VCHP Archives
VCHP Endorses Three Candidates for Ventura City Council in the November 8, 2011 Election
Ventura Citizens for Hillside Preservation has conducted its 2011 City Council candidate interviews with candidates who applied for our endorsement.
We are pleased to announce that we have endorsed:
Carl Morehouse, Cheryl Heitmann & Danny Carrillo.
All three candidates supported VCHP's opposition to the construction of "executive" homes in the Cañada Larga Valley. They all support S.O.A.R. and its renewal. They each exhibit:
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a commitment to preserving the environment, the natural beauty and quality of life in Ventura |
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experience bringing divergent groups together to achieve long-term community goals |
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the ability to weigh long-term benefits against pressures for short-term gain
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the ability to balance economic and environmental concerns for the benefit of all Venturans |
We need their voices on City Council as the General Plan comes up for review in 2012, or we risk losing protections we have in place to limit suburban sprawl. This election is crucial to the future of Ventura. VCHP believes these three candidates provide a winning combination of experience and new perspective on Council to lead Ventura in the right direction for the next four years.
Carl Morehouse
Carl has served on Council for three terms, through good and bad economic times. He has the commitment and experience to see the city through the current rough budget times. He represents Ventura on the League of CA Cities, the So. CA Association of Governments, and the Ventura Council of Governments. His knowledge of budgets and his good working relationships with leaders throughout the state are beneficial for Ventura. We need to return him to our Council so he can continue to be an effective advocate for our community.
Carl's long-term support of agriculture in our community and of environmental protections has helped maintain the superior quality of life that we all enjoy. Carl realizes that decisions made today have lasting ramifications for everyone in our community. He resists the pressures by special interests for short-term gain that will impact our quality of life for generations to come. Carl also shares a commitment to a well-rounded community, a diverse and vibrant city with a healthy middle class.
For more information
Cheryl Heitmann
Cheryl has run the Ventura Music Festival for 6 years and been actively involved in our county for 25 years. She was elected to the County College Board of Trustees at a time when the Trustees were tasked with pulling the College District back from edge of bankruptcy. When she left the board 8 years later, the College District finances, with a budget three times that of the City of Ventura, had not only been nursed back to health, but the College District was rated one of the most fiscally sustainable districts in the state.
Her years of service on seven Boards, including the Community College Board and Arts Commission have earned her the respect of people from any and all political persuasions. This quality is especially important since City Council is a non-partisan position. She is known to invite and listen to all points of view on an issue prior to making a decision.
She values the environment and supports a balance between economic development and protecting the natural beauty that surrounds our community. She thinks creatively and has worked collaboratively with diverse interests to accomplish goals. She does not shy from making tough decisions.
Having worked in Ventura for years, Cheryl and her family chose to move to Ventura specifically for the quality of life and natural beauty and resources Ventura has to offer. She wishes to preserve the best of Ventura while helping strengthen areas where, as a community we should be performing much better.
For more information
Danny Carrillo
Danny was raised in Ventura and attended Ventura public schools. As a negotiator for the SEIU and an active Board member of CAUSE, he is deeply involved in issues important to working residents of Ventura. In his capacity with SEIU, he has worked with the existing City Council members and understands the constraints and decision-making process. Working with CAUSE, he actively assisted in defeating the LNG plant off our local coast.
Danny values Ventura's quality of life, our hillsides and natural places and will fight to achieve a balance between economic development and environmental protection. He understands the realities of working with a tight budget and stated that he will not support decisions that make no economic sense for our city. VCHP believes that Danny will carefully weigh the long-term environmental consequences of decisions that come before the Council.
For more information
For their commitment to Hillside & Open Space Preservation, their strength of character and ability to work with others for a better Ventura, please vote for Danny, Cheryl and Carl for City Council.
Thank you for your continuing support. This is the ninth year VCHP has monitored Ventura City Council's actions to provide you, as a voter, an informed recommendation to assist you in deciding how to cast your vote for environmentally-conscious candidates
