CLOSE

5 Things to know about the Nov. 3 election

Wochit

Smack dab in the middle of the city, District 4 has the most crowded race on the Oxnard ballot. Four candidates are hoping to unseat incumbent Bryan MacDonald, who’s been on the City Council since 2008. 

Hoping to fill the former police officer’s position in the first district-based election for this seat are Lucy Cartagena, Jack Villa, Efrain Jimenez II and Saul Medina. The Star reached out to Medina but he did not respond to requests to answer questions for this article.

Oxnard news: ‘We’ve been seeing more of it’; Oxnard takes on street racing with beefed up enforcement

Jack Villa (Photo: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Jack Villa

Age: 63

Occupation: Retired postal worker

Education: Ventura College

Years in office: None

If Oxnard voters in November pass Measure E, the 1.5-cent sales tax increase will contribute approximately $40 million to the budget. What should it be spent on?

I don’t support Measure E with no end date and no understanding of how the money will be spent. We cannot ask for more tax dollars from struggling families during these uncertain times. I would support an increase with end date and explanation of expenses. I would like to see restored investment back to the Oxnard Performing Arts and Convention Center, Carnegie Art Museum, children’s museums, La Colonia gym and library and City Corps. These services have taken several cuts last few years. Bring roads to an acceptable road index and park maintenance, then supplement public safety.

Many Oxnard residents, including the farmworker community, are struggling during COVID-19 with no work or reduced work hours and high housing costs. Does the city have a role in helping them?

City working with county, state, federal agencies and nonprofits to provide essential services — housing, food, medical, transportation and communication to assist residence. I would also support temporary freeze on rent hikes and evictions. 

Across the country and in Oxnard, some have called for defunding the police department and using the money for other services. Should Oxnard consider spending less on police or should it actually restore the cuts made through the years?

Not in favor of defunding police. The restoring of cuts must come with reform. Pay and benefits received are deserved, they have a difficult job. But it must come with more transparency and oversight. Changing the manual of policies and procedures is paramount. In favor of an oversight board to review policy and procedures to ensure proper police training in all scenarios, review administered discipline, public complaints and remedial training when needed, ensure proper equipment, etc.

Lucy Cartagena

Age: Did not answer

Occupation: Campus supervisor at Oxnard High School

Education: Did not answer

Years in office: 0

If Oxnard voters in November pass Measure E, the 1.5-cent sales tax increase will contribute approximately $40 million to the budget. What should it be spent on?

1. Homelessness. Education, prevention and implementation of a tent city and tiny/micro /R.V. spaces. 

2. Aesthetics of the city, our overpasses bridges and medians. 

3. Youth job programs.

4. Invest it back in the community to build up neighborhoods.

Many Oxnard residents, including the farmworker community, are struggling during COVID-19 with no work or reduced work hours and high housing costs. Does the city have a role in helping them?

Yes. The city could implement living wage acts and ordinances that mirror other cities and provide health protections. Oxnard has a huge disparity in health for low income and people of color. We could do something as simple as install a nonprofit hub so that we could attract resources and services for our residents.

Across the country and in Oxnard, some have called for defunding the police department and using the money for other services. Should Oxnard consider spending less on police or should it actually restore the cuts made through the years?

Defunding the police, does NOT mean defunding or removing police, it means allocating funding to police budget right, and smarter. It may mean MORE funding for police by providing services that will make a difference in our city. Implementing a social worker, a mental health worker, EMT and domestic violence, human trafficking, substance abuse specialist.

Bryan MacDonald

Age: 66

Occupation: Retired police officer, current city councilman

Education: Bachelor of Science in criminal justice; master’s degree in public administration; juris doctor.

Years in office: 12

If Oxnard voters in November pass Measure E, the 1.5-cent sales tax increase will contribute approximately $40 million to the budget. What should it be spent on?

One way or the other, we must stabilize our fiscal position and restore our reserves. We need to re-establish successful neighborhood friendly community oriented policing strategies and lifesaving 911 response times. By securing Oxnard’s financial stability, it will allow us to attract new businesses and jobs. We will need to address the failing infrastructure of our streets, water and wastewater system. Finally, we need to correct the years of poor maintenance of public areas (largely due to budget constraints) to provide quality recreation opportunities to the community.

Many Oxnard residents, including the farmworker community, are struggling during COVID-19 with no work or reduced work hours and high housing costs. Does the city have a role in helping them?

Yes, Oxnard is already involved assisting those affected by the crisis, including farmworkers. We work with several nonprofits to develop a mix of housing units. Oxnard has a 501C3 (Las Cortes), which works under our housing department and we have three projects, all low- to moderate-income properties which could be utilized by farmworkers.

I sit on the nonprofit that is redeveloping 1950s era housing stock for modern affordable housing. We worked with the tenants in the project, offering them “first right of refusal” for new units. We provided relocation assistance to ease the challenge of moving as much as possible.

Across the country and in Oxnard, some have called for defunding the police department and using the money for other services. Should Oxnard consider spending less on police or should it actually restore the cuts made through the years?

People need to understand that over the last several years the police department has lost 21 sworn positions and 16 non-sworn positions. One of the biggest complaints heard is regarding poor response time (sometimes as long as hours or days) to non-emergency calls. The PD will have the ability to provide much higher quality service if we can eliminate the lag time for responses and return to a neighborhood-focused policing program that allows the officers to be better connected to the community and more responsive to community needs.

Efrain Jimenez II

Age: 31

Occupation: Retail salesperson, student, mobile home park rent review commissioner

Education: Associate of science in paralegal studies 

Years in office: One, as commissioner

If Oxnard voters in November pass Measure E, the 1.5-cent sales tax increase will contribute approximately $40 million to the budget. What should it be spent on?

The resolution to adopt Measure E lists several reasons for requesting the tax increase, indicating unsatisfactory maintenance in those departments, areas that include: having “enough firefighters, paramedics, fire stations, engines, and life-saving equipment and communications technology,” retrofitting fire stations and upgrading equipment, earthquake readiness, and helping residents and families in transition or homeless due to financial fallout from the pandemic. While all of these are essential city services, city management has shown no intention to use revenue for anything other than pensions and development. If passed, the money should be used simply to restore the necessary status quo.

Many Oxnard residents, including the farmworker community, are struggling during COVID-19 with no work or reduced work hours and high housing costs. Does the city have a role in helping them?

Each city has a responsibility to help its residents however it can, especially those affected by adverse conditions and economic hardship. A city is responsible for the safety and general welfare of its people, as well as its health. Entire buildings have found themselves at the mercy of cramped conditions and workers who have found their hours cut or eliminated have no means of finding work. As public figures, for instance, city officials can use their platforms to aid residents in finding programs that can assist them, or direct them to those people who can help them.

Across the country and in Oxnard, some have called for defunding the police department and using the money for other services. Should Oxnard consider spending less on police or should it actually restore the cuts made through the years?

Every city should allocate their spending on what most benefits their particular needs, especially involving its civil protection and law enforcement. Our city should explore programs that are shown to be undoubtedly effective in conditions similar to our own. In 2018, as Oxnard began to experience its current deficit, independent auditors found the following: “Increases in employee pensions factored significantly into the city’s spending habits last year. Public safety pension and post-employment benefits increased by $10 million while other government pension and benefits increased by $4 million.” I believe that information demonstrates the city’s priorities well enough.

Election 2020

Ballots: Most Ventura County voters will receive their ballots the week of Oct. 5. If not received by Oct. 16, voters should contact the elections office and request a second ballot be mailed. 

Deadline to register: Online by Oct. 19 and in-person only Oct. 20 to Nov. 3.

When to vote: Mail in ballots by Election Day or vote in person Oct. 31-Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 47 polling stations. Nov. 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

To check registration: voterstatus.sos.ca.gov

Find out more:venturavote.org.

For coverage of Ventura County races and issues: www.vcstar.com/elections

Wendy Leung is a staff writer for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at [email protected] or 805-437-0339. You can also find her on Twitter @Leung__Wendy.

Read or Share this story: https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2020/10/02/election-2020-california-ballot-oxnard-incumbent-seeks-fourth-term-district-4/5736592002/