Letters to the Editor

October 19, 2002
Opinion
Error in candidate storyTo The Editor:I am a candidate for City Council. In the Wednesday, Oct. 9 paper, I was quoted as saying I am not in favor of an ordinance that would "allow" mixed use. Mixed use means commercial/industrial and residential space together in the same building. That is a misquote. I said I am not in favor of a new law that would require mixed use.The reporter should have been able to get this right because I specifically said Santa Paula already has the most accommodative mixed use ordinances in the county. I mentioned that a contest among cities was held at the Cabrillo Economic Development/VCEDA Housing Forum I attended on September 13 to see which city is the most friendly to commercial/residential and industrial/residential projects currently - and Santa Paula won that contest.I said I do not support a new law that would require unneeded additional costs when we have such a lenient ordinance already in place. We do not need to unnecessarily raise the cost of doing business in Santa Paula.In the Oct. 9 article I was also misquoted as having "...repeated that Fagan Canyon is not feasible for development due to legal constraints..."This is a misquote. Several times during the Forum, I stated that I view Fagan Canyon as a card in the city's deck for development, along with downtown development and Adams Canyon, but that Fagan Canyon appears to have such legal constraints on the land that it "may" be infeasible for development - any time soon.The article portrays me as closing off options for downtown development and Fagan Canyon development. This is the opposite of what I repeatedly stated.I said I favor greater downtown revitalization as a card in the city's deck. However, I pointed out that even at Imagine Santa Paula, there was not one ready, willing and able developer trying to apply for a New Urbanism project in our downtown. With the demolition, retrofitting and construction costs so high, even a non-profit developer, let alone a for-profit company, will have a hard time actually doing such a project. Also, the city will not get athletic field space or land for schools with downtown redevelopment only. Again, recognizing the constraints, I support downtown revitalization.I said I favor Fagan Canyon development as a card in the city's deck. However, I pointed out that lower Fagan Canyon has State Department of Conservation (Williamson Act) contracts on it and, on their face, those contracts preclude development for nine more years. The procedure to get out of those contracts early is fraught with legal constraints and the potential for lawsuits and delay. it is not just a matter of paying a fee and getting out. If we are looking to Fagan Canyon for park land, school land, workforce housing and affordable housing - it could be a very long, lawsuit encumbered wait. Again, recognizing the constraints, I support Fagan Canyon as an option for development.I said I favor bringing Adams Canyon land into the city's planning boundary, or CURB line - because it may be the only playable card in the city's deck for park land, school land and housing - an option for development.As a group, the candidates mentioned potential development (1) downtown, (2) in Fagan Canyon, and (3) in Adams Canyon. I believe all three should be available as options for our consideration.Rita GrahamSanta PaulaA Drivingprivilege?To the Editor:Driving a vehicle requires patience and full concentration, both of which the majority of people have none. Since each year, with more and more population and more cars on the road, we are seriously facing a bad situation here in Santa Paula as well as all over Ventura County.I see every day that there is no consideration for others on the freeways, as well as in town. Speed limit? What speed limit? People pass me going 80+ and I'm in the slow lane! In a hurry? Yes, to get to your grave and kill others!One year ago I was walking the crosswalk coming out of K-Mart. My friend and I were hit. Just this past Saturday 21st again a couple pulled out from the parked area, didn't look and came within inches of hitting me, they flipped me off! On Sunday 22nd my daughter was walking by Rite Aid, crossed with the green light and a man came inches of hitting her. All he could do was smile.I take my granddaughter to school and almost daily either a car is out of control or the kids just dart out right in front of you. I know pedestrians have the right of way, but isn't it everyone's responsibility to take their turn?Speed and lack of patience is the number one cause of accidents, so if you are short on patience and can't concentrate on your driving, you shouldn't get behind the wheel.Some corner lights change too fast and don't allow the people to cross before changing to red.Also the police here in Santa Paula are pretty much useless. They don't seem to care or act on some situations that should be their job to do so. They act like it's no big deal, yeah, only when someone gets killed!I used to love to drive, now I'm so scared and hate to drive and walk!! I thought driving was a privilege. Not any more.Margie FoxSanta PaulaAn expensiveadditionTo the Editor:When Santa Paula first considered annexing Adams Canyon, the city produced a White Paper on the sphere of influence, dated Oct. 18, 1999. As an internationally recognized expert on water management, I analyzed the paper and the problem from that point of view. Here is a summary of my arguments:Water Supply. The Castaic Lake Water District has figured that the cost of supplying water to the Newhall Project will be $1600 per new resident or $41 million from reserve funds, a subsidy paid in fees and taxes by the old residents. At the same rate, for Adams Canyon, the cost would be at least $11 million (page 25 of the White Paper). The cost could be higher as Adams Canyon is not adjacent to any state water project reservoirs, so the water will have to be transported to the site. In addition, the State Project is already overcommitted by at least 35%.If Adams Canyon were to plan to use Santa Paula groundwater, the first issue would be that pumping is not permitted until after this year, and given the current drought, probably not for several more years. The developers may be counting on water from agricultural land conversion. If there were already water in the canyon it would have more food crops and less grazing.The present water use pattern has return flow and underflow via the river. If the new development uses wastewater for landscaping and for toilets, that would be a drastic alteration of the infiltration characteristics of the local aquifer. This change would probably worsen water quality in the basin - quality which is already above acceptable limits.Drainage is another problem. The steep profiles in the area already mean the use of debris basins, cleaned annually. Increase of only 25% in paving and roofs will mean an increase of 200%in runoff. This runoff will exceed the capacity of our sewage treatment plant by at least 1.45 million gallons a day for a cost of $10 million, with only $1 paid by the developer. Further, the poorly cemented hills in the northern part of the canyon will be affected by earthquakes, making drainage problems worse because of constantly renewed piles of debris.For water reasons alone, Adams Canyon would be a very expensive addition for the town of Santa Paula.Dora P. CrouchSanta PaulaThe big pictureTo the Editor:Bill Glenn is sadly misguided. He and others that support development in Adams Canyon fail to see the big picture. What we are trying to avoid here is what is happening elsewhere in Southern California. I don't know about you Bill, but I moved here to get away from LA, not to be a part of it. Perhaps a "paranoid aversion to development" is necessary to motivate concerned community members and leaders into doing 'something' to educate the voters about the consequences of Measure F. You need to read our City's General Plan to fully grasp the adverse impact of future local development. Fagan and Adams are just the beginning!The developer talks about the revitalization of our town with the passing of Measure F, but realistically a project of this magnitude will be many years in the planning stages before the bulldozers ever fire up. Who will address the intractable problems our City suffers until then? Pinnacle?, hardly. Development is not a panacea for our City's ills. We urgently need a change in government.Mr. Glenn states in his letter to the editor, "Measure F only asks the voters to approve moving the CURB line... so that WE have control over development...." This is the biggest falsehood the supporters of this measure are promoting. If we Santa Paulans allow this measure to pass, all future decisions regarding development will rest with the CITY COUNCIL. Pinnacle Developers can then just play a waiting game and hope a pro-development council forms this year or two years, or even four years from now. All they need are THREE consenting council members, and NOT a town of voters!You say you want housing? Why not take a short drive to Oxnard and buy some. They don't seem to care that all that rich topsoil is being encased in asphalt and stucco or worry about future water shortages. Ever wonder why we need an exclusive luxury development? Could it be for a "better class of people", as our past city manager once said? What is really needed here is affordable infill housing for the middle class, not mini-mansions and golf courses for the rich.I want our Heritage Valley and its pristine canyons preserved, Bill! I want to be able to raise my kids in a small rural town. I want to be able to walk down Main St. and see charming shops, not corporate chainstores. I want to preserve agriculture and native watershed areas. I want to avoid excess noise and traffic. And most of all, I would like the satisfaction of knowing that we saved this special valley for our children and future generations.As Gabino Aguirre, our next councilman, states "...I see our valley as an island in a sea of development." Now there's a person who gets the BIG picture.Lotar ZiesingSanta PaulaWe're getting closerTo the Editor:We're almost near that time for the elections and we are looking forward to see who will be our new councilmen for our city. As I said before in the last letter to the editor that there are two people that I know will do a good job for our City Council, that is Rick Cook and Rita Graham.Why I know that for a fact is that Rick Cook I know has done a very good job for the City Council as councilman, Mayor Pro-Tem and Mayor of Santa Paula and I know he will do a good job again for the city as he did when he was a police sergeant as well as he did when he patrolled the streets of Santa Paula for a number of years for the Santa Paula Police Department. So please let's reelect Rick Cook for a second time around.And for Rita Graham as far as I can tell you is that I know she will do a great job as a councilman or should I say councilwoman, because Rita has the qualifications to be on the City Council as a good strong leader for our community, and that is also why I am supporting Rita Graham in many ways or in any way that I can.So please I urge you to elect Rita Graham also to the city of Santa Paula City Council along with Rick Cook. Together they both can and will work hard for you and me here in this great beautiful and wonderful city of Santa Paula, okay.Thank you again.John BravoSanta PaulaInformative forumTo the Editor:Thanks to the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce, an interesting and informative meeting was held at the Community Center.All the candidates for City Council spoke. As always they were able to tell us all of Santa Paula's problems, but too few gave any solutions.However Rick Cook was the most honest. His one day at a time and working "together" to improve Santa Paula made him the type of candidate I want to vote for.June WelshSanta PaulaScholarships availableTo the Editor:The Santa Paula Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce would like to inform the public about our annual scholarship awards open to any deserving high school student. The rules are: student lives in Santa Paula and will graduate in June; must have a 2.5 GPA or higher and will continue his or her education in a college or technical school. Scholarship recipients for 2002 are as follows: Jessica L. Duran, Brooks Institute; Brittany Flug, Lavern College; Beatriz Chavez, Northridge; Analilia Magana, Northridge; Isaac Nuno, Northridge; Alicia Patron, Northridge; Mierya Aguilar, Northridge; Bethany Skutley, Northridge; Shyla Cabral, University of Hawaii; Ernesto J. Lopez, Ventura College; Adan Alejos, Ventura College; Erin Garcia, St. John's University, New York.Any student who wishes to apply for a scholarship, please call Mr. Victor Salas, Sr., (805) 525-0028 or write to him at Mexican American Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 497, Santa Paula, CA 93061.Victor Salas, Sr.President,Mexican-AmericanChamber of CommerceN-O spells No on FTo the Editor:There's a lot of incomplete and misconstrued information being mailed to the residents of Santa Paula. They are hoping to confuse or pull a fast one on us and we all need to ask questions and pay attention. We are smarter than they give us credit for.There is NO "F" in Citrus Capital.No "F"un if F passes.No "F"reeway nightmaresNo "F"armingNo "F"ree and Open SpacesNo "F"oothill RoadNo "F"amiliar Small Town LookNo "F"aulty Lies from profiteersNo "F"airy Stories of Parks & HappinessNo "F"inancial burden on our communityNo "F"lood damage for those homes built below.No "F"inancial gain for those who already haveNo "F"ond memories of a quaint small townNo "F"alse truths from out of county developersNo "F"raudNo "F"ilthy Sewage ProblemsNo "F"lamboyant EntrepreneursNo "F"lat lies to trick our communityNo "F"oliage on our hillsideNo "F"orce from the DevelopersNo "F"unky tricks from campaign expertsNo "F"UTURE!Enough said "No on "F"Debi Ryan Gill andTyler GillSanta PaulaBuying baloneyTo the Editor:I was at a seminar last week and ran into a sister Santa Paulan. She informed me that she was voting "Yes" on Measure F. After I recovered from my initial horror, I asked her why she was voting that way. She said "because we need to take back control of the canyon!"I am amazed that there are still some people out there who are buying the line of baloney that the Pinnacle Group is putting out there. They have the money to pay for big ads, to transparently contribute to our local charities, and even enough to possibly entice some city officials to vote the way they want them to. But what they are saying is simply not true.Here are some facts:1. The fact that we can vote on this measure at all should tell people that we ALREADY HAVE CONTROL.2. The County of Ventura created the zoning of 1 house per 10 to 40 acres to allow for RANCHING! This area is safe for cattle, not people.3. We presently have the right to vote on the use of this and other rural county properties surrounding us. Once the canyon is annexed into the city, WE LOSE THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON IT AGAIN. Our city's fate will be in the hands of three (majority) city council members - from what I've seen so far, that scares me to death!WHY DO YOU THINK A MAJOR DEVELOPER FROM ANOTHER STATE IS COMING TO SANTA PAULA? JUST TO HELP US EXPAND OUR CURB?Moving the CURB line is the first step to massive development. 2200 homes - 1980 of which are luxury homes, a golf course, hotel, commercial development - we're talking a whole separate city! Think of the impact that would have on our resources - our water, our environment! They want to put DEBRIS BASINS in our orchards! Do you think people who live in an exclusive area such as this are going to come downtown to shop? Think again!Where will the wildlife that is living in those canyons go? Do you think they will just disappear?Think ahead - the parks that are proposed. Who will be paying for those parks? The development's homeowners association. That means that they will OWN the parks. Do you think our children who live on 12th Street or Ojai Avenue will have the right to play there?Please get out and vote. VOTE NO ON MEASURE F. Don't let an out of State developer plan our future!!!Diane GraceSanta PaulaVisionariesTo the Editor:I've heard it said "If 'they' want massive development here, 'they' will have it! Money talks and we are powerless to stop it." Well, I just don't buy that!I want to take this opportunity to thank the visionaries in our community who are trying to get the TRUTH out to our residents. People like Julie and Ron Tovias, Martha K. Harris, Mike Miller, John Wisda, John Procter, Mary Ann Krause, Gabino Aguirre, Bob Pinkerton, and many others just too numerous to mention. The citizens of Santa Paula owe these people a debt of gratitude. The "Davids" standing up to the "Goliaths."I moved to this community 9 years ago. I chose Santa Paula because of the "small town" appeal and friendly atmosphere. The place I came from used to be like that, too. It was called Orange County. A place where orange blossoms filled the air in the spring and the sound of the creek lulled me to sleep at night. A place where hawks played in the breezes and beautiful hillsides changed colors with the passing seasons.And then, BOOM! Within 3 years, life changed into a NIGHTMARE. I watched helplessly as the country road in front of my home turned into a 6 lane highway. I could no longer sit in my yard and enjoy the smells and sounds of nature. There were literally too many fumes - I couldn't breath outside. Doors and windows had to remain shut all year around just to keep the noise and smells out!I watched these beautiful hillsides turn into a disgusting array of cracker-box apartments and condos. The hillsides changed into asphalt and concrete. Trees? Not one.I couldn't get our of my street. Too many cars.Please don't be fooled by what the Pinnacle Group is saying. They have only one goal in mind. When the CURB line is moved, construction will start IMMEDIATELY on a project bigger than the proposed Ahmanson Ranch project. Roads will be widened first, to accommodate all of the construction vehicles that will be necessary. New roads will be developed to accommodate more traffic - maybe right in front of YOUR home. (We don't know because Pinnacle hasn't given us a plan!) Noise and pollution will follow. Then, the dustbowl of the actual construction will begin to pollute our air. The noise of bulldozers and pile-drivers will be the only thing you will hear - from daybreak to sunset. Our groves will be removed to accommodate drainage and to provide the needed debris basins. This will go on for years - literally. Is this what you want for Santa Paula? NOT ME!I can tell you first hand because I was there; development doesn't stop (or start) with what the CITIZENS want. Developers don't care what the citizens want. They will tell you that they do. They'll tell you anything you want to hear. And then, when it's too late, reality will hit you. The type of development that the Pinnacle Group wants to start in Santa Paula will change our lives FOREVER into an urban sprawl nightmare. It won't stop.Development of Adams Canyon will cost us more than increased taxes and the demise of our farmland. Development of Adams Canyon will cost us our very way of life.Please join the many responsible citizens of this community who want to PLAN for sensible growth in Santa Paula. Read the plan. Read between the lines. Look past the slick sales approach by an outsider who wants to rape us and run straight to the bank.VOTE NO ON MEASURE F. Take back control.Dee Johnston, R.N.Case ManagerState Sponsored ProgramsCompelled tofavor Measure FTo the Editor:I continue to be in favor of Measure F because I have yet to hear a compelling reason not to be. The opponents accuse the supporters of using "scare tactics" even when their own argument is so bloated with farfetched scenarios. Surely they must know that is so and it detracts from their credibility. Measure F seeks to give the Santa Paula City Council control over any development in Adams Canyon. Santa Paula would also derive the benefits from such development. I would rather see that any day than to leave Adams Canyon to the whims and tides of county politics. We've seen repeatedly how little influence we have there.I have attentively read all the arguments presented so far against Measure F. With the exception of a few who clearly need medication and the usual pack of nonresidents, I consider the opponents bright and sincerely motivated. Discerning their motives, however, is troublesome. While the nonresidents contribute voluminous verbiage to this discussion, their arguments are damaged because underlying them all lurks the idea that they don't really care what happens so long as it doesn't threaten their own personal comfort zone. The thrust of the remaining opposition seems steadfastly against any development whatsoever in Adams Canyon, either now or in the future, but their objections are too overstated and easily rebutted to be their true concern. That leaves one to guess what's really at the heart of their strident opposition to changing the dismal status quo of Santa Paula.I suspect one major factor has to do with political control that seeks not to solve our problems, but to prolong them. Their hope for political power is in courting that segment of our community most in need of better jobs and housing. Developing Adams Canyon would present a major threat to those political ambitions because it could free up affordable housing, provide better jobs locally and enhance our economy in general. If that happens, their political appeal to a needy constituency will surely dwindle as more Santa Paulans enter the mainstream of a self-reliant economy. That could even bring an end to the undercurrent of racial politics that some self-proclaimed "leaders" so carefully nourish. It is ironic that the Do Nothing Party purports to represent people with the most immediate needs, yet urges them to reject an opportunity for jobs and housing while offering them nothing in return. I think the sacrifice they ask is shamefully self-serving.Bill GlennSanta PaulaToxic Waste In Adams Canyon?To the Editor:Guess where the first "Oil Gusher" in California was?"Adams No. 16, a well in Adams Canyon, which spouted over the top in 1888. This well was followed in 1892 by the bigger Adams No. 28, which flowed out of control at about 1,500 barrels per day to send torrents of oil down the Santa Clara River and out to sea. Drilled by the Hardison and Stewart Oil Co., a predecessor of the Union Oil Co., these two wells demonstrated to the world the huge potential of the California oil fields" ("Famous Gushers Of California", San Joaquin Geological Society).Will "Measure F" move an abandoned oil field into the City boundary? During heavy rain oil continues to ooze from the canyon. Toxic pockets of Methane and lethal H2S "sour gas" are also of concern. Of course, no environmental review for "Measure F" has been offered by Pinnacle Corporation.Now Adams Canyon Oil Field is the County and landowners toxic liability. Shall we vote to make it Santa Paula's too? "F" No.Jeff Novak
Santa PaulaPlans forSanta PaulaTo the Editor:Those in favor of Measure F repeatedly say there is no other plans being presented. The implication is those opposed should have a detailed plan waiting in the wings to present before saying we do not want urban sprawl. What poppycock!In the election of 2000 Measure I (the SOAR measure that established a CURB line contiguous to Santa Paula) clearly won. It was not a cliffhanger, and one councilman (Garfield) who was avidly against Measure I was decisively defeated. That should have sent a message to city government that it was their DUTY to explore ways to abide by voter's wishes. Instead they used their time/energy to promote development in Adams Canyon. Now supporters claim opponents should present plans. They have it backwards as I will explain.Actually, there is already a plan for Santa Paula. It has been in place for over 10 years. If used properly, most of our problems would have been avoided. This plan was the creation of the Santa Paula Redevelopment Area. I attended almost all the meetings from the beginning, because I have two parcels of real estate in the designated areas. I will quickly review the concept of Redevelopment. Its purpose is to address blighted conditions and correct them. This can legally be done in a variety of ways. Redevelopment Areas are formed by the consent of the citizens through the city council. Money is borrowed to do designated projects. The borrowed money is repaid through a mechanism that I will explain. If base year for Redevelopment Area (RDA) is 1991, all property taxes in the area, which is approximately 45% of Santa Paula are the prevailing rate each year. However, the distribution of the property tax revenues is based on RDA rules. The city, county, library, school district etc stay at 1991 levels (unless special arrangements are made; Santa Paula has several pass-through accounts). All moneys above the 1991 level go to Santa Paula RDA; this is called tax increment money. The amount for 2001-2002 was $1,077,203.19!! It will grow as values go up each year! Each year 20% of tax increment money, by law, must go to housing set-aside fund, to provide housing for low, very low, and moderate income housing. The 2001-2002 year's amount was $269,300.76 The remainder is used to repay the bonds (the yearly amount does not change) and pay reasonable administrative cost. As more and more money flows in due to the growing appreciation of real estate, you can see there should be more and more money available to address the blighted conditions the RDA was set up to do. Fillmore had many good and innovative programs for their RDA.The record of our RDA is mixed. The downtown renovation was needed to upgrade sewer and water lines, improve the streets and sidewalks and correct the drainage problems by lowering certain areas. It was poorly done with $500,000 cost overrun. Almost nothing else has been done and several misuses of funds have occurred. The annual report to the state agency overseeing redevelopment agencies for 2000 revealed that $1.7 MILLION dollars of housing set-aside money had been used to defease the bonds. They say that has been corrected, but there is NO evidence that housing set aside moneys have ever been used in a significant way. (The proof is that there was $1.7 MILLION in the fund!) A few drainage problems have been fixed such as Warren and Craig Drive, by claiming these served a low income area. There was never any real enthusiasm or vision for using the RDA the way it could and should have been used.From an economic standpoint everything done to create improved real estate in RDA area will return immensely more than the little bit the property tax of a new house in other areas will bring. And the amount grows greater each and every year. I simply can not emphasize this enough! WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ELIMINATE SOME BLIGHT AND INCREASE OUR INCOME! They keep this secret from you, but it is true. RDA has a 40 year life and we should have avoided many of our problems and been benefiting from it.Is it happening? Not in any meaningful way. Who should be planning to FIX Santa Paula? Certainly not the people who voted for Measure I. The city should be planning to FIX Santa Paula! Instead they work toward abandoning the city in favor of development outside the voted on CURB line. Will the situation change? Depends on the election this November! I will vote against Measure F and for candidates who will also vote against it.Martha K. HarrisSanta PaulaPoliticalHarassmentTo the Editor:Those who have something to gain usually accept political harassment from one candidate to another. On the other hand extensive damage should always be suspected and the wounds may never heal. What I'm asking you to do is before you cast your vote for the candidates who are running for Santa Paula City Council drop by The Ranch at Santa Paula located at 915 E. Main Street Suite A.I would like for you to be informed not only on Measure F but also on the candidates who are running for city council. There are two candidates who are harassing one of the employees who works for The Ranch at Santa Paula. The citizens and voters need to know who they are, so you could be informed at what length the opponents of Measure F will go to get their message to you or when they don't get their way.Harassment is to annoy continuously, pester, and persecute. Harassment means any improper behavior by a person that is offensive to any such person and that person knew or ought to reasonably have known would be unwelcome.Harassment can take many forms, but generally involves conduct, comment or display which is insulting, intimidating, humiliating, hurtful, demeaning, belittling, malicious degrading or otherwise causes offensive, discomfort, or personal humiliation, or embarrassment to a person.Harassment may include written or verbal abuse, unwelcome remarks, and you need to know which candidates are doing this. So I urge you to stop by The Ranch at Santa Paula and ask those questions that can help you decide on who you want to vote for Santa Paula City Council and I also believe that Americans have the right to choose where they work. and who employs them.Ray LunaSANTA PAULAWater Rightsor Wrongs?To the Editor:Question: How will Measure F impact a SIMPLE something - like our drinking water supply - or future electric? As a retired drilling fluids engineer and geologist, allow me to point out our NATURAL natural resource allotment.POINT ONE: Water is a scarce resource.Likely no one will address long-term impacts like water supply until Measure F has been voted upon. It is, if not the single most important long-term issue, it should be in the top three.POINT TWO: Nudging (throwing) farmers aside (out) to appropriate (take) their water because "residents use less" is not a proper line of reasoning. I cannot say it plainer without citing study after study after study. Residents use more.POINT THREE: Divvying up fixed water resources can IMPROVED Santa Paula with no negative impacts? A ridiculous, convoluted and corrupted line of reasoning first-year Econ students would red-pencil - could they stop laughing long enough. Its a pie-chart thing. Basic. Same pie - more people - smaller slices.POINT FOUR: Californians pay the highest electrical rates on the continent. So the same amount of precious electricity sent to MORE people should mean MORE brown outs, MORE rationing, MORE rate hikes, MORE utility citations and fines. THIS IS A GOOD THING? A city this size can make it to the big leagues - go see Cambria, Julian, Half Moon Bay - for just a few. Those cities are PACKED with weekend visitors. They DID NOT do it with urban sprawl - that is also a FACT. Wise people want FACTS to vote. Not promises and PR.John KomanSanta PaulaLetter in intended to open ourcitizens eyesTo the Editor:This letter in intended to open our citizens eyes on how we feel as children growing up here in Santa Paula. There is little league for those who want to play baseball. There is Bobbie Sox fields for those who want to play softball. There is basketball courts (gates are locked most of the time) for those who want to play basketball. There is a football field for those who want to play football. Soccer fields in poor condition for those who want to play soccer. We're now getting a skate park and we also have video stores to rent movies and games. There is also boy scouts, cub scouts, girl scouts and boys and girls clubs.The point I'm trying to make here is that life on earth should be fun, where we can have parks and recreation for all. We can have a community pool that consists of a diving pool with an area to do laps and another area to horse around. We can also have an outside roller hockey rink, and a small train that goes around this park. I'll let you decide on all the possibilities that we can have here in Santa Paula and be the envy of all the other cities here in Ventura County.We also can have new schools, and a golf course that will support our children in junior golf. A golf course that has a driving range where we can practice when we don't have enough time to play a game of golf. We don't have this here in Santa Paula!The following students in Santa Paula support Measure F and we would like you to vote for us since we're not old enough to vote. Voting yes on Measure F will protect and save our children please vote yes on Measure F the following students support it.Derek Jordan LunaChristian CastanedaChristian JesusAJ Escoto EllisonPedro RoriguezYesenia ContrerasChaz OnofaroSteven GrahamMatt PhillipsJesse TaborKimi YamamotoCassie DesalesNoe JiminezKandace RosalesSaul MendozaEdgardo BautistaJose HerediaChristian GonzagaSantiago RodriguezNoel BarriosEddie PereFreddy CovarrubiasAndrew GarciaMarian FernandezJosue CovarrubiasVicky OsunaJessica VasquezGilbert DominguezKathy ComerJanathan ChavezJuan Carlos CastanonRichard OnelyDavid RiedyRaul MaganaPatrick GordonVickie ToviasEuginia MaganaDaniel Torres Jr.Robert ToviasMiguel AlvarezJoel MarquezDouglas RenteriaBlanca NavarroGary DavidsonAlex LunaDaysi NavarroJared LunaJoe LarsonEnrique MunozSammy LaneRoger NunezJessica NunezMario PerezErick SaavedoaDerek-Jordan Luna (DJ)Santa PaulaSkatepark Design Almost CompleteOur skatepark designer, Purkiss Rose-RSI, is doing a great job of creating a skatepark our skaters will be happy with, one that will make Santa Paula proud. Their two skater-designers, Mike Taylor and Frank Hirata, have been so receptive to all of SP skaters' ideas at the two workshops held over the last couple of months. As many council members have remarked, this is how a city project should work, with lots of input from the public and future users.SPAS, the Santa Paula Association of Skaters, would like to thank Round Table and Dominos for donating pizzas at the last workshop. We also appreciate all the support from City Staff, Council members, candidates and the Community Center. The proposed skatepark has been expanded to 12,000 sq ft to better include the features our skaters want in their park and still blends in well with the rest of Veterans' Park.The last workshop will be held Wednesday, October 16th at 6 p.m. at the Community Center. The design is almost final, so this is skaters' last chance to have their ideas heard.For those who want a design preview or can't make it to the Wednesday meeting, a SPAS meeting will be held this Sunday the 13th at 1:00 p.m. at the Phillips' home, 621 E. Pleasant St. We really want to ensure skaters are happy with the final product, let's get it right!Laura Phillips,SPASNew prosperityTo the Editor:I support Proposition F as the first step in helping to bring new prosperity to Santa Paula.Adams Canyon has nothing whatsoever to do with the phrase "Save Our Groves." It is not primary ag land. It's not even secondary ag land. This is fact. My grandfather, C. C. Teague, operated much of Adams Canyon under the name of Santa Paula and Cattle Company. He soon disposed of the animals and dry farming ventures and got into more successful ventures. Various attempts to farm the canyon were made including such failures as apricots, olives and oranges irrigated from water produced from the old Sulphur Mountain tunnel oil wells. Then came the biggest failure...mine. Along with current owner Arnold Dahlberg and others we planted 600 acres of avocados. This didn't work. So when opponents of Proposition F say "Save Our Groves" you now know they couldn't be talking about Adams Canyon.To me Santa Paula is a gem. It just needs to be polished... and I believe Adams Canyon can help.No matter how hard the opponents of Proposition F push they fail to mention the measure's key ingredient... and that is a Yes vote simply states that the citizens of Santa Paula, not the county at large, will make the decision as to when and IF Adams Canyon can be converted to another use.Alan TeagueSanta PaulaIf...To the Editor:If I were to run for City Council or any office, I would have to know the city, know the people, be involved, know the issues, spend time with the people, volunteer, attend meetings, pay attention, not argue, be a friend, be fair, don't be late, show respect (includes my followers), use good language, "be intelligent," find problems and look for a cure. Show I'm trying.Also I would be approachable, return calls, be reasonable, go to the sources, rap with everyone, be for everyone, not a cure-all, meet for coffee occasionally, don't get mad, don't keep long sessions or meetings, don't try to be boss or Gestapo, don't use excuses, cater to everyone, "don't try to change others' votes forcefully," don't bribe, "don't mark others' ballots," don't be mouthy to the Council or City Manager, don't give long speeches (zzz). Dress wise and accordingly. Also not stutter at answers. Watch the budget and don't invent lawsuits to get even. That is money better used for important projects in our town. (We need that cash.)If a kid in my family was caught doing graffiti, or if I even knew about it, I would apologize to the community and make sure there was "plenty" of hours sweeping streets and cleaning toilets.I would be nice.Ken (Z) ZimmetSanta PaulaThe lengths people goTo the Editor:I attended the Santa Paula Council meeting of September 7 and I was very disappointed with Ken Chapman who verbally attacked our Mayor. Mr. Chapman has every opportunity to speak with Mayor Luna through a phone call. He could also approach the Mayor at any time and talk to him regarding his concern about the column Mayor Luna wrote in the Santa Paula Times.Ken Chapman chose to use the podium knowing Mayor Luna could not respond to his attack. Therefore Ken Chapman to me appears to be a coward! Those who stand in front of a podium and call the council racist and attack the Mayor have hate in their agenda. They represent only themselves and don't really care whether Santa Paula becomes a town that everyone could love. They are selfish!Ken Chapman sign off the Santa Paula freeway does not tell the truth about Measure F in fact it actually lies to whomever sees it.It goes to show you the lengths that people will go to just so they could express themselves. The logger climbed a tree and had an unfortunate accident and Ken Chapman has turned himself into a person who does not tell the truth. When you protest or express yourself you become possessed to the point where you can't reason with your behavior. That is the relationship that woman in Oregon has with Ken Chapman, it's the extreme people will go to express themselves to others. Mr. Chapman by expressing himself with this type of behavior at the Santa Paula City Council meeting convinced me that Mayor's column was correct. Mayor Luna you won again! You've taken the gentlemen's approach by not responding to Ken Chapman. Mr. Chapman Measure F is not about saving our groves and it's not about development. It's about protecting Santa Paula and creating opportunity.Albert CortezSanta PaulaBullyingthe MayorTo the Editor:At the Santa Paula City Council Meeting on Sept. 7 I wanted to see Elizabeth Blanchard Chess and Tony Vasquez receive a proclamation from the Mayor. Dad has always shared with me those contributions that people make in our society. It's those contributions that make life better for all of us, Elizabeth Blanchard Chess and Tony Vasquez fall under this category. I'm sorry Mr. Chapman, I don't see your name listed with these fine citizens. Have you asked yourself why?My family was notified Friday, October 4 that Mr. Ken Chapman was going to put on his show. He's done this before at our Council Meetings and every city council has this type of person in their audience. I've been to a Ventura City Council Meeting more than once and to a Fillmore Council Meeting and there in the audience sits a Ken Chapman.I want you to know that Mayor Luna in reference to his column in the paper never compared Mr. Chapman to that woman who fell off the tree protesting the logging of a forest. He was only referring to the sign. Your attack on my dad was that of a bully and now you, not the sign will always remind me of that woman who climbed the tree and fell. Mr. Chapman grow up!Derek-Jordan LunaAge 14Santa PaulaOn Mr. Ken ChapmanTo the Editor:In discussions with my friend Mayor Ray Luna on October 8, 2002, I was disturbed that a non-resident would take to task both the City Council on Measure 'F' through name-calling and by terrorist tactics. The reason for this letter is to alert the community that every citizen is entitled to their opinion and to register their vote in the upcoming election in November.What is upsetting to me as an individual and as a retiree and Santa Paula resident is the fact that an outsider such as Mr. Chapman does not have the right to disrupt the City Council meeting with his theatrics and behavior. In addition, if Mr. Chapman desires to improve Santa Paula, he needs to bring constructive suggestions to the forum.Mr. Chapman should be aware that Mr. Ray Luna has brought a degree of consensus to a disagreeable City Hall and City Council over the last two years. In addition, the city is at a major point in its development, and there are more relevant issues than name-calling at stake. As such, Mr. Chapman please take your hidden agenda elsewhere.Mark T. FlorioSanta Paula



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