Fillmore’s Measure F would establish rent control

By Eric Ingemunson | 11/01/09

On Tuesday, Fillmore voters will decide on Measure F, which would free the developer of a mobile home park to subdivide it for individual sale while imposing rent control on the remaining units. Not surprisingly, the developer that owns the park is the chief supporter of Measure F, which is not endorsed by the Ventura County Star. But the concept of rent control, introduced in Measure F as a sweetener to make it more palatable for residents, is... read more »

RAW DATA: Transcript of Chip Hanlon's Newt Gingrich interview

By Eric Ingemunson | 10/31/09

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City council supports a sales-tax increase, except for one

By Eric Ingemunson | 10/31/09

On Tuesday, voters in Ventura will decide whether they should raise their own sales tax. The city council says the city needs the money, but they don't necessarily want their fingerprints on any tax or fee increases. The council is sort of wondering out loud how they will pay their bills without asking the voters directly for the money. It's the equivalent of walking down a Ventura street and asking out loud, “How are we going to pay for... read more »

Religious groups protest marijuana legalization bill

By Eric Ingemunson | 10/29/09

Groups opposed to AB 390, Tom Ammiano's bill that would legalize marijuana in California, gathered on the steps of the capitol today for a press conference in which they called potential marijuana tax revenue "blood money." "Encouraging the public, particular young people, to smoke marijuana in order to increase state revenue is reprehensible," said State Senator George Runner. Additionally, they said that the social costs... read more »

Local Democrats censure one of their own

By Eric Ingemunson | 10/28/09

The Ventura County Democratic Central Committee censured one of their members last night for misusing the official email list to send messages critical of its leadership, in a meeting described as “rather nasty”. The censured individual accused the Central Committee leadership of “financial mismanagement and chicanery” according to the Ventura County Star, but he said he used his own email list which contained many of... read more »

Boxer Rushes Cap-and-Trade to Meet U.N. Deadline

By Eric Ingemunson | 10/27/09

Senator Barbara Boxer is hastily cramming cap-and-trade legislation through the Environment and Public Works Committee, which she chairs, earning the ire of Republicans by her attempt to make progress on the bill to satisfy an unofficial “deadline” imposed by the United Nations. John Kerry, the bill's sponsor ever since Harry Reid bumped the divisive Boxer down to co-sponsor, downplayed any... read more »

CTA seeks to preserve experimental Oxnard reading program

By Eric Ingemunson | 10/26/09

The Oxnard School District is considering jettisoning a small-group reading program, saying that in this economy there isn’t any room for experimental programs such as these. But the CTA is organizing teachers to oppose the cutback and will actively oppose the reelection of any school board member who threatens it or who doesn’t support smaller class sizes. We must pause to consider why there aren’t enough teachers to... read more »

Labor unions post laughable statistics as “proof” that Wal-Mart stores lead to crime

By Eric Ingemunson | 10/25/09

Have you heard, having a Wal-Mart in your neighborhood leads to an increase in crime? The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union has “proof”—just go their website, plug in your zip code, and read about all the crime that Wal-Mart has caused. Take the Simi Valley store, for example. According to the union, that store has resulted in 140 police calls in the neighborhood between 2002-2005, including one auto... read more »

Ventura County Star comes out strong against Walmart ban

By Eric Ingemunson | 10/25/09

Twin op-ed pieces in the Ventura County Star shredded the argument in favor of Measure C, the ballot initiative facing Ventura residents that proponents claimed would ban a Super Walmart along the busy Victoria Avenue corridor. As the Star points out, the measure, which is heavily supported by local grocery worker unions, would not stop a grocery-selling Walmart at all. At the most, it would only stop it from expanding after it opened. But the... read more »

What is the source of the dispute between SVPD and the city?

By Eric Ingemunson | 10/25/09

Is it about the money or not? The Simi Valley Police Officer's Association protested at City Hall during the city's 40th anniversary celebration, dissatisfied with the ongoing contract negotiations. The police union claims that they are protesting “working conditions”, but all the news coverage of the dispute seems to be about the money. The negotiations are occurring behind closed doors, and while the public back-and-forth is a... read more »