Our Kids Are In Danger

Simi Valley used to be the safest place to live in the US. Now we are ranked in the top 35 places to live. We are no longer safe, and our property crimes continue to rise.

With only 103 street cops on our streets, lets do the math. That rounds Up to 15 officers on the streets of Simi Valley ever 24 hours. If they work 12 hour shifts, we are lucky to have 7 officers on the streets. If they work 8 hour shifts, we have only 5 officers at a time on the streets of our ENTIRE valley. Do you feel safe now?

How about our kids? The DARE program is gone. Gang problems in our schools are increasing, drugs are everywhere, just ask the high school students. These children are telling us they are scared. They are asking parents to drive them to Oak Park so they do not have to go to our schools. What is the district doing about it? One Wood Ranch parent wrote to the Board and Superintendent here in Simi Valley explaining why they were leaving SVUSD and received a letter back wishing her son better luck in Oak Park.

We ,the citizens of Simi Valley must raise our voices to the city and school board and demand more officers. With almost 127,000 residents, we should have 127 officers on the streets, plus the officers who keep the police force optimized from the desks.

Once elected to the Simi Valley School Board, I will fight along side my friends and parents to work with the city council to get to police coverage we need in this community and the police presence we need at the schools, so the gangs, drug users and dealers, and bullies know we mean business. We want our city safe for our children.

Josie Hirsch
Candidate for SVUSD School Board

Dear Josie,

It is my pleasure to officially send you my support in the upcoming election for Simi Valley Unified School Board.  Our discussions about Finance and Operational procedures have me excited about having you replace me on the Board.  I believe your desire to make the District stronger for the children of Simi Valley, coupled with your work experience from the business world will be an extreme asset  in which the parents within our community are looking for in a School Board Member.  Again, I look forward to having you replace me on the Governing School Board.  All my best wishes and I look forward to working with you in the future to help make our District much stronger.

Sincerely,

Eric Lundstrom
Governing School Board Member

Here are the details of Jeanne’s upcoming event:

10/06/2010 Simi Valley – Candidate for Simi Valley School Board Jeanne Davis will be holding an event to meet voters this Saturday, October 9th at 12:00 PM at Chuy’s restaurant (east). She will be there from 12:00PM – 2:00 PM to take questions and listen to the concerns of those within the Simi Valley community.

Meet Jeanne Davis @ Chuy’s East

Saturday at 12:00pm

Chuy’s – 5840 E Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley, CA 93063

(go to www.bajachuys.com for directions, menu, and pricing)

About Jeanne Davis:

Jeanne Davis is an educator that has been serving Simi Valley for more than 40 years. To find out more about Jeanne, please visit:

http://www.jeannedavis.net/ or http://www.facebook.com/JeanneDavisSV

Josie Hirsch has received additional endorsements for her run for Governing Board Member of the Simi Valley Unified School District. In addition to the VC Republican Central Committee, SVUSD Governing Board Member Eric Lundstrom and many teachers and parents, she has now received the endorsements of Steven Hintz, Superior Court Judge, Retired; Jarrod DeGonia, District Director for Assembly Member Cameron Smyth; Don Facciano, President Ventura County Taxpayers Association; and Raymond Cruz, University Development Officer.

Josie Hirsch is dedicated to joining the current school board to add her skill set to assist in the financial management of the SVUSD. Her financial experience will greatly compliment the existing team, as her focus for over 20 years has been budget planning and budget adherence and cost savings and cost avoidance programs.

You can learn more about Josie’s campaign for Simi Valley School Board by checking out her website at http://www.josiehirsch4simi.com/

From 1990 until 2005 I worked as a social studies teacher at Valley View. While there I continued coaching basketball as well as being a department chair, Quiz Bowl coach, peer mediation coordinator and member of the School Site Council. From 2002 to 2005 I was also elected by my fellow educators to be the President of the local association. Also in 2005 I received an Honorary Service Award from the Simi Valley PTA for my work on behalf of the children of Simi Valley, it was a great honor for me.

In 2005 I was offered a job as a staff person for the state teachers association. I now work consulting with educators and assisting them in long term strategic planning. I also do trainings for educators in areas like the Brown Act and School Site Councils and in reading school district budgets. I am not a member of the local teachers association or state teachers association and I do not work for the local teachers association. I am also not management and not a part of governance.

According to his website, he’ll be joining Jeanne Davis and Bob Huber at an event in Simi Valley at 3:00pm. Brian Dennert will be covering the event, conducting interviews and likely including pictures and video. To find out more about this event, upcoming events, or for more general information about Arleigh Kidd’s campaign for Simi Valley School Board, check out his new website:

http://www.arleighkiddforschoolboard.com/

The detailed release is as follows:

Mayoral candidate blasts state’s ability to maintain the Ronald Reagan Freeway to Ronald Reagan’s standards

SIMI VALLEY – Simi Valley City Councilman and Mayoral candidate Steve Sojka today announced an ambitious public-private partnership proposal for beautification of the Ronald Regan Freeway (118) over the next 12 to 18 months. The program will have minimal direct cost to Simi Valley taxpayers, and will result in landscaping and other improvements along the freeway corridor including its on- and off-ramps.

Councilman Sojka will present details to the Simi Valley City Council at its meeting on Sept. 20, and ask for the Council’s support to direct staff to develop a comprehensive plan to bring back for Council approval.

“My vision is to create a scenic green corridor along the entire Simi Valley portion of the 118 Freeway by developing a collaboration of public and private partnerships that will enhance the aesthetics and improve the image and quality of life for all of Simi Valley,” Councilman Sojka said. “These improvements could be funded through Community Development Agency funds, Adopt-A-Highway proceeds and volunteer projects by Community Service Organizations with minimal cost to Simi Valley residents. My goal is to complete this ambitious project for the immediate beautification of the 118 freeway.”

Steve Sojka is Simi Valley’s representative to the Ventura County Transportation Commission. With VCTC, Sojka has worked in collaborative efforts to bring much-needed traffic and transportation corridor improvements to his hometown of Simi Valley.

These improvements include the 118 Freeway widening, the Madera Road-West City entrance improvements, the Erringer Road bicycle lanes-landscaping project between Royal Avenue and Fitzgerald Road, and the brand new Bus Facility CNG fueling station.

Councilman Sojka recently met with California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and City officials to develop Sojka’s plan to beautify the 118 freeway through landscaping and maintenance with public-private partnerships.

Steve Sojka has been a Simi Valley City Councilmember since 1998, twice served as Mayor Pro Tem, and is currently running for Mayor. For information about Steve Sojka for Mayor, visit www.sojkaformayor.com or www.facebook.com/sojkaformayor.

Jeanne Davis served 38 years in the SVUSD as a teacher of elementary education, special education, adult education, and GATE. She also served as a vice principal in middle school and as an elementary principal. She has taught classes at Cal Lutheran University and supervised student teachers. Jeanne was elected in November 2006 to the Simi Valley School Board. She is currently Board President for 2009-2010, and past-Clerk of the Board in 2008-2009.

It’s easy to find out more, simply check out her new website.

Jeanne’s got her Facebook fan page details on the website. So if you follow the issues and candidates online and you’re a Facebook junky like I am, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for to stay in the loop.  The website platform is one that allows for constant updates and new content, so check back often to stay up to date with Jeanne’s campaign.

http://jeannedavis.net/

I am running for Simi Valley School Board because I believe our children and teachers need a strong voice. The families in our community deserve excellent schools and knowledgable teachers to guide the great minds of tomorrow. My objective is to assist the community to provide quality education to our children while supporting the teachers and administrators that serve the great people of our community. With my guidance, our school board will make it easier to raise educated, happy, healthy kids in Simi Valley and provide continuing employment for our community. We will provide the highest quality services to our schools, and we will pursue plans that meet the needs of all students, parents, teachers and administrators. I hope to focus on reducing student teacher ratios, bringing the arts back to our schools, providing healthy hot meal options, and promoting literacy. Additionally, I would like to see lacrosse on the agenda for discussion.

I located that information by browsing Josie’s website. You can do the same by pointing your browser to www.josiehirsch4simi.com. Cheers to Josie Hirsch for taking her campaign online!

For the Facebook fanatics, join Josie on Facebook by clicking here.

Keith Mashburn's sign attached to a fence on LA and Stearns

Everyone loves political sign season! Right? No? Maybe it’s just me. At any rate, I’m having a good time spotting the signs as they appear throughout the city. For those that believe challengers have trouble getting their signs posted, drive around town and tell me if you can spot the signs for Mike Judge and Keith Mashburn. I sure have.

You may notice a couple of Keith Mashburn signs have disappeared. It turns out that a couple of small yard signs for Mashburn at the corner of Madera and Los Angeles Avenue were unauthorized, resulting in this statement from the Candidate:

I was notified by a representative of Casden Properties, Daren Embry, that they had removed my signs from their property at the corner of L.A. Ave. and Madera.  I did not place the signs there and had not requested permission to place any there.  Casden Properties made it very clear they were only supporting the incumbents for city council.  I regret any harm that this has caused Casden Properties and can assure them that it is my policy to only place signs where I have permission.

When I asked Keith how the signs appeared there, he indicated that some of his supporters may have put them in place without his knowledge, answering me as follows:

I can only guess that to be the case. I have no idea how they got out so early but I don’t think someone printed up Mashburn signs and placed them.

They were official Keith Mashburn signs, so if it wasn’t his campaign, it may have actually been an over-zealous supporter. Either way, the matter appears to have been settled. Thanks to Keith for providing the statement.

The race for Mayor of Simi Valley has added yet another significant endorsement.

Joining hundreds of private citizens and office holders, Democrats and Republicans, philanthropist, community and political leader Hank Lacayo, has endorsed the effort to elect Bob Huber as Mayor of Simi Valley.

Hank Lacayo is a California Lutheran University Exemplar Medallion recipient.

Although retired from the labor movement, Lacayo continues his work as State President of the Congress of California Seniors. He also serves and advises on various boards and groups, including the Ventura County Community Foundation, the Ventura County United Way, Calif. State University-Channel Islands, Ventura County Community College District Oversight Committee, El Concilio Family Services,La Hermandad, and Ventura County Taxpayer’s Association.

Mr. Lacayo joins the Ventura County Firefighters, Congressman Elton Gallegly (a former Simi Valley Mayor), Senator Tony Strickland,  Assemblywoman Audra Strickland, former State Senator Cathie Wright (a former Simi Valley Mayor), former Mayor Greg Stratton, School Board Trustee Rob Collins, among the many endorsers of Bob Huber for Mayor.

Lacayo is a past two term elected chair of the Ventura County Democratic Central Committee and is currently  a Commissioner for the California Commission on Aging on which he serves as chair of the Policy/Advocacy Committee and a member of the Commission’s Executive Committee.

Mr. Lacayo in announcing his endorsement noted “Bob is co-founder of the Simi Valley Senior Center and has always had a passion for the interest of our seniors.  I have worked closely with Bob Huber over the past 8 years on college district matters and know his heart, ability and high integrity first hand.  He will make an excellent Mayor of Simi Valley.  In these trying times Simi Valley needs a Mayor capable of working with all segments of the community, to work in a reduced revenue climate while protecting the needs of citizens.  He has the support from all segments of the community and the ability to bring people together, a rare commodity in public life these days.”

Huber thanked Mr. Lacayo for his support, “Hank Lacayo is a highly respected community leader, a political leader, a union leader, someone who understands that a successful community must have all voices at the table.  With my proposals for a free ombudsman service, town halls, transparency of government actions, together with all those who wish to make Simi Valley a better place to live, we can assure the best possible local government  in California.  I am deeply honored by the endorsement of Hank Lacayo, with his support and that of hundreds of Simi Valley community leaders, families and business owners, my term as Mayor will represent the best of our town.”