventura voters so Ventura will vote to tax ourselves another $340 a year per household. It is time to just say no.

Robert Alviani
Ventura-VREG Chair

Editor:

As a parent at Pierpont Elementary School, I’m also concerned that as the vacation rentals go up, there’s a decrease in the number of actual families that reside in the Pierpont area.  As a result, the attendance of actual residential families has decreased steadily over the years.  The school has one of the lowest enrollments I’ve seen in the 5 years I’ve been there.  We had a high of 312 kids a few years ago and now we are down to 250 children.  I would hate to see this community lose this school in future years due to lack of families in the area.

Kim Castro

Ventura Breeze

Regarding “Homeless Prevention Fund”

Homelessness is a symptom of America’s living standards equalizing with the world’s living standards created by “Free Trade Doctrines” (something none of the politicians seem to want to talk about)

Obviously there are other reasons: housing crisis, drugs & alcohol abuse and mental illness, but the loss of good paying blue collar jobs is the crux of the problem… The stratospheric rise in the cost of buying a home as well as renting a home… Never mind the high cost of owning and operating an automobile these days! College..? Forget about it for most high school graduates now due the cost.

The idea that we can “bring (good paying) jobs back” is so much political pablum that the country wants to hear, but the real systemic problem is all of us want “stuff” that is cheap.

Not even Bernie Sanders can end this nightmare.

Dave Gunall, Brookings, Oregon

We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.
~ Aesop

Hi Sheldon,

Read your note in the Breeze on homeless in Ventura, with some folks making comments they should somehow be removed, despite fact many homeless in our community are not breaking the law…

It appears some in the Community do not consider fact the City has limited amount of resources to better help unfortunate homeless people in our community.

One way to help generate more funds that could be allocated to helping the homeless among other services, without raising local sales tax, is to entice all the many  long-time local-yokel home owners in Ventura, who have lived in the same home for decades, (in some cases even willed to them through relatives) who contribute substantially less in property taxes per year than more recent home buyers due to Prop 13,  to either pony up some voluntary contributions to help the homeless and fund a fairer share for local schools, roads and other basic services, or sell their homes at substantial profit, reinvest equity proceeds to purchase another local home, and if none of that suits, bugger on out… In addition, the Community needs to be open to build more upscale homes, which can generate substantially higher property tax base needed to fund services.

Prop 13 has negative side effects on some local communities in the State of California. Communities, including in Ventura County, that have higher property purchase turnover rates, generally have a continual higher property tax base of funds to work with, due to Prop 13. Communities like City of Ventura, which has a more static long time local yokel homeowner population, (many of whom are anti-growth / development) suffer due to lower, more static property tax bases.  Even though only 16% of the property tax dollar may go to local coffers, 16% of $10k property tax per year pays a hell of a lot more local bills than a relatively paltry 16% of $1k or less…

What ends up happening in communities like local-yokel retro dominated Ventura, is the City Government is constantly on the prowl looking for ways to increase income, whether through parking fees, local sales tax increases or heaven only knows what, to support basic services that the existing local population does not contribute enough through percentage of property taxes to fund in the first place…

Sincerely,

Cris Sabo-Ventura

Dear Sheldon

Thank you for highlighting the good work of the Homeless Prevention Fund in your latest publication.  As stated in your article, it is much cheaper and more humane to help prevent a person from becoming homeless than to help them get out of homelessness.  This fund is supported primarily by private donations from community members. It is often low on funds with the risk of not being able to help someone, often a family, with an average donation of $500 to keep them in their home. City council members are  often asked, how can I help with the homeless problem in our city?  This is one of the ways, we can all help.  More information can be found on Venturahomelessprevention.org.

Thank you again for highlighting an important but little known resource in our community.

Former Mayor Cheryl Heitmann

Editor:

I am so glad that there is renewed interest in the city’s short term rental policy. I have watched the rapid growth of this phenomenon in the last few years and am convinced that it is leading to a potential radical change in our community. T

The situation where a number of the communities along the California coast are adopting regulations much stricter than Ventura  inevitably will lead to Ventura becoming the center for short term rentals with all the issues that are involved. It seems to me that we have a situation where we have an ordinance that is basically un-understandable and which many people believe allows a revolving door allowing rentals pretty much all the time including every weekend.

Enforcement , including noise complaints, seems to not only rely on neighbors complaining , but also finding someone to complain to. If the city has an administrator for this area, and it’s not clear that there is anyone since Janie Dunn retired, the person doesn’t work weekends as far as we know, when they are most needed. Also,  even though there are regulations  it’s impossible for the neighbors to really tell how many people are occupying a house.

Most cities have recognized these problems and have taken steps which include longer minimum rental periods to eliminate large one night parties and to attract more families. This community is a residential community and I can’t think of anything that will change its character  more than the transient nature of short term rentals. This may be our last  chance to save our community from major deterioration and we should not let it pass without making the strongest effort possible.

Stefanie Roth-Ventura

We received this correction (Even we make mistakes)

The photo and caption associated with your  article of Jan. 20, 2016 about the Ventura Homeless Prevention Fund were not, in fact, related to the article.

The Ventura Homeless Prevention Fund keeps people who are currently housed from becoming homeless, which is the least expensive and most effective way to end homelessness.  Every penny donated to the Fund goes directly to keeping people who are housed, in their homes.

Other agencies work with individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness.

I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.
 ~ Will Rogers

Dear Sheldon,

Thank you very much for putting the City website number to contact for concerns and requests.  It is a simple act and will reap real action by our good City workers if they know of it.  I have been calling the “Graffiti number” often and really do get action within 24 hours.

Also, I agree 100% with the goal to go to a metric system like the rest of the world.  Why should the U.S. refuse to cooperate?

Respectfully,
Suzanna Ballmer

To publisher

It would be a terrible idea to close Poli on a permanent basis.  Thompson is now the only 2 lane road to go from West to East Ventura and vice-versa.  I grew-up using Foothill \ Poli to go surfing before school.  I know you are not from Ventura and would like to change things as You see fit.  Why do people move to Ventura and feel it is necessary to fix / improve things?  Why did you move here?  Most likely because of the atmosphere in Ventura.  Having lived here more than 50 years, I have seen far too many people try to make Ventura more like Orange County or LA after they move here.  If you don’t like the way Ventura is, move!!

David Eigner

David: Just because I think Ventura should close the street means that I don’t like Ventura and I should move? How absurd. So in the 50 years that you have loved here you haven’t found anything that should change because it might be better for Ventura? Hard to believe! So anyone not born here does not have the right to express an opinion?

Sheldon

Ventura Breeze:
I recently read in the American Journal of Human Genetics (very exciting reading) that Homo Sapiens contain 2-4% of Neanderthal DNA depending on ones lineage.
Between 40,000 and 60,000 years ago Homo Sapiens and Neanderthal mated which accounts for us containing their DNA.
Creationist believe that Homo Sapiens have been in existence for only 6,000 years.
I can understand a slight difference between science and religion but not over 30,000 years.
By the way Homo Neanderthalensis were named after Neandertal, Germany where in 1856 they were first discovered.
Perhaps some Breeze reader could help me understand this.
Thank you
Donald Russell – Ventura

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and  trying to lift himself up by the  handle.

~ Winston Churchill

Sheldon

With the appointment of a non-council member to the mayorship and his advocacy of a sales tax increase, this city’s reached a new low. So the council dodges any flack by using an outsider to announce new fees is as cynical a move as the new water agency being forced down our throats. A sales tax increase was defeated years ago-how do they expect this one to pass? Where’s all the money? Where’s the income from the traffic lights and the parking meters? And why is the internet service on the avenue so slow and unreliable? The east side has fiber optic, and a new sports complex. The Avenue gets Kellogg Park-whee! Sheldon, your cheerleading only goes so far-why don’t you call these guys on their games?

Richard Goad

Richard

Not sure where you get your information but you definitely need a new source. All of our mayor’s (Erik Nasarenko in this case) are city council members who the council selects to be mayor.

And Ventura does not have a sports complex, new or old.

Sheldon:

I was swimming laps at The Pierpont on Christmas Eve when my swimming buddy and fellow Rubicon chef, Doris Cowart, joined me. When we arrived at one end of the pool at the same time, she exclaimed that I was famous! She told me she said to herself, while reading the article,”I know her!” That was how I found out my aricle was in the paper.

Back in the locker room, she told everyone who would listen…it was nice that she took the lead so I didn’t have to! I gathered up a number of copies of The Breeze on my way out the door to send to family and friends. So, Sheldon, you have made me famous! Thanks! Happy New Year!

Kay Rich

Greetings- 150 years ago in Ventura

Tom Scott, of the Penn RR (and a  family ancestor) had acquired 240,243 acres and spent $165,000.00 in gold on Calif. oil lands by January 1865. He bought all of the Ojai Valley and most of downtown Ventura. Rancho Calleguas (5916 acres), Rancho Canada Large (6660 acres), Rancho Ojai (17717 acres) and a group of other ranchos, including what is now Oxnard and Ventura.

Regards –

John H. Stewart

“How I hate those who are dedicated to producing conformity”

~ William S. Burroughs

Breeze:

We had a great Thanksgiving, hope you did too.  And I hope you noticed we didn’t make the cover of the Rolling Stone, but the Friends of the Library got the next best thing!  The cover of the Breeze!  Everyone was so excited to have our poster contest featured!

From Marianne from Friends of the Library

Marianne: The next best thing indeed. I’m sure that people who make the cover of Rolling Stone just wish that they could be on the cover of the Breeze.

Breeze:

We are getting great feedback on our articles and about the Breeze in general. Many are so pleased at the community services you offer in Ventura.

Thanks,

Elizabeth Rodeno
Project Manager
CAPS Media Center

Sheldon:

First, let me just say how much I loved your Halloween Editorial photo & meant to tell you that months ago!! 😉

Thanks so much for all you do – how hard you work, so we in Ventura have another source of printed info/news!! You are awesome!! (and I did not know there were so many correct ways to spell Hannukah until I read your article! 😉

Yours Truly,

Patty Jenkins – Coordinator
Ventura Parkinson’s Support Grp

Editor,

Since your “article” regarding the City Council’s errant 4 to 1 vote allowing the building of 55 so-called “executive” houses was so devoid of information regarding why people are against this project, I thought I would at least tell you my personal objections to it.

First, we don’t need more so-called “executive” houses in Ventura.  What we need in Ventura is affordable housing so the kids who are born and raised here can actually live here someday.  Who are these “executives” anyway and why should the City Council bow down to them while ignoring the needs of our kids?

Second, it doesn’t take a genius, or an EIR, to know that you cannot place 55 so-called “executive” houses on open a hillside without causing significant environmental damage.  The natural plants and animal life that will be displaced by this project would be shameful and the increase in traffic alone would cause more pollution for everyone in Ventura, no matter where you live.

Third, it would create another eyesore on an otherwise pristine view.  Ventura is a beautiful town, we should work to keep it that way.

Fourth, these 55 so-called “executive” houses and their still unknown occupants would put a drain on city and county resources, such as Fire and Police budgets, that will never be made up in whatever taxes they may generate.

Fifth, why is the City Council considering building anything give the drought situation.  Do they have the water for these 55 so-called “executive” houses stored somewhere and they are not telling us about it?

I could go on, but you see why we, who oppose this mess, are speaking out against it.

John Darling

John: As I stated in our last issue I won’t be commenting any further until the project is submitted again to the City for final approvals. You’ve heard enough from me. This could take up to 2 years.

Sheldon

I prefer an interesting vice to a virtue that bores.

~ Moliere (1622-1673)

Dear Mr. Brown,

There is a real need for new housing in Ventura, which is full of ageing, sub-standard housing, but what seems to happen is that instead of infilling areas in the city where  streets and sewers etc. already exist, the building is done on what is probably the most valuable and productive farmland in the world.  And once it is taken out of farming, it is gone, never to be replaced, and there isn’t going to be more made elsewhere.  We can build housing on empty lots, or tear down old warehouses and buildings that have outlived their purpose, but we can’t ever grow strawberries or lemons or avocadoes when the farms are built upon.

The proposed Hillside development, if it passes all the geological testing, etc, at least will be built on non-productive land and will be a tremendous boost to downtown businesses, as will the proposed housing where Joe’s Crab Shack was. That area (Sanjon and Thompson) is full of boarded-up stores.  Ventura needs to grow its tax base and building higher-level or luxury homes adds people who pay higher taxes and spend more money, which helps underwrite all of Ventura’s services to lower income people as well as supporting restaurants and stores.

The City of Ventura needs to move forward on some of these projects.  I understand that water use will be an issue, but the technology exists to make new construction much more water and power efficient than the old homes, and either a city moves forward or it moves backward – it doesn’t and can’t stay the same.

Sincerely,
Lynne Hiller

Dear Sheldon,

Once again, Edna and I have the pleasure of thanking you and the Breeze for presenting us to your readers! We thank you. And since we’re sending a copy to Radio Station WPPB in New York, they surely thank you, too.  Thanks also for the good reading in other Breeze articles.

Chuck & Edna Cecil

Editor:

…was clearly not visible to the sponsors and speakers at the Chambers of Commerce Alliance presentation of October 14, as described in your Nov. 11 – 24 issue. Your meeting synopsis read like a report on a get-together of the “Ventura / Santa Barbara Society of Luddites and Flat- Earthers.”

It was blatantly clear that the so-called symposium on the future of energy was a propaganda gig for the area’s willfully ignorant deniers of the hard facts, science-supported proofs and obvious realities of human-caused climate disruptions and general warming from two centuries of burning fossil fuels. That such a mindset is put on stage as respectable thinking is especially ridiculous in a region beset by record drought and facing rising sea levels with their concurrent damaging effects.

And it sure doesn’t behoove a publication that seeks credibility to report on such an organized farce as if it were a serious assessment of the future of energy. It was not. The future – and even a significant and growing part of the present – belongs to solar, wind and other renewables, not to finite, filthy fossil fuels.

Tom Manning
Ventura

Sheldon:

I don’t know what the anti-growth people are celebrating (Regarding the CC approval of Regent’s hillside project) .  We’ll have to ask the clerk for the record, or watch the streaming video.  I tuned out after one too many repetitive screeds during the seemingly interminable public comment period.

The loudest anti-growth voice is a documentary film maker who moved here a few years ago and who will evidently say just about anything to win.  He uses ad hominem insults to deprecate the people who support the project (I am neutral about it) as has a recent history of demagogues who have built political careers by doing so.

We might point out to him that some of our town’s historical leaders, including Eugene Preston Foster, William Dewey Hobson, and Abe Hobson were developers and subdividers, and others were Realtors, such as Mayor Al Albinger and Supervisor A.C. Ax.  It wouldn’t make any difference: he is trying to win and has nothing to lose by libeling anyone he can.

Realtors know first-hand how people need move-up housing during their lives as much as the poor need housing.  They know the economics of real estate better than anyone, since they manage it, too.   They have a lot to contribute to the conversation, and ought to be praised for their many good works.

I can’t think of anything any of these major opponents has ever done for anybody in Ventura except themselves.  Name one board they have been on for any registered charity.

Never mind that his house was “developed” by someone, as long as it wasn’t him.  Never mind that his is either a cut lot or a fill lot.

Interestingly enough, they have formed a group of some strange bedfellows:

Regards,
Kioren Moss

to publisher

you seem very surprised at the reaction you’re getting for your editorials on hillside development. how long have you lived here? this is a volatile issue. with 2 council members recused and a planning commission member suspected of conflict of interest the voting pool is smaller and i suspect that will make it easier to allow this abomination to be built. just as they rammed the new water agency down out throats i suspect they’ll do the same with the hillside development. again, where’s the evidence  that these “executives” will contribute anything other than more traffic, boutique “foo-foo” wine bars and higher tax assessments and rents? this is not santa barbara, montecito, or la jolla, however much the elites want this fantasy. 600k “santa barbara style” condos on the avenue next to a homeless center and oil fields do not make this area any more than it already is-and i like it the way it is. as for companies investing here to improve the economy, well tell that to kinko’s-we sure let the big one get away, didn’t we?

Richard Goad

If you don’t read the newspaper you are uninformed,
if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.

~ Mark Twain